During Heritage Day festivitiesĀ Julius Malema, leader of the EFF, called out for many significant South African sites- including the Kruger National Park– to have their names changed. A statement from twitter says that the EFF believe that the Park’s Name- named after the Transvaal President Paul Kruger- is a memory of colonialism and Apardheid and that it is a monument that celebrates South Africa’s shameful past.
The Twitter statement read as follows:”On this day we reiterate our call for all Apardheid colonialĀ and public signs to fall. All statues of Apardheid and colonial murderers must be taken down, including street and public propery names like Kruger National Park.”
Though the statement didn’t include names that could replace Kruger, names for two airports have already been suggested. According to what the EFF Said, Cape Town International Airport should be changed toWinnie Mandela Airport and that the East London Airport should be changed to Steve Biko Airport.
How did the Kruger National Park receive it’s name?
The Park was renamed the Kruger National Park, after the President of the Transvaal Paul Kruger, in 1926 after the Sabie Game Reserve and Shingwedzi Game Reserves merged together under the National parks Act. Paul Kruger had established the Sabie Game Reserve inĀ 1898 to protect the animals of the Lowveld by making them unavailable to be hunted.
