The University of Cape Town Council has decided to change the name of the Smuts Hall student residence to Upper Campus Residence until a new name is approved.
The residence was named after General Jan Smuts who was Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 to 1924 and again from 1939 to 1948.
UCT Spokesperson, Elijah Moholola, says the name change will allow UCT to move on from the past while continuing to recognise its legacy.
“The changing of names should be seen not merely as replacing what we do not like with what we feel resonates with us. It should go beyond the view that the name we are changing is a source of discomfort or pain for those advocating for the change. It should however be seen as an opportunity for the UCT community to forge a new path ahead together,” explains Moholola.
The renaming process for Smuts Hall residence marks a new moment for the University of Cape Town and indicates how far the institution has come – under the current leadership – since the time of #RhodesMustFall, writes Chair of Council Ms Babalwa Ngonyama: https://t.co/xoN9kvwDls
— UCT (@UCT_news) June 21, 2021
Fighters have successfully unveiled the new name of what was known as Smuts Hall and covered the Head of this racist man. We will not watch, as racist colonial figures continue to be celebrated in UCT. pic.twitter.com/DXQgb3Hst8
— EFFSC UCT (@EFFSC_UCT) June 21, 2021
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