PIETERSBURG - In an unexpected move, Northern Province Local Government MEC Joe Maswanganyi announced on Monday that steps would be taken immediately to speed up the process of changing place and street names in the province.

"This development signifies a dramatic break with the colonial past and racial domination of one race over another. We have got to overturn this history, and traverse a new course of historical orientation", he said.

Maswanganyi insisted that the current names of towns and streets were a sad reminder of a history of oppressive colonial practices. It followed, therefore, that these names were "out of synch" with the present political dispensation.

In view of this, the following names would be changed: Pietersburg, Louis Trichardt, Potgietersrus, Duiwelskloof, Tzaneen, Naboomspruit, Nylstroom, Warmbaths, Ellisras, Bochum, Dendron, Hoedspruit, Messina and Soekmekaar.

"The municipalities must conduct public hearings, for stakeholders to actively participate in the process. By the end of February, this consultation and determination of new names must be completed", the MEC explained.

He said the new names would not necessarily have to be African, but could also relate to sporting heroes like Retief Goosen and Penny Heyns.

The new names approved by municipal councils would be set out in the Provincial Gazette for the information of the public.

"Progressively, street names will also be changed. Seats of government in certain municipalities will be taken to other places to ensure greater access to social services for the masses. We will stop at nothing to ensure the dynamic transformation of this sphere of government", Maswanganyi added.

Initial public reaction in the capital of the north to the place name proposals by MEC Joe Maswanganyi varied from indignation, surprise and ridicule to cautious acceptance and jubilation, while some people responded indifferently, saying they did not really care.

The first political party to respond was the African Christian Democratic Party. Provincial leader Neels Roelofse expressed concern about the abruptness of the process, and the short time frame allocated to the completion of the process.

He believed a phased approach would have been more advisable, and that the quota system idea could have been carried over from other spheres of community life.

"Is the government sending a message to whites, especially Afrikaans speakers, that their language is not indigenous?" Roelofse asked. "Our constitution seeks to accommodate all race groups and all languages. This abrupt announcement can only be interpreted as insensitive and counter-productive as far as reconciliation is concerned".

The Freedom Front has threatened to implement certain peaceful forms of civil disobedience, in order to express its opposition. The party has already repeatedly rejected the principle of changing names as inappropriate, costly and senseless.

"If necessary, attorneys will be asked to launch trust accounts into which taxpayers can deposit their municipal property tax, so that local authorities will not be able to misuse their money, while they are continuing with these senseless actions", said FF provincial leader Johan Willemse.

Democratic Alliance leader Michael Holford said the province had far more important issues, such as unemployment, to deal with. What worried him most was the fact that the name-changing exercise had been made known "by decree", and that Maswanganyi had decided unilaterally that it would be completed by the end of February.

Meanwhile business leaders said they feared millions would be spent on the name changes, while government service delivery would be neglected.

However, African National Congress party officials welcomed Maswanganyi's announcement as a logical outcome of the overall transformation process supported by the ruling party.