Just nine days after the objection period for the proposed name changes to five towns in the Eastern Cape was gazetted – following approval by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture and president of the Patriotic Alliance, Gayton McKenzie – the Democratic Alliance (DA) has already received over 21,000 online and countless hardcopy objection letters.
The name changes were gazetted on 6 February 2026 marking the start of the formal objection phase, during which members of the public have until 6 March 2026 to make their voices heard.
The DA in the Dr Beyers Naude Constituency have been fighting the proposed name changes to Graaff-Reinet, Aberdeen and Adendorp since 2023 and we are not about to give up now.
Our resolve only grew after Minister McKenzie brazenly misled and betrayed the people of the Eastern Cape. Just a year and a half ago, he told the media he would not approve the name change for Graaff-Reinet, insisting the province faced far more urgent crises.
Despite this he signed off on the name changes of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe, East London to KuGompo City, Aberdeen to Xamdeboo, Adendorp to Bishop Limba and Barkly East to Ekhephini.
Gayton McKenzie is well known for making empty promises and, without any compulsion, went back on his word by signing off on name changes the people clearly did not want.
Since the gazetting the DA has been providing individual objection letters for residents to complete and also online objection forms available for those who are unable to visit us in person.
Thus far, there have been 21,117 online objections and the number is still climbing. Graaff-Reinet accounts for 12,803 objections, followed by East London (4,365), Aberdeen (1,716), Adendorp (1,258) and Barkly East (975). These numbers are expected to rise significantly over the next 19 days.
All completed objections will be submitted to the Director-General of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture and Minister McKenzie’s Chief of Staff within the prescribed one-month objection period. It is critical that as many objections as possible are lodged within this timeframe.
The DA supports redress, reconciliation and nation-building in South Africa. But forced, poorly consulted name changes do not unite people. They only divide communities and deepen mistrust. The fact that Minister McKenzie is so tone-deaf as to rubber-stamp these name changes only highlights just how out of touch he is with the will of the people.
At a time when communities are struggling, government should be focused on changing lives, not changing names.
We call on all affected residents to participate in this objection process and to stand with the DA in demanding accountable governance, proper consultation and a government focused on delivering real improvements to people’s lives