# summary - Link: https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/summary/ - Published: 2025-02-06T10:32:05+02:00 - Author: dearSA _Advert_ _Advert – scroll down_ [Establishing provincial committees](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/summary/#1738832976705-901e9879-0502) Each province in the country will be mandated to establish a Provincial Geographical Names Committee, which will be responsible with advising authorities and making recommendations for name changes. Other draft amendments set out administrative rules for these committees, such as having 10-15 people drawn from specific areas of expertise, as well as aligning their terms with the national council, being 5 years. [Adequate public consultation](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/summary/#1738832976729-552dcee4-5978) The provincial committees will have to ensure that all proposals and recommendations go through adequate consultation and that local communities are fully informed. Research is also specifically mentioned as a key function. The Council must, after having considered a geographical name change application and arrived at a recommendation, publish these in the Government Gazette and allow the public to comment on the recommended name change. The Council must also conduct public hearings in respect of any change. [Appeals](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/summary/#1738833113666-12fd57a1-0e4e) The draft laws establish a formal appeals process, which will set up an Appeals Tribunal for name changes. This tribunal must have three to five independent members with the relevant expertise. The appeals process will have to be handled within three months of appeals being lodged. [ Have your say on Name Changes](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/) SA Geographical Names Council Amendment Bill ⌊Loader⌉ Loading... ⌊EAD Logo⌉ Taking too long? ⌊Reload⌉ Reload document | [ ⌊Open⌉ Open in new tab ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06101835/South-African-Geographical-Name-Council-Amendment-Act.pdf) [Download [211.52 KB] ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06101835/South-African-Geographical-Name-Council-Amendment-Act.pdf) Government Notice ⌊Loader⌉ Loading... ⌊EAD Logo⌉ Taking too long? ⌊Reload⌉ Reload document | [ ⌊Open⌉ Open in new tab ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06101944/Insert-for-publication-consultation-dates-SAGNC-Draft-Amendment-Bill.pdf) [Download [96.91 KB] ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06101944/Insert-for-publication-consultation-dates-SAGNC-Draft-Amendment-Bill.pdf) Handbook on geographical names – questions and answers ⌊Loader⌉ Loading... ⌊EAD Logo⌉ Taking too long? ⌊Reload⌉ Reload document | [ ⌊Open⌉ Open in new tab ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06102354/booklet.pdf) [Download [5.09 MB] ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06102354/booklet.pdf) Standard Operation Process ⌊Loader⌉ Loading... ⌊EAD Logo⌉ Taking too long? ⌊Reload⌉ Reload document | [ ⌊Open⌉ Open in new tab ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06102519/REVISED-SOP-FINAL-AUG-2023-XX.docx.pdf) [Download [119.01 KB] ](https://cdn.dearsouthafrica.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/06102519/REVISED-SOP-FINAL-AUG-2023-XX.docx.pdf) ### In the News - BusinessTech —[ Big changes coming for name changes in South Africa](https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/808250/big-changes-coming-for-name-changes-in-south-africa/) - JacarandaFM — [85 towns in South Africa have been renamed](https://www.jacarandafm.com/breakfast-martin-bester/85-towns-south-africa-have-been-renamed/) **Public hearing** — Limpopo Venue: Fusion Boutique Hotel, Polokwane, Limpopo Date: 04 February 2025 Time: 08h30 **Public hearing** — Mpumalanga, Mbombela (Nelspruit) _Live streamed on 10 February_ **Public hearing** — Northern Cape _Will be live streamed on 17 February_ **Public hearing** — KwaZulu-Natal _live streamed on 19 and 20 February_ **Public hearing** — Western Cape _Will be live streamed on 4 March_ **Public hearing** — Eastern Cape _Will be live streamed on 7 March_ **Public hearing** — North-West _Will be live streamed on 11 March_ **Public hearing** — Free State _Will be live streamed on 18 March_ **Public hearing** — Gauteng _Will be live streamed on 25 March_ ### STATEMENTS AND MEDIA RELEASES Click on a logo to view. Want to display your organisation’s statement? [Click here. ](https://dearsouthafrica.co.za/name-changes/summary/ namechanges@dearsouthafrica.co.za?subject=org info for Name Changes info page) Close ### Freedom of Religion SA (FOR SA) TEMPLATE PROVIDED BY FOR SA ### I strongly oppose the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Bill [B9B – 2018], which I believe to be unconstitutional and unnecessary, for the following reasons: 1. The Bill violates our constitutional rights as religious persons to express our religious beliefs without fear of punishment or persecution (section 15, read with section 16). Increasingly, around the world but also in South Africa, various holy scriptures (particularly on contentious issues) are regarded as “politically incorrect” or “offensive”, allegedly causing emotional and/or social harm. 2. I specifically oppose the Bill’s: 3. a. wide definition of “harm” (in Clause 1); b. the failure to define “hatred” (in Clause 1); and c. definition of, and creation of, the crime of “hate speech” (in Clause 4). 4. The creation of the crime of “hate speech” for saying / distributing something which could possibly be construed as “harmful”, will have certain unintended consequences, namely the criminalisation of good / well-meaning people who will be prosecuted for saying what they sincerely believe (according to their holy texts) and sent to jail. 5. There are already sufficient existing laws dealing with “hate speech”. 6. For all of the reasons given, I ask: 7. a. For the scrapping of the “hate speech” sections from the Bill altogether; b. Alternatively, should the “hate speech” provisions remain part of the Bill, we ask: c. a. That “harm” be defined as: “gross emotional and psychological detriment that objectively and severely undermines the human dignity of the targeted group”; and b. That “hatred” be defined as: “strong and deeply-felt emotions of enmity, ill- will, detestation, malevolence and vilification against members of an identifiable group, that implies that members of that group are to be despised, scorned, denied respect and subjected to ill-treatment based on their group affiliation”. d. That Clause 4(2)(d) (the “religious exemption clause”) be strengthened as follows to protect: _“expression of any religious conviction, tenet, belief, teaching, doctrine or writings, by a religious organisation or an individual, in public or in private, to the extent that such expression does not actively support, instigate, exhort, or call for extreme detestation, vilification, enmity, ill-will and malevolence that constitutes incitement to cause gross emotional and psychological harm that severely undermines the dignity of the targeted group, based on race, ethnicity, gender, religion or sexual orientation”._