Zuma raises Melmoth name change
'Why do I have to keep calling the name of this man, because I don't feel good saying it?' Zuma said.
AT the drought relief Imbizo at Thubalethu outside Melmoth on Sunday, President Jacob Zuma said he was disgusted with the name of Melmoth.
‘Why do I have to keep calling the name of this man, because I don’t feel good saying it?’ Zuma said.
This is not the first time a name change for the town has been raised.
In 2014 the Zululand Observer reported that uThungulu District Mayor, Thembeka Mchunu, said that the council was in the process of changing the name.
The proposed name for the town then was Cetshwayo.
Two other names, Nketheni and Ntembeni were proposed by the Mthonjaneni Municipality at the time, although Cetshwayo was the favoured name.
Ironically, Sir Melmoth Osborn was responsible for ‘abusing’ King Cetshwayo.
Mchunu had hoped the change would be made before the end of the year (2014).
Nothing came of this and on Sunday Zuma proposed the name of Mthonjaneni, the municipality under which Melmoth falls.
Permission has already been granted by King Goodwill Zwelithini to rename Melmoth to Cetshwayo and the proposal is at the Department of Arts and Culture.
The department’s spokesman, Mluleka Mtungwa, said there was ongoing consultations with the traditional leadership, businesses and the local community about the district name change.
