In the past eight months that I have been in Grahamstown, there has been no topic as controversial, emotional and sensitive as the proposed Grahamstown name change.
In the past eight months that I have been in Grahamstown, there has been no topic as controversial, emotional and sensitive as the proposed Grahamstown name change.
Mention the phrase name change and people start going on about why we should or should not change the name.
Well, I understand that it is a very important issue for the residents here.
But I could not believe my eyes when I saw a Makana Municipality advertisement in Grocott's Mail calling on residents to make written submissions on the proposal.
What?
Still shocked, I continued to read and then my attention was drawn to this statement: "Individuals or organisations interested in viewing the recorded sessions of previous public consultations should indicate their interest to the Director: community & social services."
Before I even went to 'indicate' my interest, I saw a notice at the city hall's door that the viewing would be on Tuesday at 2pm.
Tuesday came and I was there, waiting to see the final proof.
First, let me tell you what I expected. As evidence that the people of Grahamstown wanted the name to go, the naming task team had cited hours of footage of a 2008 public participation process.
The videos, they said, were unequivocal.
Here in the newsroom we have been waiting for so long to see these videos.
In fact, the 'waiting' was there even before I arrived at Grocott's.
When I saw these announcements I thought to myself, "Finally we see the proof."
Instead, the video we were given to watch was a generic one, providing a historical and social context for the debate.
It features individuals talking about options for replacement names.
The trouble was, I had watched these generic videos during a workshop for councillors early in January.
I could have spent my time differently.
After Tuesday's no-show the director did, in fact, say they were there and that I could watch them… "although they are very long".
So I went to his office and there they were: eight discs, which he promised would be uploaded on to the Makana website.
That's a relief – but I'm still confused: the deadline for written submissions was on Monday, and the generic video..(which I think was meant to educate people about the options so their opinions could be well-informed) was screened the day after the deadline…
Yes, that is how it happened.
Now I am shocked as you are – but it is like that. I haven't given up on those videos, although I'm waiting again: this time for them to upload them to the website.
