AfriForum wins court case: Old street names in Pretoria should be displayed again

2 June 2015

AfriForum today clinched another court victory in the prolonged battle for the retention of historical street names in Pretoria. In terms of the court order, the Tshwane Metro Council is compelled to display the old street names, which they earlier changed, with the new names.

A full bench, comprising three judges of the North Gauteng High Court, rejected with costs the appeal of the Tshwane Metro Council against an earlier court order, which compelled them to display the old street names with the new ones, pending the completion of a review action by AfriForum. 

The initial order, which was granted by Judge Bill Prinsloo op 19 April 2013, stipulated that the old names be reinstated within 60 days. The names should thus be reinstated across the capital city by 1 August this year.

Werner Human, Legal Representative for AfriForum, says today’s ruling is not only a victory to AfriForum, but to all who are opposed to the cultural vandalism by the Tshwane Metro Council, who targeted specific street names with exceptional cultural historical value for Afrikaners and other minorities, in their name changing process.

Human indicated that the Council previously acted maliciously when they removed the old street names within a week, after learning that AfriForum was in the process of obtaining an order to retain the old street name signs. 

“It is therefore fitting that the Court ordered the Metro to pay the legal costs. AfriForum is of the view that the Metro Council should show that they’re able to reinstate the old name signs as speedily as they were removed,” Human said.

Statement issued by Werner Human, Legal Representative: AfriForum, June 2 2015