MAKHADO (LOUIS TRICHARDT) - “We are still hopeful that we will win this case. Don’t be discouraged by actions of local and national government who pretend it has been finalized. It’s not over yet,” key role-players against the name change of the town said this week.

Twenty months into the name fight, Mr Robert Khoza, chairman of the Hlanganani Concerned Citizens Group on January 31 reiterated their stance that they were determined to fight to the bitter end. The Hlanganani Group collected 28 000 signatures of people who are opposed to the change of the name of the town from Louis Trichardt to Makhado. The official name change was gazetted on June 6, 2003. The procedures that were followed in the process were highly controversial and objected to by many organizations.

A spokesperson for the group said that they could have collected more signatures, but people were allegedly intimidated by councillors who threatened them that they would be denied water and development if they supported the petition.

Mr JJ Gohell, executive member of the Chairman’s Association and secretary of the Hlanganani Concerned Citizens Group, said this week that people should not be disheartened by the municipality who put up boards with the name Makhado along the road. He said that people should persevere in spite of the delaying tactics of the provincial and national government.

“We expect the case to appear in the Supreme Court probably before June. Right now, the organizations affiliated to the Chairman’s Association are signing the relevant forms to deliver the necessary guarantees,” Mr Gohell said.

The Chairperson of the Chairman’s Association, Mr André Naudé, said this week that the State did not deliver the necessary documentation, and they are going to file the case next week without that documentation. There is no court date as yet.

Ms Inga Gilfillan, executive member of the CA, expressed the opinion that pioneering work is being done with regard to opposing names that are changed without proper and authentic consultations.

“Already we get enquiries from other cities. So, once again, Louis Trichardt is on the map,” Ms Gilfillan said.

The Chairperson of the Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce, Ms Jana Smith, repeated that the Chamber strongly opposes the change of the town’s name. From an economic viewpoint, the town cannot afford this kind of expenditure, which has been estimated at R18 million.

“The Soutpansberg Chamber of Commerce is not stagnant and is not against change. But this exercise of changing the town’s name is just not economically viable for the business sector. In the end, we have to foot the bill,” Ms Smith said.

Regarding the court case, a cost order was attained on June 8, 2004 against the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology and the South African Geographic Names Council in favour of the CA. In the court case, the applicant is the Chairperson’s Association and the first two respondents are the abovementioned Minister and Names Council. A third respondent was added, namely the Makhado Municipality.