Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria could be renamed in recognition of the original Ndebele landowners of the area, after the City of Tshwane council approved the initiation of a public participation process to seek residents’ input on a renaming proposal.
Tshwane MMC for economic development and spatial planning Sarah Mabotsa said the proposal was first submitted in April 2018 by Jan Mthimkhulu Mahlangu and resubmitted in 2024.
“It is being considered in terms of the city’s geographical names policy, approved in 2023. The name Wonderboom refers to the historic fig tree located in the Wonderboom Nature Reserve,” she said.
“The tree, believed to be more than 1 000 years old, was named by Voortrekker leader Hendrik Potgieter in 1836. Historically, the site became associated with the commemoration of the Day of the Vow in the shade of the tree.
“Over time, the tree was damaged by a fire reportedly caused by a hunting party in 1870, while disease further reduced its size. However, several of its branches developed roots where they touched the ground, creating new trunks and extending the canopy.”
Public participation process gets under way
Mabotsa said the proposal before the council seeks to honour the Ndebele nation as the original landowners of the area on which the airport is situated.
“Proposed names submitted as part of the application seek to reflect this historical and cultural significance. In terms of the city’s geographical names policy, renaming may be considered for purposes that include honouring or commemorating noteworthy individuals associated with the city, province or country; commemorating places, events and memories of cultural or historical significance; and strengthening local heritage and promoting the character and identity of an area,” she said.
“The council has, therefore, approved the commencement of a public participation process to allow Tshwane residents and stakeholders the opportunity to provide input on the proposal before any final decision is taken.”
Senior political lecturer at North-West University Benjamin Rapanyane said it was necessary, and an important step to change the name of the Wonderboom Airport to restore the dignity of the original Nguni tribes who were displaced during the apartheid era.
DA warns about economic impact
However, DA mayoral candidate Cilliers Brinks has rejected the proposal to rename the airport and said the city should rather focus on service delivery, infrastructure and economic growth.
He added that the airport should be used as an economic asset to drive investment and job creation.
Brink argued that the airport was named after the area, specifically a massive tree that was a historical landmark in Pretoria.
“We must call out this tendency of renaming dysfunctional things as a substitute for getting them working.”
Wonderboom Airport is a municipal facility which has been running at a loss for many years.
Brink said the solution was to attract private investment and a private operator with the ability to expand the facility.
“The problem is, if you go and change now before you put it on the market, you are already diluting the brand,” he added.
