The South African city of Port Elizabeth has been officially renamed Gqeberha, sparking outrage among residents.

Despite opposition from residents of the major seaport city, the name change was officially announced on 23rd February.

Port Elizabeth’s name dates to its founding in 1820 by the British, making it the second-oldest city in South Africa.

The name change was recommended by the Eastern Cape Geographical Names Committee in 2019, and the new moniker is the Xhosa name for Baakens River, which flows through the city.

Xhosa is the second-most spoken language in South Africa with English the fourth. However, English is more widely spoken in Gqeberha than Xhosa, with Afrikaans being the most common language in the city.

Hundreds of objections were lodged in opposition to the change that also saw the town of Uitenhage renamed Kariega and Port Elizabeth International Airport renamed Chief Dawid Stuurman International.

However, the objections were dismissed, along with a petition opposing the change that had garnered 26,000 signatures.

Many residents are now confused as to how to pronounce the city’s new name, reminiscent of when neighbouring Namibia renamed its Luederitz Constituency to ǃNamiǂNûs Constituency in 2013, baffling many of its inhabitants.

Not all African nations have been shunning their places’ colonial names, however. The Angolan city of Mocamedes was renamed Namibe in 1985 but in 2016 reverted back to the original name given to it by its Portuguese founders in 1840.

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