Shockingly few people consulted on East London name change
· The South African
A surprisingly small number of people were involved in consultations for one of South Africa’s most controversial proposed city name changes.
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While the process followed all legal requirements, questions are being raised about how representative the consultations were, especially for a city with a large population.
The figures, revealed in Parliament, shed new light on how public input was gathered before key decisions were made.
Only 290 people consulted on East London name change
Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie revealed that just 290 people participated in public consultations to rename East London to KuGompo City, BusinessTech reports.
The consultations took place in November 2019 across three meetings:
- King William’s Town Hall with 60 participants
- Berlin Town Hall with 70 participants
- East London City Hall with 160 participants
In comparison, consultations for renaming other Eastern Cape towns attracted more participants.
A total of around 530 people took part in consultations between November 2023 and February 2024 for:
- Graaff-Reinet (proposed to become Robert Sobukwe)
- Aberdeen (Xamdeboo)
- Adendorp (Bishop Limba)
Process followed, but not a vote
McKenzie stressed that the consultation process complied with the South African Geographical Names Council Act.
However, he emphasised that public participation is consultative, not a vote.
This means the meetings are intended to gather opinions and feedback, not to determine outcomes based on how many people attend or what the majority supports.
Reports from the consultations included both support and objections, as well as alternative name suggestions.
Name changes already gazettedOn 6 February 2026, government officially gazetted several name changes in the Eastern Cape, including those affecting East London and other towns.
McKenzie added that attendance registers were kept at all meetings and submitted as part of the official process to the South African Geographical Names Council.
While the national department oversees the consultation and approval process, it does not handle implementation.
Responsibility for rolling out the changes, including updating signage and official records, falls to local municipalities and provincial authorities, which must also cover the associated costs.
The revelations are likely to fuel further debate about how major decisions like city name changes are made – and how much public input is enough.