US MAY SHUT DOWN SANDTON CONSULATE

Proposal ignites controversy as diplomatic relations with the US come under scrutiny

- SIFISO MAHLANGU

ANC DSG Nomvula Mokonyane has called on her party to fast-track the renaming of Sandton Drive to Leila Khaled Drive "in her lifetime".

Mokonyane said they wanted the US to see the name Leila Khaled on their letterheads. Khaled was a significant figure in the Palestinian fight for independence.

The escalation follows diplomatic tensions wherein Joel Pollak, a front-runner to become the US ambassador under President Donald Trump, warned that the renaming of Sandton Drive in Johannesburg to Leila Khaled Drive could prompt the United States to shut down its consulate in the City. A recent decision by the Johannesburg City Council to adopt a motion to change the name had the US seething.

A countermotion was introduced by Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Lynda Shackleford, who argued that the city’s resources should be focused on pressing issues like water and electricity infrastructure, rather than a costly renaming initiative. Shackleford, representing the Sandton area, criticised the City for its neglect of basic services, pointing out that there were significant backlogs in water pipe repairs, streetlight maintenance, and pothole repairs.

"The City cannot afford basic services, yet millions are being allocated for this renaming," she said in her speech to the council.