A historic South African town’s renaming after anti-apartheid icon Robert Sobukwe has sparked protests and legal threats, exposing deep national divisions.

GRAAFF-REINET: A government decree to rename this historic town after anti-apartheid icon Robert Sobukwe has ignited fierce local rebellion.

The change has led to protests, petitions, and legal threats among the town’s 25,000 residents, exposing deep fractures in South Africa’s post-apartheid identity.

Activist Laughton Hoffman of the Hands Off Graaff-Reinet movement claims the renaming is taking the community backwards. His group has delivered around 22,000 objection forms to the government.

Lawyer Derek Light, another opponent, argues the move is dividing a previously healthy community. He cites a 2024 survey suggesting nearly 84% of residents opposed the change.

The town, established in 1786, holds a proud place in Afrikaner history and is a major tourism draw. Opponents argue its colonial-era name is part of its heritage and economic appeal.

However, for Sobukwe’s family, the renaming is long-overdue recognition. His grandson, Mangaliso Tsepo Sobukwe, said he is unsurprised by opposition from segments unwilling to embrace change.

Sobukwe founded the Pan Africanist Congress and led protests ahead of the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre. His grave on the town’s outskirts was recently vandalised, with police investigating the desecration.

PAC deputy president Jaki Seroke stated the intention is to build a nation, not malice. He lamented that a local liberation hero is being ignored by his own community.

The renaming is part of a national process targeting around 1,500 geographical names since 1994 that reflect colonial and apartheid legacies.

 The Sun Malaysia