GRAAFF-REINET NEWS - Graaff-Reinet residents and role players are pulling out all the stops to prevent the town’s name from changing to Robert Sobukwe Town.
The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, has officially approved this name change, together with the name change of one other town - Aberdeen to Xamdeboo - and a village - Adendorp to Bishop Limba - in the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality.
This notice was published in the Government Gazette on Friday, 06 February 2026, and any person who wishes to object has 30 days from the date of this publication to do so.
Following the publication of the legal notice in the Government Gazette, both the DA and FF+ published media statements, and many residents and role players took to social media to express their disapproval.
Objection forms for all areas affected by the name change have been developed and are now being printed by locals - individuals and businesses - at their own cost.
Flashcor has also printed a 5-metre banner in aid of the campaign against the name change. This banner was launched on Monday, 09 February, and is currently being displayed around Graaff-Reinet by various opponents of McKenzie’s unpopular decision.
In addition to the above, a prominent Graaff-Reinet-based lawyer, Derek Light, has sent a legal letter to McKenzie challenging the legality of the notice that was published in the Government Gazette.
According to Light, the notice is defective as it fails to inform the public that they have 30 days to object and where they can lodge their objections.
Objections to the name changes can be made by filling out hard copies of the objection forms that are available at Mr Paint / Flashcor, PostNet, and Graaff-Reinet Tourism.
Alternatively, objections can be submitted online via the following link: https://pyc4802exam.my.canva.site/objections.
This online link was made available on Sunday, 08 February.
By 12 February - only four days later - 11 778 people had already objected to the changing of Graaff-Reinet’s name, while 1 579 objected to the changing of Aberdeen’s name and 1 143 objected to the changing of Adendorp’s name.
Anyone who is opposed to the name changes may object, not only residents of the affected areas, and everyone is requested to share the online link for objections as far and wide as possible.
‘Ons bring jou die nuutste Tuinroete, Hessequa, Karoo nuus’
