Swakopmund/Walvis Bay: MR44 renamed to Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba Freeway!

Namibia has renamed the MR44, which runs behind Dune 7 and connects the coastal towns of Walvis Bay and Swakopmund in the Erongo Region. The dual lane Main Road (MR) was renamed after Hifikepunye Pohamba, the second president of Namibia. The Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba Freeway starts from the Swakopmund Interchange to Walvis Bay town and also links to the Walvis Bay Airport (WVA). 

Hifikepunye Pohamba, born 1935, served as the second president of Namibia from 21 March 2005 to 21 March 2015. He was also the president of SWAPO (South West Africa People's Organisation) from 2007 until his retirement in 2015. Prior to his presidency, Hifikepunye Pohamba served in various ministerial positions, beginning at Namibia's independence in 1990.

South Africa: Amsterdam in Mpumalanga has been renamed!

South Africa's Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, has not only approved the renaming of Cape Town's suburb Zonnebloem back to District Six, but also the name change of Amsterdam in Mpumalanga to eMvelo. The town is located in the Mkhondo Local Municipality, which forms part of the Gert Sibande District Municipality in the south-eastern corner of Mpumalanga. eMvelo was established as a Scottish settlement in 1868 and was proclaimed a town in 1881. The town's first name was Roburnia (after Scottish Poet Robert Burns). One year later, in 1882, Roburnia was renamed to Amsterdam. 

Cape Town: The renaming of Zonnebloem back to Distict Six has been approved!

South Africa's Minister of Arts and Culture, Nathi Mthethwa, has approved the renaming of Cape Town's suburb Zonnebloem back to District Six. The renaming application had been made by the District Six Museum to the Western Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (WCPGNC) last year. The City of Cape Town has also renamed Keizersgracht to its historic name of Hanover Street in September 2019. During the years of apartheid, District Six was named Zonnebloem when the area was declared whites-only and the previous residents were forcibly removed.

Namibia: Windhoek has renamed 13 streets!

The City of Windhoek has renamed 13 streets in Windhoek to honour of Namibians who played an important role in the development of Namibia before and after independence. The 13 Namibians who are honoured are Shikongo Gabriel Nuunyango, Matheus Kristof Shikongo, Mburumba Kerina, Tsukhoe //Gowases, Johannes Karuaihe, Paulus //Gowaseb, Ivako Kapuuo, Bartholomew Karuaera, Mika Kaiyamo, Erwin Tjirimuje, Simeon Lineekela Kambo Shixungileni, Festus Lazarus and Deon Heunis de Wet.

The affected streets are as follows:

• Penning Street (Katutura) now Shikongo Nuunyango Street
• Lazarus Street (Katutura) now Festus Lazarus Street
• Bahnhof Street (Windhoek) now Mburumba Kerina Street
• Ranonkel, Begonia and Rooivalk Streets (Khomasdal) now Tsukhoe //Gowases Street
• Dan Close (Elisenheim) now Deon Heunis Close
• Lüderitz Street (Windhoek) now Judge JP Karuaihe Street
• Julius Nyerere (Okuryangava) now Rev Paulus //Gowaseb Street
• Eneas Nanyemba (Katutura – Freedom Square), now Ivako Kapuuo Street
• Ceaser Street (Wanaheda) now Rev. BG Karuaera Street
• Dorp Street (Katutura) now Ev Mika Kaiyamo Street
• Lucifer and Legioen Streets (Katutura) now Rev. Erwin Tjirimuje Street
• Bismarck Street (Windhoek) now Simeon Shixungileni Street

Cape Town: Keizersgracht to get its old name back! [update]

update (24 September 2019): Keizersgracht Street in Cape Town's CBD has officially been renamed back to Hanover Street. 

The City of Cape Town has approved the renaming of Keizersgracht in Cape Town's CBD to its old name, Hanover Street. The street was the heart of District Six before the area was demolished and divided up between the suburbs of Walmer Estate, Zonnebloem and Lower Vrede. The name change was requested by the District Six Working Committee, an advocacy group of former residents who are land claimants and are still waiting to be moved back to the area, in June 2019. It is not yet clear when the formal renaming ceremony will be held, but the District Six Working Committee already started planning an event for South Africa's Heritage Day on 24 September 2019.

Namibia: The City of Windhoek has renamed Arians Street!

The City of Windhoek has renamed Arians Street in Windhoek's suburb Klein Windhoek. The street, which connects Nelson Mandela Avenue with Stein Street, has been renamed after Simón Bolívar (Simón Bolívar Street?). Simón Bolívar (1783 - 1830), also known as El Libertador, was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led the secession of what are currently the states of Venezuela, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Panama from the Spanish Empire. Earlier this week, the City of Windhoek already renamed Burg Street, also in Klein Windhoek, after Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab (Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Street).

Namibia: The City of Windhoek has renamed Burg Street!

The City of Windhoek has renamed Burg Street in Windhoek's suburb Klein Windhoek after Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab (Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab Street) as part of the city's naming/renaming policy to pay tribute to heroes and leaders who selflessly championed the struggle to liberate oppressed people across the world. Theo-Ben Gurirab (23 January 1938 – 14 July 2018) was a Namibian politician who served in various senior government positions, such as Minister of Foreign Affairs (1990 - 2002), Prime Minister (2002 - 2005) and Speaker of the National Assembly (2005 - 2015). Before Namibia's independence, Dr Theo-Ben Gurirab served as Associate Representative of the SWAPO Mission to United Nations and United States (1964 - 1972), Head of the SWAPO Mission to the United Nations (1972 - 1986) and as SWAPO's Secretary for Foreign Affairs (1986 - 1990).

Namibia: The City of Windhoek to rename Bahnhof Street!

The City of Windhoek has approved a proposal to rename Bahnhof Street in Windhoek. The street, which connects with Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue and dissects Independence Avenue and Robert Mugabe Avenue, will be renamed in honour of Professor Mburumba Kerina. Kerina is a Namibian politician, academic, and author as well as one of the co-founders of the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO). He is credited with giving independent Namibia its name.

Namibia: The City of Windhoek has renamed Lazarett Street!

The City of Windhoek has renamed Lazarett Street in Windhoek after Julius Kambarage Nyerere (Julius K. Nyerere Street) in honour of his contributions to a united and decolonised Africa. Julius Kambarage Nyerere was a Tanzanian anti-colonial activist, politician, and political theorist. The renaming ceremony, which was attended by Dr Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia and his counterpart Dr John Pombe Joseph Magufuli, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, took place on 27 May 2019.

Namibia: The Ausspannplatz in Windhoek has been renamed!

The Ausspannplatz in Namibia's capital Windhoek, a square located near the city's central business district (CBD) at the southern end of the Independence Avenue (see map), has been officially renamed. The square's new name is Dr António Agostinho Neto Square, in honour of Angola's late founding president.

Swaziland: King Mswati III has officially renamed the country!

Swaziland's King Mswati III announced at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the country's independence (and his 50th birthday) the official renaming of Swaziland (Kingdom of Swaziland). The new official name of Africa's last remaining absolute monarchy is from today "Kingdom of eSwatini" ("place of the Swazi" in siSwati, the Swazi language). Well... we'll keep you posted!

King Mswati III has announced Swaziland ???? will now be known as The Kingdom of Eswatini

— Nomsa Maseko (@nomsa_maseko) April 19, 2018

Cape Town: De Waal Drive renamed Philip Kgosana Drive!

Cape Town's De Waal Drive, which forms part of the M3 road that connects the upper part of the City Bowl to the Southern Suburbs, will officically become Philip Kgosana Drive today (12 October 2017). Philip Kgosana (1936 – 20 April 2017) was a former regional secretary of the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) in South Africa's Western Cape. He led a march of approximately 30 000 protestors opposing South Africa's pass laws from Langa and Nyanga along De Waal Drive on 30 March 1960. The march is known to be one of the largest anti-apartheid demonstrations to take place in Cape Town.

De Waal drive officially became Phillip Kgosana drive. #SaveKidsLives pic.twitter.com/YiTF6aP0vb

— Cape Town FMS (@CapeTownFreeway) October 12, 2017

Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls is planning to rename all its 86 streets!

Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) is planning to rename all its 86 streets and roads. According to Victoria Falls' town clerk Christopher Dube, a committee has been formed "to spearhead the streets renaming process" which is expected to end at the end of June 2016. The city council already decided to rename Livingstone Way to Robert Mugabe Way and Park Way to Joshua Nkomo Way in March 2015, but is still waiting for the government's approval. As of now, the old sign posts in Victoria Falls are still up. We'll keep you posted!

Zimbabwe: Victoria Falls to rename streets!

According to Bulawayo24.com, the city council of Victoria Falls has decided to rename Livingstone Way to Robert Mugabe Way and Park Way to Joshua Nkomo Way. The news website cites Victoria Falls' town clerk Christopher Dube saying that the matter would be finalised at the next full council meeting next month [April 2015] and that the proposal would be implemented after the meeting.

South Africa: Johannesburg to rename streets

The City of Johannesburg has announced that five streets in downtown Johannesburg as well as two streets in Alexandra and Orlando West will soon be named after well-known heroes of South Africa's struggle for liberation and to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the country's democratic transition. Dual signage containing both old and new names will be retained for a maximum of 12 months.

• Sauer Street > Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street
• Bree Street > Lilian Ngoyi Street
• Jeppe Street > Rahima Moosa Street
• President Street > Helen Joseph Street
• Noord Street > Sophie de Bruyn Street
• Lion Crescent > Japie Vilankulu Crescent (Alexandra)
• Thabeta Street > Hastings Ndlovu Street (Orlando West)

Namibia: Windhoek to rename streets

Travellers, it is time again to update your city maps of Windhoek! The municipality of Namibia's capital has approved the renaming of the following streets in the city:

• John Meinert Street will be named after António Agostinho Neto
• Bahnhof Street will be named after José Eduardo Dos Santos
• the pedestrian bridge across Arebusch river (Khomasda) will become Magdalena Stoffels bridge
• Storch Street will become Jackson Kaujeua Street

View Windhoek to rename streets in a larger map

Cape Town renames the Western Boulevard after Helen Suzman

The Western Boulevard in Cape Town was officially renamed after the late anti-apartheid MP Helen Suzman at a ceremony held on Monday (07 Nov 2011). Earlier this year, the Eastern Boulevard in Cape Town already got renamed after former President Nelson Mandela into "Nelson Mandela Boulevard".


View Larger Map

During the ceremony, the city's Mayor Patricia de Lille said: "Today, we will have two major arteries linking east and west, the one honouring former president Mandela, the other honouring Helen Suzman. Meeting together, they represent the best values in all of us and remind us of what we are trying to achieve."