Hoërskool DF Malan to change its name

THE Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has granted Hoërskool DF Malan the authority to change its name to DF Akademie, a decision aimed at distancing the institution from the controversial legacy of its namesake, who played a pivotal role in the apartheid regime. This approval comes after a prolonged legal battle incited by discontent from a faction of parents regarding the proposed name change.

- ZELDA VENTER

The SCA's ruling followed a unanimous judgment after a previous attempt to block the name change was dismissed by the Western Cape High Court. The case originated in 2021 when four parents—Barend Hermanus Rautenbach, Johan Smit, Francois Malan, and Barend de Klerk—sought to contest the decisions made by the school governing body (SGB) regarding the school's identity.

Judge John Smith, writing for the court, said that the name of a public institution often reflects more about its identity and ethos than its formal mission statement. The decision to initiate the name change began years prior, following a consultative process set in motion by the SGB in May 2021.