The public-participation period for the proposed renaming of the Ben Friedman Plain to Strand Muslim Square remains ongoing.
This according to Alderman Eddie Andrews, the Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee member for spatial planning and environment, following an extension due to technical difficulty experienced by residents wanting to submit comments by using their mobile phones. Initially, the comment period was set to close on 30 September. However, due to technical issues that prevented residents from commenting via mobile devices, an extension was necessary. In response to these concerns, the City’s public participation office dispatched staff to assist community members and collect physical comments on Saturday 25 August. Consequently, the comment period has been extended.
The new comment period will run from Friday 1 to Saturday 30 November. Additionally, a public meeting is proposed to be held in Strand on Monday 18 November.
“The venue details will be relayed once the date is confirmed,” said Andrews. “In this public meeting members of the public will get the opportunity to voice their concerns and comment on the proposed renaming process.”
The public participation process was initiated by the City following an application for the name change submitted earlier this year (“Plein set to be renamed”, DistrictMail & Helderberg Gazette, 14 August).
The application, submitted by Firgrove historian Ebrahim Rhoda and Feisal Daniels with the help of Professor Doria Daniels, seeks to rename the square in honour of the forcibly-removed Muslim community, as evidenced by the three mosques that still anchor the plain. The renaming process was started with applicants meeting the requirement to submit a renaming or naming proposal to the Executive Mayor or Public Participation Unit (PPU), which is then processed and reviewed by the Naming Committee (NC). If supported, a public-participation process is initiated and public comments are compiled and reviewed. The next step involves the NC making recommendations to the executive mayor, and if approved, the proposal is adopted by Council.
