President Nelson Mandela’s name is among the top names recommended for the renaming of Cape Town’s International Airport, Transport Minister Blade Nzimande said on Tuesday.
“There are a number of names that have been put forward around the renaming of Cape Town International Airport. Some officially, others in the media or in public. I must just admit that we have started with consultations and the name that’s high up there is the name of Nelson Mandela but we will have to consider other proposals as well,” said the Minister.
There were proposals that included the name of liberation hero Robert Sobukwe and “then on Saturday for the first time there was also the name of uMam’ Winnie Madikizela-Mandela so we will have to embark on a process of consultation and we will see what comes out of it”.
The Minister was referring to calls for the airport located in the Western Cape to be renamed after the late struggle heroine. The call was made during her Special Official Funeral service that was held at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
The process to rename the airport is in full swing.
“We are duty bound, working together with the Department of Arts and Culture. What is not in doubt is that indeed Cape Town International Airport will have a new name. We hope it gets done this year,” said the Minister.
Road safety ahead of upcoming long weekend
Briefing reporters at the release of the 2018 preliminary Easter Road Safety report, which showed that 510 fatalities have been recorded on the country’s roads over the Easter period, the Minister urged road users to be cautious.
“We are also approaching another what in fact will be a long, long weekend that of 27 April next Friday and May Day [1 May] on Tuesday the following week. Let’s observe the rules of the road. Our report clearly shows hugely that the causes of crashes have got to do with human behaviour. Let’s respect the rules of the road so that we are able to save lives on our roads,” said Minister Nzimande at the briefing held in Cape Town.
South Africans will celebrate Freedom Day on 27 April a day which commemorates the country’s first democratic elections that were held in 1994. South Africans will in addition join the world in marking Worker’s Day.
Also known as May Day, 1 May is a public holiday that originated within the historical struggles of workers and their trade unions for solidarity between working people, and in their struggles to achieve fair employment standards. - SAnews.gov.za
