Cape Town - South Africa is to rename all schools named after apartheid figures, Education Minister Mr Kader Asmal said yesterday. Mr Asmal told journalists the names of schools honouring apartheid leaders like D.F. Malan and Hendrick Verwoerd, former prime ministers who are considered architects of the racist system, gave offence to the majority of South Africans.
"A name like Hendrik Verwoerd High School - how can anybody not agree that that is offensive seven years into democracy?" he asked. The renaming of cities, streets and landmark buildings has taken place in an ad-hoc fashion since the advent of democracy in 1994 but Mr Asmal said he hoped other branches of government would follow the education ministry's example.