City of Johannesburg plans to rename these four streets in CBD

The City of Johannesburg has plans in the pipeline to rename four streets in its CBD.

According to the City, they have launched an initiative whereby they will develop a precinct named after the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a veteran anti-apartheid activist and peace campaigner.

The aforementioned streets will fall within this precinct.

HONOURING ARCHBISHOP DESMOND TUTU’S LEGACY

In a recently released statement, the City of Johannesburg elaborated on its precinct development, which was approved by Council on 26 April 2022.

“This project aims to regenerate a decayed and ailing area of the inner city while weaving the legacy of the ‘Arch’ into the very streets of the city,” the statement reads.

Archbishop Tutu was installed as Joburg’s Anglican Dean in downtown St Mary’s Cathedral in 1975 – a first for a Black South African. He achieved global renown for opposing the Apartheid regime and championing human rights. His efforts saw him win a Nobel Peace Prize in 1984.

“The precinct seeks to honour Tutu’s lifelong commitment to social justice by creating high-quality public spaces that are welcoming, walkable, safe and accessible to all.”

STREET NAME CHANGES

The following four streets, located around St Mary’s Cathedral in the Johannesburg CBD, are under consideration for name changes:

• Plein Street to be renamed Desmond Tutu Street.
• Wanderers Street to be renamed Simeon Nkoane Street.
• De Villiers Street to be renamed Trevor Huddleston Street.
• Hoek Street to be renamed Cathedral Street.

Simeon Nkoane served as the Anglican bishop of Johannesburg East. As for Trevor Huddleston, he was the second archbishop of the Church of the Province of the Indian Ocean. Both were active anti-apartheid campaigners.

“The renaming of these streets will align with the renewed space that will be maintained and managed by the City, in accordance with the Precinct Plan,” the City said.

“This plan envisions a safe, respectful, clean and inclusive environment where residents, businesses, informal traders, and ‘Joburgers’ can coexist harmoniously.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

As of writing, over 1 500 names across South Africa have been changed. These include cities, streets, airports and even rivers.

However, South Africans are divided when it comes to name changes. Supporters believe that, in order to truly free ourselves from the chains of the country’s dark past, we should rename locations and landmarks to celebrate its diverse cultures.

However, critics argue that the practice is politically motivated. What’s more, they believe that this can detrimentally impact Mzansi’s economy, causing a trickle-down effect on local communities.

The City of Johannesburg encourages members of the public to share their thoughts, comments and remarks on the proposed street name changes in the CBD. The public comment period will be open for 28 days, from 8 April to 5 May 2026.

Do you support the practice of implementing name changes in South Africa? Let us know in the comments below.