The public has been urged to submit their suggestions for the renaming of Cape Town international Airport, which will be open until midnight on 6 June 2018. The subject of the renaming of the airport has been a heated debate recently, with a public consultation on the matter descending into chaos on Monday evening. The Airports Company South Africa said in spite of demonstrations that disrupted proceedings for a period, the public consultation was conducted properly. The public consultation meeting held at Cape Town International Airport was attended by about 800 people who made a variety of submissions

“Those who did not manage to be heard at the public consultation can therefore still have a say. Proposals made by e-mail and through other channels will carry equal weight to those made at public meetings. Decisions on a new airport name will not be influenced by threats or based on who shouted the loudest. Views expressed at consultation meetings do not constitute a binding vote on the name to be selected,” said ACSA spokesperson Deidre Davids.

The meeting was part of the renaming process that is defined by the South African Geographical Names Council Act of 1998 (Act No. 118 of 1998) and government’s Handbook on Geographic Names.

Davids said the intention of the meeting was to give the public an opportunity to respectfully present their name choices. That agreement was made by the external facilitator with the attendees at the outset of the meeting.

“There were many in attendance who had come to make their representations peacefully and cooperatively. There were others who appeared to have come with the specific intention to disrupt the meeting,” she said.

When the intention of the meeting was disregarded and when other attendees were threatened, it was imperative that Airports Company South Africa protect the integrity of the consultation and the safety of those in attendance. The meeting was therefore declared closed until the disruptors had agreed to proceed in a more respectful manner.”

“The decision to close the meeting until the disruptors again agreed to conduct themselves
respectfully was necessary because such a consultation cannot continue when its
integrity has been undermined.”

The meeting was then reconvened and continued until the allocated time of 8pm with
many casting votes for their favourite name both verbally and by ballot. Davids said the process of gathering public input on possible names for airports is an essential and prescribed element of the renaming process.

“Everyone has the right to be heard and Airports Company South Africa will continue to ensure that all views on renaming of airports are taken into consideration.”

Proposals can be submitted by e-mail to Corporate.Affairs@airports.co.za or
airportnamechange@chand.co.za, hand-delivered to the Airports Company South Africa offices at the nearest airport or sms’s can be sent to 079 947 7410.