Criminal investigation into controversial name change in South African town

Dawid Kruiper Municipality Mayor David Kazi faces a criminal fraud case linked to a controversial name change petition in Upington.

The case stems from allegations that the ANC submitted a fraudulent petition to support changing Schröder Street to Alfred Qayiso Gubula Street.

On 1 July 2026, the Municipal Advisory Committee of the Dawid Kruiper Municipal Council accepted the application to rename Schroder Street.

It started a public participation process which ran until 1 August 2025. As part of this petition, the ANC collected 1,317 names in favour of the name change.

Councillor Henk Opperman, the DA Whip in the Dawid Kruiper Municipality, said that the DA gathered 7,055 signatures against the name change.

Despite the opposition to the name change by thousands of Upington residents, the Dawid Kruiper Municipality approved it.

Opperman alleged that the community’s voices, especially those who opposed the name change, were ignored.

He added that the DA has found evidence that the ANC petition was fraudulent, as it contained the name of a deceased person known to the DA.

“The petition also unscrupulously contains manipulated data from DA forms, intended to serve as so-called signatures in favour of the name change.”

Opperman has now demanded a breakdown of all funds allocated and spent on the controversial Schröder Street name change.

“This name change happened while a criminal fraud case against Mayor David Kazi remains under investigation,” he said.

The SAPS investigation stems from allegations that the ANC submitted a fraudulent petition in support of the name change.

The investigation has dragged on for six months. However, there was some progress following the DA’s enquiries into the matter, which led to the docket resurfacing.

“What is concerning is that the municipality has continued spending public money on implementing the name change,” he said.

“In some places, painted curb markings have already been changed to Alfred Qayiso Gubela Street, with a few new street signs also already erected.”

“Public funds were also spent on the Heritage Day launch of the renamed street earlier this year.”

Opperman argued that it was irresponsible to proceed with the name change while the legitimacy of the process remains under criminal investigation.

“If the investigation exposes wrongdoing that led to the name-change, taxpayers could be left paying for a project that should never have gotten underway,” he said.

“The DA is therefore calling on the municipality to disclose every cent spent on the project,” said Opperman.

“This breakdown should include signage, road markings, launch events, administrative costs and any other related expenditure.”