Tuesday, 19 July 2011

Name change for municipal offices

Workers remove the uThungulu municipal building’s old name

Within 24 hours of the decision taken, signage outside the uThungulu District Municipality offices designating ‘Mangosuthu Buthelezi House’ was removed. This followed a resolution taken at uThungulu District Exco meeting on Tuesday morning. It was resolved that the current name be removed with immediate effect and replaced with ‘uThungulu House’ and that advertisements for public participation in the naming of the building should be advertised in the media for 14 days. The feedback would thereafter be considered and the matter finalised. During discussions, members questioned the delay in removing the name. Deputy Mayor Thulani Mashaba said it was not a ‘re-naming but a naming’, as it was not the decision of Council to originally name the building. ‘This is not a recommendation as parties, but a recommendation from Council.
‘We are opening up the process. Let us take the process forward and ensure public participation, ’ he said. By Wednesday morning’s Council meeting, the name had been removed. It was noted that no legitimate process was followed in the initial naming of the building.