Cape Town school given green light to change name
The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has upheld the decision to rename DF Malan High School in Bellville to DF Akademie, marking a definitive step toward distancing the institution from its apartheid-linked origins.
Originally named after former Prime Minister Daniel François Malan – a key architect of apartheid – the school has faced mounting pressure to adopt a more inclusive identity.
The name change, first proposed in 2021, received overwhelming support from the school community, with 85% of over 3 400 voters backing the new name.
Despite the consensus, a group of individuals, including descendants of Malan, challenged the process in court, arguing the School Governing Body (SGB) had exceeded its legal mandate and failed to consult properly.
The SCA rejected those claims, affirming that the SGB acted within its powers under the South African Schools Act and that the consultation process was fair and rational.
The ruling also upheld a previous Western Cape High Court decision in favour of the school.
Ferdi Booysen, chair of the SGB, welcomed the judgment, saying it validated a process that involved parents, teachers, and students.
'This name change reflects a new chapter – one of unity and forward-thinking,' he said.
In its ruling, the SCA noted that the new name aligns with democratic values and the broader transformation of public institutions in post-apartheid South Africa.
The school is expected to officially transition to the name DF Akademie in the coming months.
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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ After the conclusion of a consultative process, the governing body in May 2021 resolved to review the school's name. That decision was subject to further investigation into the financial implications of the name change and consequential amendments to its constitution. Eventually, after further consultation with stakeholders, the governing body resolved to change the name of the school to DF Akademie. That name was thereafter submitted to the Provincial Department of Education for confirmation that no other educational institution had a similar name. The appellants took umbrage at the decision and, in December 2021, unsuccessfully launched an application in the High Court. They maintained that the consultative procedure adopted by the governing body was unfair, and the decision itself was irrational. According to them, they had a legal right to object to the name change as the issue concerned a matter of public importance and because they paid school fees for their children who attended the school. The SCA noted that, given the controversial figure after whom the school was named, it was inevitable that the governing body would sooner or later be pressured into reconsidering the school's name. 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The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has upheld the decision to rename DF Malan High School in Bellville to DF Akademie, marking a definitive step toward distancing the institution from its apartheid-linked origins. Originally named after former Prime Minister Daniel François Malan – a key architect of apartheid – the school has faced mounting pressure to adopt a more inclusive identity. The name change, first proposed in 2021, received overwhelming support from the school community, with 85% of over 3 400 voters backing the new name. Despite the consensus, a group of individuals, including descendants of Malan, challenged the process in court, arguing the School Governing Body (SGB) had exceeded its legal mandate and failed to consult properly. The SCA rejected those claims, affirming that the SGB acted within its powers under the South African Schools Act and that the consultation process was fair and rational. The ruling also upheld a previous Western Cape High Court decision in favour of the school. Ferdi Booysen, chair of the SGB, welcomed the judgment, saying it validated a process that involved parents, teachers, and students. 'This name change reflects a new chapter – one of unity and forward-thinking,' he said. In its ruling, the SCA noted that the new name aligns with democratic values and the broader transformation of public institutions in post-apartheid South Africa. The school is expected to officially transition to the name DF Akademie in the coming months. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
