New policy for City street names

 

September 26, 2008

Zululand OBSERVER

	New policy for City street names Ronelle Ramsamy FUTURE naming of suburb street names within the City of uMhlathuze will have to follow the full public participation process in line with national and provincial government. The issue came under the spotlight at the sitting of the uMhlathuze City Executive Committee on Tuesday, which saw the majority of councillors asking for the current policy on street naming to be revisited. The streets for proposed new names included the road off Via Mammalia, giving access to new erven in Wildenweide and the road off Via Verbena, giving access to a new erven adjacent to the sport complex in Veldenvlei. Several proposed new street names for the suburbs of Wildenweide, Veldenvlei and Meerensee and the industrial area of Alton in Richards Bay were rejected. The names were chosen according to the existing municipal street naming policy guideline, which entails different themes for residential, commercial and industrial areas. For example, all new roads in new residential developments are to be named following a nature theme such as animals, trees, birds, plants, ocean life and semi-precious stones or minerals in alphabetical order and in the language preferred by the community affected. Proposed names Others put forward were the strip of road which was a continuation of Davidson Lane, the portion of Alumina Allee off Kraft Link and the street to Alkantstrand Beach. The proposed names submitted to Council were Bush Buck, Aloe Loop, Davidson Lane, Kraft Allee and Oceans Edge respectively. 'We don't know where these names came from. A proper process with public participation needs to be followed so that we are guided as a Council. This process is undemocratic and unconstitutional. The entire policy must be revisited before the naming of these streets. The policy, in consultation with national and provincial guidelines, must come back as a waterproof policy with no loopholes,' said City Mayor Zakhele Mnqayi. Despite objections, the names were referred back and it was decided that the policy be revisited with regards to naming of new streets as well as renaming of streets. Councillor NB Mzimela also expressed concern that not all suburbs of the City were being treated equally, citing some areas in uMhlathuze Village which still did not have street names. It was decided that a report on the naming of streets in uMhlathuze Village be submitted as a matter of urgency. Following approval by Council, the proposed names will be advertised for public comment before final adoption.