Business
Pretoria name change officially stalls as government confirms no active process
For years, the question has hovered quietly over South Africa’s administrative capital: will Pretoria officially become Tshwane?
This week, the answer appears clearer than it has in some time. According to Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, the process to rename Pretoria has effectively stalled, and there is currently no active application under consideration.
In other words, the name change is going nowhere.
A proposal that began two decades ago
The effort to rename Pretoria to Tshwane dates back to 2005. At the time, the South African Geographical Names Council recommended that the capital’s name be changed.
The matter, however, was never finalised by then Minister Pallo Jordan.
In 2009, his successor, Lulama Xingwana, approved the proposed change. Yet approval did not mean implementation. A wave of objections followed from political parties, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
Concerns ranged from inadequate public consultation to the financial cost of rebranding a capital city. There were also practical worries about confusion, given that the metropolitan municipality already carried the name Tshwane while Pretoria remained the city within it.
Although the name change was briefly published in 2010, it was withdrawn soon after for further consultation.
Pretoria versus Tshwane: what is the difference?
To understand why the debate has endured, it helps to unpack the geography and the history.
Pretoria was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius, a Voortrekker leader who named the city after his father, Andries Pretorius. It remains South Africa’s administrative capital.
Tshwane, on the other hand, is an indigenous African name linked to the area’s earlier inhabitants, who lived near the Tshwane River under Chief Tshwane.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on 5 December 2000. It encompasses Pretoria and the surrounding areas. So while the metro is officially called Tshwane, the city at its heart is still Pretoria.
That distinction has often been lost in public debate, fuelling confusion and emotion on both sides.
Sent back, but never returned
In 2012, when Paul Mashatile was Minister of Arts and Culture, the issue resurfaced. Given the time lapse and changes in local government leadership, the matter was referred back to the metro for fresh public consultations and a new mandate.
According to McKenzie, the resubmitted application has never arrived.
As it stands, no active process is underway.
There was renewed political noise in 2016, when the mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, publicly committed to pushing the change, arguing it would promote social cohesion. That election year saw dramatic shifts in metro leadership, with the ANC losing control and coalition politics becoming the norm.
Since then, no party has secured a clear majority in the metro. Coalition governance, service delivery concerns, financial strain and deteriorating infrastructure have taken centre stage. For many residents, potholes and power cuts feel more urgent than street signage.
Why the debate still matters
Names are never just names. They reflect identity, power and memory.
Supporters of the change argue that Tshwane better reflects the area’s indigenous heritage and the broader transformation project in post apartheid South Africa. Opponents counter that Pretoria’s name carries its own historical weight and international recognition as the country’s administrative capital.
On social media, reactions tend to split along familiar lines. Some see the stalled process as proof that the issue was politically driven and impractical. Others view the lack of progress as unfinished business in the country’s transformation journey.
For now, however, the legal and administrative position is simple. Pretoria remains Pretoria.
Until the City of Tshwane resubmits a fresh application and the national department reopens the process, the name change debate is paused.
And in a metro grappling with infrastructure backlogs and tight budgets, it may remain that way for some time.
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Source: Business Tech
Featured Image: iStock
