Plan to rename many streets in Durban is scheduled to be implemented on 1 July

A controversial plan to rename many streets in Durban -- located in KwaZula-Natal on the eastern coast of South Africa -- is scheduled to be implemented on 1 July 2008. In statements earlier this week, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) pledged that "World War III" would break out if the street renaming proceeded as planned. The IFP has since pulled back from this threat, but continues to insist that residents' "anger cannot be contained" if streets are renamed after controversial international figures, including Yasser Arafat, Che Guevara and Andrew Zondo, the late bomber and member of the African National Party (ANC), which is currently South Africa’s ruling party. The IFP has vowed to continue protests until the renaming is reconsidered. Residents of Umlazi -- a township in Durban -- have planned to hold a march this week to protest the name changes. The Masakhane committee -- appointed by the Durban city council to institute the name changes -- insists that it followed all the necessary procedures and that the name changes will come into effect as planned.