{"id":880602,"date":"2026-10-20T15:09:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:09:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/?p=880602"},"modified":"2026-10-20T15:09:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T13:09:05","slug":"new-names-for-towns-and-villages-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/businesstech.co.za\/news\/government\/880602\/new-names-for-towns-and-villages-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"New names for towns and villages in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Department of Sports, Arts and Culture has gazetted new names for towns, villages and other geographical features in South Africa, in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department has listed 12 new names, with two in the City of Tshwane in Gauteng and the rest in the Ray Nkonyeni local municipality in KZN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two Gauteng features are townships in Tshwane, namely Dinokeng View and Menoatlou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinokeng is a larger wildlife reserve in Gauteng, while Menoatlou was recommended in 2021 as the name of a township in the province, meaning “elephant tusk” in Sesotho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the new names in KZN are two villages, uDlovunga and KwaShobashobane, with the remaining names set for rivers and mountains in the province.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full list of new names is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name<\/th>Province<\/th>Municipality<\/th>Feature<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Dinokeng View<\/td>Gauteng<\/td>City of Tshwane<\/td>Township<\/td><\/tr>
Menoatlou<\/td>Gauteng<\/td>City of Tshwane<\/td>Township<\/td><\/tr>
KwaShobashobane<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>Village<\/td><\/tr>
uDlovunga<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>Village<\/td><\/tr>
uSihlambweni<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>Mountain<\/td><\/tr>
uLonjane<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
iKhangeza<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
uGodlogodlo<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
uButhongo<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
uSihlambo<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
eMaxhantini<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr>
uBenyu<\/td>KZN<\/td>Ray Nkonyeni LM<\/td>River<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anyone dissatisfied with the new names will have one month from the publication of the gazette to object to the Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These can be submitted in writing via email to sagnc@dsac.gov.za.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The registration of new towns and features in the country follows a raft of registrations that took place in June, where 15 rivers and mountains were named<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notably, the latest gazette outlines new names to be registered in the country for various features, rather than name changes from previous ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, several name changes are currently being processed, including proposals to rename some of the country’s oldest and most historic towns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August, the Eastern Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (ECPGNC) put forward proposals to change the names of historic towns, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n