The controversy surrounding the changing of place names in the Northern Province continued this week, as municipalities started to send out notices inviting the public to submit suggestions for consideration.

White communities in most towns were clearly opposed to the whole process, while several black community leaders complained that people were not being given enough time to submit their proposals. As we went to press, a meeting of ratepayers was scheduled to be held at the Pietersburg Primary School, to discuss the matter, and several other protest actions were being mounted elsewhere.

The Freedom Front, Democratic Alliance, and several other unlikely allies were set to join hands to register their disapproval.

Provincial Freedom Front leader Johan Willemse cited alleged mismanagement, shortsighted planning and discrimination against white cultural interests as urgent issues, which were certain to lead to confrontation between the government and certain communities.

It seemed virtually certain that trust funds would be created all over the province by this weekend, to receive deposits from ratepayers intent on witholding municipal taxes.