LOUIS TRICHARDT – The Hlanganani Concerned Group won an important victory in their protracted battle against the Makhado Municipal Council's refusal to allow them to march in support of their views on Council's highly contentious renaming debacle.

The group rejects the effort to rename the town of Louis Trichardt after what they call "a notorious war lord". They accuse the Makhado Municipal Council of tribalistic actions, which seriously infringe on the cultural rights of all non-Venda citizens. They also reject Council's attitude and actions in the whole consultation process.

After three requests to march in support of their objections were refused, the Makhado Municipal Council eventually had to back down under legal pressure. The Hlanganani Concerned Group will now march on next Friday, February 27.

The group intend to hand over a petition against Council's one-sided renaming venture. The petition contains several thousand signatures in support of Hlanganani's objections.

In the meantime petition lists are also circulating under the auspices of the Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has repeatedly voiced its objection against any change of name of the town and also rejects the way in which the whole process was apparently politicised on an unacceptable racist basis.

The objections of both Hlanganani and the Chamber will be forwarded to the chairman of the Provincial Geographic Names Committee.