Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has dismissed claims that he has withdrawn the renaming of Graaff-Reinet to Robert Sobukwe Town, saying the matter remains before the courts.
The claims, which circulated on WhatsApp and social media, also alleged that a review application brought by AfriForum in the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria had been finalised.
However, McKenzie said no court ruling had been issued and that he had neither withdrawn nor amended the geographical name changes published in the Government Gazette on 6 February 2026.
“Any claim that a court case has been won is also untrue. I have not withdrawn anything. There is no new decision, no court judgment, and no victory for anyone to celebrate,” McKenzie said in a statement on Tuesday.
He added that the matter remains before the court and that he would respect its eventual decision.
The minister said he could not comment on the merits of the case while the legal proceedings were ongoing.
The circulating messages also attributed statements to Democratic Alliance MP Samantha Graham-Maré. However, the ministry said it could not verify whether she had made the alleged statements.
It further confirmed that it had not communicated any decision to withdraw the name changes to Graham-Maré or any other person.
The Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture has urged the public, media and public representatives to verify information through official channels before sharing it.
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