The recent decision to rename the historic town of Graaff-Reinet after anti-apartheid icon Robert Sobukwe has exposed deep divisions in South Africa as the country continues to confront its complex past.
The 250-year-old town, known for its Cape Dutch architecture and red flamboyant trees, was renamed in a government decree published recently. Sobukwe, who was born in the area about a century ago, founded the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) and played a key role in the anti-apartheid struggle.
This renaming is part of a broader post-apartheid effort, with roughly 1,500 geographical name changes since 1994 intended to replace names tied to colonial and apartheid legacies, according to official documents.
However, in Graaff-Reinet, the move has sparked protests, petitions, and legal threats, dividing the town’s population of around 25,000.
“There are now groups fighting each other,” said Laughton Hoffman, an activist with the Hands Off Graaff-Reinet movement, who has been rallying opposition to the change. Around 22,000 objection forms have reportedly been submitted to the government. “The renaming is taking us back,” he said.
Graaff-Reinet, the fourth oldest town in South Africa, was established in 1786 and named after Cape Colony governor Cornelis Jacob van de Graaff and his wife, Reinet. It later became a launchpad for the Great Trek, when Afrikaner settlers left British-controlled areas. Many residents, including Hoffman, identify as “coloured,” reflecting a mixed African, Asian, and European heritage.
Lawyer Derek Light, who is preparing a legal challenge against the renaming, highlighted the tension it has caused. “What they’re doing is to divide a community that was otherwise healthy and happy,” he said. A 2024 survey of 367 residents suggested that nearly 84 percent opposed the change.
For Sobukwe’s family, the renaming is a long-overdue tribute to his legacy. “I am not surprised by the opposition of a specific segment of the population who does not want to embrace change,” said his grandson, Mangaliso Tsepo Sobukwe. PAC deputy president Jaki Seroke added: “There is no malice intended in the name change. It is really to build a nation.”
The controversy underscores South Africa’s ongoing struggle to balance heritage preservation with recognition of those who fought against apartheid. Graaff-Reinet remains a scenic town along the Sundays River, drawing around 100,000 tourists annually to nearby attractions like the Valley of Desolation, a factor cited in objections to the new name.
As debates continue, the renaming debate reflects the country’s broader challenge of reconciling history, identity, and the demands of a diverse population.