On the 8th December 2006 a certificate of record was issued by the Amanzimtoti Publicity Association (APA) announcing the coastal name for our region as The Aliwal Coast. This represents the coastline from the Mahlongwa River just north of Scottburgh to the Mlazi canal north of the old Durban International Airport.
This was done after more than a year of deliberation with the public via the community press, emails and other written suggestions. A webpage for input was created and well publicised for public input.
The input was overwhelming primarily from the white public but no clear indication in terms of numbers or motivation was given by the name choices put forward. A name forthcoming from a tourism official at the time was the Aliwal Coast as well as Sapphire Coast a choice of the then tourism chairman who was touring the east coast of Australia of a similar name.
The acting chairman at the time, being me, had the daunting task to steer in the new name choice facing the following considerations:
STATUS QUO
- First and foremost only one official map that could be traced was a tourism chart depicting the geographic name, i.e. registered designation, as Strelitzia Coast.
- The geographic name change would be to costly and the numbers supporting the change would not be sufficient for any government department to set aside funds when social funding was a higher priority for local and national government.
- The input was not representative of the demographics of the APA’s responsibility area.
QUO VADIS
- The City manager, Mike Sutcliffe was approached for guidance and suggested that a marketing name be selected instead of the costly geographic name. A marketing name would also not require legislation demanding time and much more motivation.
- A more representative APA committee had to be selected to justify what ever the decision may be.
Finally a representative committee chaired by myself adopted the Aliwal Coast based on the internationally popular Aliwal Shoal at Umkomaas. The Sapphire idea was turned down due to the existence and use of the name by Australia and the lack of relevance of the gemstone other than maybe the debatable colour of the ocean.
Amidst much fanfare including media coverage and a launch at much cost at the D’Vine Restaurant in Amanzimtoti hosted by the APA (Amanzimtoti Tourism) the Certificate was unveiled in the presence of the media eThekwini officials and the local and regional media. D’Vine restaurant even name a cocktail “The Aliwal” to celebrate the occasion. This was followed by the APA (Amanzimtoti Tourism) sponsoring a one day/night stay at the Tala Game Reserve for the local media to celebrate the occasion.
The broad public accepted the name and soon tourism hospitality industry websites were using it in their publications. During the run-up to the World Cup in 2010 the Aliwal Coast was marketed as a destination to visit. To this day Aliwal leads Sapphire by far in internet search engine results. Google search of Sapphire points primarily to the Australian east coast.
After all this effort to market the Cinderella destination of the eThekwini Municipality a new committee has a meeting and The Late Mr. Bruce Lithgow and the a tourism official pose for a photograph on Toti Main Beach in front of the name Sapphire engraved in the sand and Sapphire becomes the name.
With all respect to the good memory of Bruce Lithgow and admiration for the families input in the community and especially late Bruce’s contribution to charity, I have chosen to promote the marketing of Aliwal Coast once again.
I have discussed this matter with Late Bruce’s brother George during which I mentioned this is not an attack on personal vendetta and certainly not intended to mar the good memory his brother an absolute stalwart whose absence is still felt by many who leaned heavily on his leadership and support.
However I cannot relinquish that what I believe in based on emotion only. Sapphire is not cast in stone and no legislation supports this other than a committee decision of a few people.
Aliwal Coast needs your support. Frank Horn
