Port Elizabeth, Grahamstown and East London are among 60 other places which, if the ruling party has its way, will change their names to something less colonial in good time for the Soccer World Cup in 2010.

A spokesperson for the place name committee, Fumanekile Dyubhele, informed the media that the airports in the various towns will also need to be changed and that the names "will be history by the middle of 2009".

The Freedom Front Plus, as might have been expected, is not pleased, even though the names are largely English in origin. The party said on Monday that the Geographical Place Name Committee in the Eastern Cape is too hasty with their proposed name changes in the province.

Kritzinger Mey, FF Plus leader in the Eastern Cape, says the committee will cause huge confusion amongst visitors from abroad. He added that the process does not adhere to the requirements for public participation.

"Names such as Port Elizabeth have existed since the 1820s and are part of our diverse history," Mey said. "Regardless of our feelings at the time we had for the English government, Afrikaners did not change the names. If we truly want to move forward in South Africa, we will first have to learn to respect everyone's history."

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