While streets and public spaces across South Africa have been renamed to reflect the values of a democratic era, residents in George still travel along PW Botha Boulevard, a name many say remains a stark reminder of apartheid.
The issue has resurfaced following another failed council motion brought by the GOOD Party to rename the prominent road.
The party argues that retaining the name of former apartheid-era president PW Botha on public infrastructure is incompatible with the country’s constitutional values. But the proposal once again ran aground, exposing political fault lines and frustrations among residents.
“This is long overdue,” said one resident, who asked not to be named. “It’s been almost 10 years since this was first raised. We can’t keep living in the past. The proposal is a step in the right direction though.”
Another resident, Estelle Abdeen, said the process has dragged on for too long and risks becoming politicised. “Politicians should not make this about themselves but about what people want. Yes, it would be meaningful to rename the street to something that resonates with the residents of George. Maybe it’s time they consult properly and find out what we want,” she said.
Efforts to rename the road date back nearly a decade. A motion submitted in 2016 failed to gain traction. In 2017, the Abeeda Harris Foundation applied to have the street renamed Abeeda Harris Boulevard in honour of a young girl killed during apartheid-era unrest, but the proposal did not progress through municipal processes.
The latest attempt was spearheaded by GOOD Party councillor Chantelle Kyd, who submitted a notice of motion in terms of Rule 19 of the George municipality’s Rules of Order.
Public naming reflects the values a municipality chooses to elevate and the histories it chooses to honour. In a community still shaped by the social and spatial consequences of apartheid, such symbols carry real meaning.
— Chantelle Kyd, GOOD Party councillor
In her motivation, Kyd argued that PW Botha Boulevard remains “one of the most prominent public honours in George associated with an apartheid leader whose legacy is inseparable from repression, exclusion and the denial of fundamental human rights”.
She further stated that Botha never acknowledged responsibility for the harms caused under his leadership nor expressed remorse for the system he upheld.
“The continued use of this name on public infrastructure is not value-neutral,” the motivation reads. “Public naming reflects the values a municipality chooses to elevate and the histories it chooses to honour. In a community still shaped by the social and spatial consequences of apartheid, such symbols carry real meaning.”
The motion called on council to formally acknowledge that retaining the name is inconsistent with the constitutional values of human dignity, equality and non-racialism, and to initiate a formal renaming process in line with municipal bylaws and national regulations. It also emphasised the need for transparency and clear communication with residents.
However, the DA, part of the multi-party coalition governing the municipality, opposed the motion, citing procedural concerns.
In a statement, the party said it does not oppose discussion around renaming or ignoring the country’s history but argued that the correct legal process had not been followed.
“Street name changes cannot be decided by councillors alone. The policy requires public participation first so that residents can have their say,” the DA said. “The motion attempted to bypass that process and place pressure on the council to decide before the community was consulted. That is not how responsible governance works.”
The DA stated that it had insisted that the matter be referred back to the administration to ensure compliance with legislated procedures.
Kyd, however, accused the party of using process as a shield.
“The DA should have supported taking the proposal through public participation. Leaders must lead,” she said, adding that the move effectively protects the legacy of “one of apartheid’s most brutal enforcers”.
The continued failure to rename PW Botha Boulevard has become emblematic of a broader struggle in George, one that pits the preservation of historical symbols against growing calls to confront and reshape the past.
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