There has been much debate in recent times in our town about the changing of names, from that of the town itself to Rhodes University. I do not hold a particular candle for either Colonel John Graham or Cecil Rhodes. They now hold little significance for the meaning of either town or University.
But I would suggest that instead of wasting further debate and much expense on fiddling with the city’s or the University’s names, there is a much more glaring example of an unacceptable name in our midst that should be expunged as soon as possible.
I am referring to the preposterously named “Doctor Jacob Zuma Drive” for what was named Raglan Road for more than a century. This is surely the moment to put some distance between our town and the man whose ill government helped to bankrupt it.
Although he has yet to stand trial and must thus be assumed innocent until proven guilty, Dr Zuma was removed from power to general acclaim and a collective sigh of relief throughout South Africa. Do we want to commemorate the chief creator of such a dark period in our history, from the ill effects of which we shall take long to recover?
Rosemary Smith
