The Patriotic Alliance (PA) and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) have rejected the City of Joburg’s proposal of renaming Sandton Drive after Palestinian heroine, Leila Khaled.
The PA's deputy leader and MMC for transport, Kenny Kunene, said his party intends to bring a new motion to have the previous motion reversed.
This is after council members supported the decision of renaming Sandton Drive after Khaled Drive in 2018.
Kunene said the city experienced great political changes under the previous mayorship of Herman Mashaba. Hence, the PA has reversed its support of the pending proposal.
Kunene's words allude to the metro being governed by the Government of Local Unity.
“Since democracy was so hard-won in this country, we believe it would only be just and correct to test council’s resolve and alignment to see through this renaming, since the composition of council is now very different to the one that took the original resolution in 2018.
“To continue now with the highly controversial and divisive renaming of this road would be highly ill-advised," said Kunene.
Khaled was mostly celebrated for her heroism against the oppression of Palestinian people, and gained notoriety for aircraft hijackings.
Although hailed by Palestinians, supporting the metro proposal would be promoting terrorism, said Kunene.
"As the PA, we are appreciative of the complexities, pain and struggle on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict. As South Africans with a story of choosing peace over war, we should not honour obvious terrorism in this way.
“To hijack a passenger plane and attempt to bomb it is not ‘freedom fighting’. We should not be spending South African time and resources to promote terrorism," said Kunene.
He added that honouring Khaled would harm the country's diplomatic ties with the US, especially since the US Embassy is located on Sandton Drive.
The US and other superpower countries declared Khaled a terrorist.
"The fact that it was this road that was chosen for this renaming can be no coincidence.
“What the City of Joburg will be doing, make no mistake, is an attempt to humiliate the US by making their diplomats and officials carry business cards with Leila Khaled’s name on them. The American Consulate’s website will bear Leila Khaled’s name.
“This is not only a needless provocation of the world’s number one superpower, but it would also be self-sabotage by us as South Africans. The US is our second-largest export partner, and the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which allows for duty-free access to the US market for many South African exports, is up for renewal.
“There are many in the US Congress who would like to see South Africa excluded from it next year, and this foolish act will only provide them with fodder against us," said Kunene.
However, the city believes renaming Sandton Drive after Khaled is strengthening SA’s diplomatic ties with the Palestine government.
With a deep and dark history of apartheid, Kunene suggested Sandton Drive’s pending new name should be carried by one of the country’s Struggle heroes.
“There are so many heroes of our own Struggle for freedom who have still not been honoured.
“The list of people who lived for and gave their lives for the democracy we enjoy today is long, and we would propose that Sandton Drive, if it must be changed, rather carry the name of a true South African hero,” said Kunene
ACDP councillor Norman Mkhonza, echoed Kunene's words that renaming Sandton Drive after Khaled was distasteful.
He emphasised that Khaled did not contribute to any political resistance during apartheid.
"The ACDP notes with distaste the proposal to rename Sandton Drive to a person who did not contribute to the development of the city or indirectly demonstrated any reconciliation and peace efforts to the South African Struggle for human rights let alone justice.
“As much as Khaled could be seen as a freedom fighter in a thin slice of the SA society, her fight has been for the Palestinian cause, not the development of Johannesburg," said Mkhonza.
The public has until October 15 to send submissions, either rejecting or approving the proposal.
People can send their submissions to [email protected] before the deadline.
The Star