S Africa row over Mugabe Street

Some Africans see Robert Mugabe as a heroic leader - others don't

South Africa's Durban municipality has denied that a road called Mugabe Street is named after Zimbabwe's leader Robert Mugabe, who won disputed polls in June.

Siyabonga Mngadi, chair of the street renaming task team, told the BBC the street was named after a "local hero".

He was responding to complaints from residents quoted in the media, calling for the road to be renamed.

"Why name the street after a leader who does not respect democracy?" one told South Africa's Sowetan newspaper.

Mr Mugabe led the struggle to end white minority rule in what was Rhodesia and has governed Zimbabwe since independence in 1980.

Last month, he won a presidential run-off, which the opposition boycotted, citing state-sponsored violence.

But Mr Mngadi said he felt the street-name row was down to "media hype".

The street was originally renamed in 2000 as part of process for the public to honour local heros, he said.

"The report which went to council for the approval had an explanation, which said it's named after a local hero," he told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.

He said it was "definitely not" named after Zimbabwe's leader.

If people really wanted the name changed, it would be considered by Durban's eThekwini Municipality, he said.

"If they [the residents] strongly feel that they can't remember a person like that - it's up to them; we have to listen to the public."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version