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Mthabisi Tshuma, Gwanda Correspondent
GWANDA town council has called on the community to propose new names for the different places in the mining town.

A notice from the municipality was circulated yesterday morning and was well supported on various social media by residents who hailed the move.

Some people however, said the municipality should direct its energy towards improving service delivery.

Gwanda, the Matabeleland South capital, does not resemble the financial muscle it possesses.

In the middle of plenty, there’s no sign of improvement in public amenities.

Residents in Jahunda are using communal toilets and some residents of Spitzkop North suburb have been without electricity for years.

In other areas like Geneva, raw sewage is flowing into houses thereby posing a health hazard.

In a notice, the council called on residents to send proposals for change of names for various places in the town.

“In terms of the Names (Alteration) Act (Chapter 10:14), if it is desirous, unsuitable names may be changed. The Gwanda community is hereby called to make submissions for possible name changes, this may include renaming of suburbs, roads, natural features (rivers, mountains, institutions and buildings,” reads the notice.

In an interview, Gwanda Town Clerk Ms Priscilla Nkala said the submissions can be made using online platforms.
“The deadline for submission is 16 February. We are using online platforms due to the lockdown restrictions,” said Ms Nkala.

Gwanda mayor Clr Njabulo Siziba said the process is of paramount importance.

“It is quite a positive move to rename but I think we have to exercise extreme caution. Renaming should have a meaning and therefore the new names should be derived from our heroes, rivers or mountains,” said Clr Siziba.

Ward 9 Clr Thulani Moyo said the issue of street renaming is important and some of them should be named after the country’s heroes.

The Gwanda Residents Association secretary for youth Mr Wellington Nare however, said renaming of streets and other places was not a priority.

“I think it’s not a priority to rename streets or roads but the council should be preoccupied with its core business which is service delivery,” he said. — @mthabisi_mthire