Free State Province Name Change: Setting the record straight
On 18 March 2015, during the tabling of her Budget Vote Speech, the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in the Free State, Mrs Mathabo Leeto, expressed her views regarding the changing of the name of the Free State Province. Since expressing that view a media hype has been raised by a number of media houses and individuals, basically jumping the gun on the matter.
Let it be noted that:
1) MEC Leeto simply called for a broad discussion around the name of the Free State Province. Contrary to what some media houses reported the issue of the name of the Free State is not fait accompli. The process has not even started for consideration of such a change.
2) MEC Leeto understands fully that there is a legal process that has to be followed if a name of any geographical place has to be changed. That process will be pursued when the time comes.
3) It is not true, as claimed by others, that when a name of a province is to be changed a Constitution will have to be amended.
Section 104 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that “the legislature of a province, by a resolution adopted with a supporting vote of at least two thirds of its members, may request Parliament to change the name of that province”.
A call for a discussion is a necessary, legitimate and, above all, a democratic right, particularly when such a right is exercised in the hallowed democratic institution such as Parliament. Our constitutional democracy accords everyone, including MEC Leeto, a right to express their views openly without fear or favour.
Act 118 of 1998 also states clearly that any citizen of South Africa has a right to propose name change of a geographical place. MEC Leeto exercised this right and her freedom of expression in calling for an engagement around the name of the Free State Province.
The notion that says the view to trigger discussions on the name change of the province has created a furore, as reported by some media houses, is misplaced and disingenuous. How can the media conclude that the view has been rejected when there is no process that has started to change the name?
It cannot be factual to conclude that the view has been rejected since the process that would have to be followed would entail public hearings involving communities as required by the Act, Act 118 of 1998.
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It is these public hearings that will determine the acceptance or rejection of the name change proposal. Therefore, the media and everyone else must wait for such a process if there will be any before any conclusion can be drawn.
Let me reiterate the expressed and considered view of MEC Leeto on the matter as stated in the Free State Legislature and that view is that as we enter the 21st anniversary of our Democracy we need to discuss the possible changing of the name of this province.
This view is informed by the fact that the name comes from a colonial background and it does not represent the majority of the people of the province. A bit of a historical background is necessary. This province was initially named Orange Vrystaat by the Voortrekkers who ran away from the British rule in the Cape Colony.
The Voortrekkers ran away from the Cape Colony after the British rule amended the so-called Hottentot Proclamation of 1809.
The Hottentot Proclamation of 1809 was making provision for farmers to control the mobility of the „Hottentot‟, the Khoi and the Africans. This proclamation directed the Africans, „Hottentot‟ and the Khoi to get a pass from their masters or local official before they can move to any place. This law was therefore repealed by the British to allow the Khoi and the Hottentots not to seek permission from their masters before they move.
But Africans were not exempted from requesting permission. The Voortrekkers were not happy about the amendment and they decided to leave the Cape Colony to look for their own republic. Some of the Voortrekkers settled in the north of the Orange River and they thought the land there is habitable because there was enough grazing land and open spaces.
They then said that is their land of promise and they called it “Orange Vrystaat” because they believed that they are free from the British Rule. In 1848 the British followed the Voortrekkers and conquered them. The British then changed the name to English for “Orange Free State”.
In 1994 the democratic government removed the word “Orange” from this name and called the Province “Free State”.
It therefore remains the view of MEC Leeto that the name does not represent the people of the province but instead reminds them about the Colonialism of a Special Type during which the cattle and land of our forefathers were taken by the Voortrekkers when they forcefully occupied that land.
To take the process forward this view will be properly tabled for discussions at the relevant governance structures for further deliberation and consideration. If approved at this level the public participation process will be pursued through the Provincial Geographical Names Committee which is a structure mandated with the task of considering changing Geographical Names.
Enquiries:
Tankiso Zola
Director: Communication and IT
Cell: 082 940 2392
Tel: 051 – 410 4742/4786/4719
E-mail: tankiso@sacr.fs.gov.za
