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The ATM, which hopes to table the proposal in parliament, argues that South Africa is a colonial label imposed by the British and the Boers.
South Africa, Picture: iStock
The Republic of Azania is what South Africa could be called, following a proposal by a political party to change the country’s name.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) and other political parties have opened a debate about changing South Africa’s name to the Republic of Azania.
Azania
The ATM, which hopes to table the proposal in parliament, argues that South Africa is a colonial label imposed by the British and the Boers.
ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said the name change is about reclaiming identity and restoring heritage.
“South Africa is still a colonised name because before 1652, we were not South Africans. The name South Africa came as a result of the British and the Boers coming to club together and forming what is called the Union of South Africa.
“They are working together for the oppression of the indigenous people… We must not be conditioned to subscribe to a colonial identity given to us by colonisers and oppressors,” Zungula said.
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‘Renaming SA necessary’
Zungula believes that renaming the country is a necessary step toward reclaiming national pride and restoring cultural heritage.
“Other countries have done it. Take South West Africa, for example. It is now Namibia. We should not have to cling to a name given to us by colonisers.”
‘No success’
North West University professor and political analyst Andre Duvenhage told The Citizen the name change has no prospects of success.
“It’s definitely not going to be accepted easily. You will need a two-thirds majority, maybe six of the nine provinces as well, and it will come with a huge cost on all levels.
“Think about it, we need to change all the ID documents, all the driver’s licenses, all the passports, just to mention literally the tip of the iceberg, so I think it is controversial, each chance of success? Not very strong,” Duvenhage said.
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Why Azania?
Duvenhage said the concept of Azania is associated with East Africa, specifically the dry, arid lands of countries like Somalia and parts of Kenya.
“It was also picked up in the literature of the Roman Empire, as well as the Arab literature. I think in Jewish it has a link to the land of God, but it was picked up in the South African context within the black consciousness context.
“It is seen as a land of the Black people. And taking this as your point of departure, it’s basically an attempt to get rid of the colonial heritage. It’s part of the process that is well known in South Africa, that of name changes, you raising the colonial history, and so it’s coming from a radical background,” Duvenhage said.
PAC
Duvenhage said the proposal to rename South Africa to the Republic of Azania also stems from the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) that South Africa should be renamed “Azania”.
“It was also named by the PAC, so it is an established name in the South African context, but without any doubt it is very exclusive and it’s excluding colonial, slash, in this case white people, and I cannot see this as an attempt to bring together South Africans”.
Political climate
Duvenhage said the ATM’s proposal is also part of the current political climate in the country.
“I think it is also part of the climate we are in at the moment, a climate where we know that we need change. Changes are on the cards, we saw the polarisation within the government of national unity, the so-called national dialogue that needs to kick off, so it seems as if the political process is opening,
“But I’m also picking up that politicians are putting up a flyer, to test the political winds of change and see how people will react to this,” Duvenhage said.
While the name South Africa is descriptive of a geographic location, the name gives a strong cultural, political, and historical connection that reminds citizens of different epochs in the country’s history and how it interacted with other countries.
