After nearly two decades without street names, the Parkgate community, north of Durban, is rejoicing after new street names were installed on Thursday. Residents had to rely on six-digit codes on Google Maps as temporary street names, and Tottenham Road, which leads to an older housing suburb of Riet River. Ward 102 committee member Refuwe Tsukulu said the community had gone through themes that would make suitable road names, including birds, trees, plants, and politicians. After an extensive co
10/16/26 • 14 Visninger
After nearly two decades without street names, the Parkgate community, north of Durban, is rejoicing after new street names were installed on Thursday.
Residents had to rely on six-digit codes on Google Maps as temporary street names, and Tottenham Road, which leads to an older housing suburb of Riet River. Ward 102 committee member Refuwe Tsukulu said the community had gone through themes that would make suitable road names, including birds, trees, plants, and politicians.
After an extensive community consultation and submissions to municipal management, residents said they were pleased that the matter had been resolved. Tsukulu said residents will have to familiarise themselves with the street names. He said the general habit of giving directions to anyone not from the area was to use landmarks like bricks, tuckshops, trees, and other landscape features. He said the local taxi drivers will also have to learn the names.
"This is progress. We thought we were a forgotten community. We hope to get more upgrades to community infrastructure in the future," Tsukulu said.
Resident Ncamsile Mabhungane said the street names will be of great assistance for the youth and senior citizens who collect grants.
"Students and school children will benefit from the names as well. They now have some kind of identity. The names will make it easy for parents to apply to schools. We don't have to run around trying to get proof of addresses signed when we want to apply for anything," she said.
Mabhungane said municipal bills could also be aligned to their new street names. eThekwini Ward 102 councillor Rory Macpherson said it was brought to the DA's attention that Parkgate low-cost homes had no street names, despite this suburb having been built 30 years ago.
Macpherson said residents struggled to provide quick, easy-to-find directions to emergency services such as the police, fire, and medical.
“One of our priorities was to begin the process of bringing community leaders and political adversaries together with one simple goal in mind, and that was to get an approved list of street names,” he explained.
After community consultations, 53 street names were approved, which he said will now bring dignity to the residents and visitors of Parkgate.
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