Since 1994, numerous locations in South Africa have been renamed. The following article covers the name changes in South Africa by province since the 1994 South African general election. National place names, such as towns, suburbs, and natural landforms, are decided by the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC), and provinces have their own geographical names committees. Among the South African public, there is broad agreement that locations which are named after British or Afrikaner military personnel who fought against Black South Africans or contain racial slurs should be renamed, but efforts since 2005 to replace inoffensive names, such as Lydenburg (which African National Congress politicians claimed are necessary to "address the legacy of colonialism and apartheid") have faced opposition on the grounds of excessive costs and perceived bias in favour of honouring ANC members. Although many name changes have taken place officially since the end of apartheid in 1994, many of the previous names are still common in use, and some name changes have been officially reverted.

Pre-1994 Source: Oliphantshoek → Franschhoek (18th century) Roodezand → Tulbagh (18th century) Baviaanskloof →Genadendal (1806) Klaarwater →Griekwastad (1813) Waenhuiskrans → Arniston (After 1815) Wagenmakersvallei → Wellington (1840) Albertsburg → Prince Albert (1845) Groene Kloof → Darling (1854) Anhalt-Schmidt → Haarlem (1860s) Andalusia → Jan Kempdorp (1870) Klipdrift→Barkly West (1870) Olifantshoek →Alexandria (1873) Ladysmith →Ladismith (1879) Roburnia → Amsterdam (1882) Pampoenkraal → Durbanville (1886) McHattiesburg → Balfour (1905) Port Natal → Durban Erasmus →Bronkhorstspruit (1910s) Treurfontein → Coligny (1923) Havengaville →Hennenman (1947) Viljoenshof → Wolvengat (1991) Amsterdam →Reitz Botany Bay →Bantry Bay Mandy's Farm → Bodiam Jammerfontein → Boknesstrand Draghoender →Marydale Hartingsburg → Nisbet Bath →Warmbad Hooge Kraal →Pacaltsdorp Juanasburg →Ladysmith Laaiplek → Velddrif Fraserburg Road →Leeu-Gamka Marabastad → Eerstegoud Maraisburg →Hofmeyr Losperdsbaai →Melkbosstrand Vrywilligersrus →Heliopolis →Rooigrond Rossville →Rhodes Somerset Strand →Strand Kookfontein →Steinkopf Twelve Mile Stone →Bellville Vredenburg →Potgietersrus Procesfontein →Vredenburg White's Villa →Blanco Windsor →Ladysmith

Eastern Cape

As of March 2014, the Eastern Cape has changed the name of 134 places, placing it third nationally after Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Most name changes have been correcting misspellings in the former homelands of Transkei and Ciskei (see below). There have also been a number of name change proposals in the western half of the province for place names of Afrikaans or English origin.

Settlements

Bisho → Bhisho (2004; former capital of Ciskei) Bolotwa → Bholothwa (2004)Government Notice No. 830 gov.za Butterworth → Gcuwa (2004) Cintsa → Chintsa (2004) Engcobo → Ngcobo (2004) Gaika → Ngqika (2004) Idutywa → Dutywa (2004) Kentane → Centane (2004) Mbashe → Mbhashe (2004) Mpetu → Mpethu (2004) Mphuti → Mputhi (2004) Mpotula → Mphothulo (2004) Ncora → Ncorha (2004) Nqamakwe → Ngqamakhwe (2004) Nqabara → Nqabarha (2004) Nobokwe → Nobhokhwe (2004) Qolora → Qholorha (2004) Tanga → Thanga (2004) Umtata → Mthatha (2004; former capital of Transkei) Baziya → Bhaziya (2005)Government Notice, No. 149 gov.za Kambi → Khambi (2005) Kubusie/Kubusi → Khubusi (2005) Kwelera/Kwelega/Kwelegha → Kwelerha (2005) Lufuta → Lufutha (2005) Mtentu →Mthentu (2005) Mxelo → Mxhelo (2005) Ncera → Ncerha (2005) Notintsila → Nothintsila (2005) Tabankulu → Ntabankulu (2005) Qumanco → Qhumanco (2005) Tyhumie/Chumie → Tyhume (Lower and Upper) (2005) Bizana → Mbizana (2013)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Extension 2 in Tsolo → Tobile Dam Township (2013) Extension 4 in Qumbu → Siyabulela Mlombile Township (2013) Extension 5 in Qumbu → Dr Z Njongwe Township (2013) extension 6 in Qumbu → Mgcineni Mgqatsa Village (2013) Extension 6 in Tsolo → Dr Malizo Mpehle Township (2013) Extension 7 in Tsolo → Chris Hani Township (2013) Bacela → Bhacela (2015)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Bityi → Bhityi (2015) Cancele → Chankcele (2015) Cobongo → Nkobongo (2015) Gxara → Gxarha (2015) Kobonqaba → Khobanqaba (2015) Komga → Qumrhra (2015) Kwezana → Khwezana (2015) Lubacweni → Lubhacweni (2015) Macibini → Machibini (2015) Maluti → Maloti (2015) Manubi → Manyube (2015) Nanaga → Ncanarha (2015) Nqeleni → Ngqeleni (2015) Printsu/Pirintsu/Pirintsho → Phirintsho (2015) Qugwaru → Qhugqwarhu (2015) Qumanco → Qhumanco (2015) Taleni → Thaleni (2015) Toleni → Tholeni (2015) Aliwal North → Maletswai (2015)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Jamestown → James Calata (2015) Elliot → Khowa (2016)Arts and Culture: Publication of official geographical names gov.za Lady Frere → Cacadu (2016) Mount Ayliff → eMaxesibeni (2016) Mount Frere → KwaBhaca (2016) Silver City and Ext 7 → Rholihlahla Residence (2016) Queenstown → Komani (2016) Umasizakhane → Masizakhe (2016) Alice → Dikeni (2016)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Bola → Bhola (2016) Dipini → Diphini (2016) Jimmy → Umjilo (2016) Kwenxura → Khwenxurha (2016) Lloyd Location → Thembisile (2016) Maarsdorp → Nontongwana (2016) Makazi → Makhazi (2016) Middledrift → Xesi (2016) Ngqutu → Ngquthu (2016) Phillipton → Gangqeni (2016) Readsdale → KwaNcaza (2016) Situngu → Sithungu (2016) Smith Location → Xolani (2016) Soto → Sotho (2016) Tsinikane → Ntsikana (2016) Woodlands → eMabhofolweni (2016) Kete-kete → Hamakete-teke (2017)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Kaffirskraal → Linga Diko (2018)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Khalazembe → Khanya (2018) Grahamstown → Makhanda (2018)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Cata → Chatha (2019)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za EmaBeleni → EmaBheleni (2019) Kwelera → Kwelerha (2019) Luqoqhweni → Luqhoqhweni (2019) Kwenxurha → Khwenxurha (2019) Makazi → Makhazi (2019) Mbolompo → Mbholompo (2019) Mbongweni → Mbhongweni (2019) Mqekezweni → Mqhekezweni (2019) Nculu → Ngculu (2019) Nomgxeki → Nomngxiki (2019) Sihlito → Sihlitho (2019) Sitebe → Sithebe (2019) Situngu → Sithungu (2019) Tyhalara → Tyhalarha (2019) Xhongora → Xhongorha (2019) Cildara → Cildarha (2020)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Marubeni → Marhubeni (2020) Qanqu → Qhankqu (2020) Cisirat → Chisirha (2021)South African Geographical Names Council Act gov.za Cizele → Chizele (2021) Katkop → Ngqayi (2021) Lota → Lotha (2021) Mfabantu → Khohlombeni (2021) Pierie Mission → Pirie Mission (2021) Port Elizabeth → Gqeberha [ᶢǃʱɛ̀ɓéːxà] (2021) Uitenhage → Kariega (2021) King William's Town → Qonce (2021) Maclear → Nqanqarhu (2021) Berlin → Ntabozuko (2021) Cradock → Nxuba (2022) Braunschweig → Eluphendweni (?) Somerset East → KwaNojoli (2023) Fort Beaufort → KwaMaqoma (2023) Kirkwood → Nqweba (2024) Aberdeen → Xamdeboo (2026) Adendorp → Bishop Limba (2026) Barkly East → Ekhepini (2026) East London → KuGompo City (2026) Graaff-Reinet → Robert Sobukwe (2026) Nieu-Bethesda → KwaNoheleni

Airports

Ben Schoeman Airport → East London Airport (1994) → King Phalo Airport (2021) K. D. Matanzima Airport → Mthatha Airport (2004) Port Elizabeth International Airport → Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport (2021)

Rivers

Kubusi River → Khubusi River

Passes Barkley Pass → Mbombo Pass (2026) Kraai River Pass → Tyumbu Pass (2026)

Free State

The province renamed the only international airport in Bloemfontein after Bram Fischer, a political activist of the South African Communist Party, in 2012.

Settlements

Petrus Steyn → Mamafubedu (2012) Clocolan → Hlohlolwane (2015) Makurung → Edwin Bokala (2015) Namibia Square → Zonisele Xeza (2015) Sakanyoka → Tokologo (2015) Themba → Sebe Sebothelo (2015) Thole → Makgabea (2015) Brandfort → Winnie Mandela (2021)

Botshabelo (2015)

Section D → Zakes Maseko Section E → Sechaba Mahobe Section H → Molefi Tau Section J → Papiki Moiloa Section K → Chester Pulumo Section L → Boiki Motlohi Section M → Tebotho Melthafa Section S → Raymond Sekati Section T → Bonaventure Nkholi Section V → Khotso Taole Section W → Daniel Kheswa

Gauteng

Gauteng, South Africa's most urbanised province, has seen a number of name changes. Probably the most controversial name change in South African history has been that of Pretoria, where there have been proposals to change the city's name to Tshwane (already the name of the metropolitan area it lies in).

Settlements

Lyttelton → Verwoerdburg (1967) → Centurion (1994) The first name change in post-1994 South Africa. The town was originally named Lyttelton, but was renamed Verwoerdburg in 1967 in honour of Hendrik Verwoerd, the so-called "architect of Apartheid" and was deemed offensive to many people and was changed to the neutral name of Centurion. Midstream Estates → Midstream Estate (2003) Lufhereng → Lufherani (2007) Rietvlei → Zoo Manor (2009) Dhlamini → Dlamini (2016) Emdeni → Emndeni (2016) Emkatini → eMkhathini (2016) Isiphethweni → Esiphethweni (2016) Kaya Sands → Khaya sands (2016) Khatamping → Kgatlamping (2016) Kwenele → Kwanele (2016) Kyalami → Khayalami (2016) Leeuwpan → Leeupan (2016) Name altered from Dutch to Afrikaans orthography Mampinja → KwaMpanza (2016) Serope Seyabenye → Boiketlong (2016) Skilpad → Skilpaddam (2016) Skozana → Skhosana (2016) Snake Park → Thulani Park (2016) Sparwater → Spaarwater (2016) Tembisa → Thembisa (2016) Tokoza → Thokoza (2016) Tsakane → Tsakani (2016) Tswelapele → Tswelepole (2016) Tulisa Park → Thulisa Park (2016) Vivo → Vuyo (2016) Zonkezizwe → Zonkizizwe (2016) Dunusa → Tudor Shaft (2016) Ethembalethu → iThembalethu (2016) Luipadsvlei → Luipaardsvlei (2016) Malatjie → Malatsi (2016) Munsienville → Munsieville (2016) Rent-en-dal → Rantedal (2016) Tswelapele → Tswelopele (2016) Zuikerboschfontien → Suikerbosfontein (2016) Name altered from Dutch to Afrikaans orthography Stinkwater → Reefentse (2018) Kudube → Themba (2021) Sophiatown → Triomf (1954) → Sophiatown (2006) In 2006 the suburb of Triomf had its name restored to Sophiatown. Before 1954 the area (then named Sophiatown) was mostly occupied by blacks but were forcibly moved due to it being near local white suburbs. The area was rezoned as Triomf (Afrikaans for "Triumph") with the original name restored 52 years later.

Streets

Johannesburg

In 2001 The Johannesburg City Administration changed the name of DF Malan Drive to Beyers Naudé Drive. Also it changed the name of the Library Gardens to Beyers Naudé Square in order to commemorate Beyers Naudé.

In 2007 the Johannesburg Development Agency changed two street names named after apartheid era ministers: Henrik Verwoerd Drive → Bram Fischer Drive Hans Strijdom road → Malibongwe Drive

In 2013, every street of the R24 route in the Johannesburg and Ekurhuleni municipalities specifically was renamed after Albertina Sisulu. Every street on this section of the R24 is now named Albertina Sisulu Road (with the exception of the westwards one-way street in Johannesburg CBD and the section between Corlett Avenue and the municipal boundary with Mogale City).

In 2014 the city administration continued the renaming of important streets in the city in order to "celebrate the city's shared past".

Sauer Street → Pixley ka Isaka Seme Street Bree Street → Lillian Ngoyi Street Jeppe Street → Rahima Moosa Street Presidents Street → Helen Joseph Street Noord Street → Sophie de Bruyn Street On 26 September 2022, William Nicol Drive (which forms the entire M81 route and part of the R511 route) was renamed to Winnie Mandela Drive.

Pretoria

In early 2012, 27 streets in central Pretoria had their name changed to reflect a "shared history" of the city. The streets renamed were;

Walker-/Charles Street → Justice Mahomed Street Proes Street → Johannes Ramokhoase Street Duncan Street → Jan Shoba Street