ActionSA will Oppose the Re-Naming of Sandton Drive when it ...

ActionSA strongly opposes the City of Johannesburg’s proposed re-naming of Sandton Drive and encourages residents to exercise their rights by sending their comments and inputs about this matter.

ActionSA believes that ‘Sandton Drive’ is a perfectly neutral and unifying name, and a perfectly appropriate name for a heterogeneous and cosmopolitan society like Johannesburg.

As ActionSA, we will leave no stone unturned to lobby all political parties in the City of Johannesburg to vote against this proposal as we believe it offers no benefits whatsoever to the residents of our great city.

The renaming of public landmarks to reinforce the City’s heritage is well and good, as it honours those who have played a significant role in our history and strengthens our collective identity.

However, the City of Johannesburg is faced with many challenges in service delivery failures – crippling water shortages, rampant unemployment, severe housing shortages, crumbling infrastructure and rising crime rates. Therefore, diverting our attention and very scarce resources to name-changing a street name that is not even offensive to anyone will be a demonstration of a tone-deaf administration.

Recent reports from City Power refer to 81,000 streetlights that are not working in the municipality. In addition, an average of 1,000 potholes are reported to the City each week, but only about 4,500 potholes are fixed each month. It is crucial that such road projects are prioritised, so as to ensure the safety and well-being of residents affected.

ActionSA calls on residents to oppose this proposal by sending their comments and submissions to City of Johannesburg’s Dominica Masalesa at [email protected] within a period of 28 days after publication of the notice yesterday.