TOPONYMIC GUIDELINES FOR MAP AND OTHER EDITORS

In support of the United Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) in its aims towards
the standardisation of geographical names, South Africa as a member state of the Africa South
Division acknowledges the Resolutions adopted at the UN Conferences on the Standardisation of
Geographical Names. It was recognised inter alia that national standardisation is an essential
preliminary to international standardisation (Resolution II/31(2).
Resolution 4 of the 4th Conference was adhered to by the South African names authorities:
“The Conference,
Recognizing the desirability of international exchange of information concerning the main facts,
measures and achievements in the field of national name standardization,
1. Recommends that countries should be encouraged to publish and keep up-to-date
toponymic guidelines for map and other editors which may enable cartographers of other
countries to treat correctly all problems of cartographic toponymy of the countries that
produced such guidelines, and which may be of help to all users in interpreting maps;
2. Further recommends that those guidelines contain, inter alia and as appropriate, the
following items:
(a) Legal status of geographical names in the respective languages of multilingual
countries;
(b) Alphabets of the language or languages and furthermore, in the case of non-
Roman alphabets and scripts, the officially introduced romanization keys;
(c) Spelling rules for geographical names;
(d) Aids to pronunciation of geographical names;
(e) Linguistic substrata recognizable in the existing place names, but only as far as
their knowledge may be of benefit to the cartographer;
(f) Relationship between dialect(s)and standard language(s);
(g) Peculiarities of dialect and arial distribution of the main dialects;
(h) Arial distribution of languages within multilingual countries;
(i) Names authorities and measures taken in names standardization;
(j) Source material;
(k) Glossary of words necessary for the understanding of maps;
(l) Abbreviations in official maps;
(m) Administrative divisions;

Professor Josef Breu was appointed as co-ordinator for toponymic guidelines at that time. On his
retirement in 1991, and at his recommendation, Dr Peter E. Raper (South Africa) was appointed co-
ordinator for toponymic guidelines by the UNGEGN.
In terms of the multilingual character of the African sub-continent, and in view of the change in
political dispensation, it was necessary to review and adapt the guidelines for South Africa. This
publication was prepared in compliance with the Resolutions of the United Nations mentioned for
the benefit of users of geographical names in South Africa.

1
SOUTH AFRICAN TOPONYMIC GUIDELINES FOR MAP AND OTHER EDITORS
FOURTH EDITION
2012

Prepared by: Dr. Barbara Meiring for The South African Geographical Names Council

Editorial team: Dept. of African Languages (Unisa); National Language Board (PanSALB);
Department of Arts and Culture; Language experts fron the SAGNC.

Approved by:

Published by:

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE ................................................................................................... 6

1 LANGUAGES AND LEGAL STATUS OF NAMES

1.1 General Remarks ……………………………………………………………….. .7

1.2 Official languages .......................................................................................... 7

1.2.1 General remarks ........................................................................................... 7

1.2.2 The alphabet .................................................................................................. 8

2 SPELLING RULES FOR GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

2.1 General rules ................................................................................................. 8

2.1.1 Names from African languages …………………………………………………. 9

2.1.1.(a) Names from Nguni languages …………………………………………10

2.1.1.(b) Names from Sotho languages …………………………………………11

2.1.1.(c) Xitsonga/Shangaan names …………………………………………….12

2.1.1.(d) Tshivenda names ……………………………………………………… 12

2.1.2 Afrikaans names …………………………………………………………………… 12

2.1.3 English names ……………………………………………………………………. 14

2.1.4 Khoe and Bushman names...............................................................................15

2.1.5 Contractions and abridgements ................................................................. 15

2.1.6 Names from other languages ..........................................................................16

a. Dutch
b. Portuguese
c. German
d. French
e. Indian

2.1.7 Dual and multilingual forms …………………………………………………… 16

2.2 PRONUNCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICAN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

2.2.1 General remarks ................................................................................................ 17

3
2.2.2 Pronunciation key for South African languages ......................................... 17

a Nguni languages (Isizulu,Isixhosa, Isindebele, Siswati) …………………… 17

b. Sotho languages ( Sesotho sa Leboa, Sesotho, Setswana) ……………… 20

c. Xitsonga…………………………………………………………………………. 22

d.Tshivenda ……………………………………………………………………….. 23

e.Afrikaans ………………………………………………………………………… 24

f. English..........................................................................................................25

g. Khoe and Bushman languages ………........................................................25

h. Other languages ………………………………………………………………. 25

3 LINGUISTIC SUBSTRATA RECOGNIZABLE IN SOUTH AFRICAN

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES ………………………………………………………25

4. DIALECT(S) AND STANDARD LANGUAGE(S

4.1 Peculiarities of dialect in the different languages ...........................................26
4.2 Arial distribution of languages within South Africa .........................................26

5 NAMES AUTHORITIES AND NAMES STANDARDIZATION

5.1 The South African Geographical Names Council …………………………. …26
5.2 Provincial Geographical Names Committees ……………………………….....27
5.3 Urban Advisory Committee on Street and Place Names …… ………………28

6 SOURCE MATERIAL …………………………………………………………….28

6.1 Sources used for the previous edition of Toponymic Guidelines

6.1(a) Maps ……………………………………………………………………………….28

6.1(b) Gazetteers …………………………………………………………………………28

6.1.1 Official ………………………………………………………………………………28

6.1.2 Private……………………………………………………………………………… 29

6.2 Other sources for this edition…………………………………………………… 29

7 GLOSSARY OF WORDS FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES AS

DESCRIPTIVE TERMS, SPECIFIC ELEMENTS or GENERIC TERMS, AND WHICH ARE
USEFUL FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF MAPS

4
7.1 Khoe and Bushman…......................................................................................30

7.2 English ....................................................................................................... 32

7.3 Afrikaans ................………………………………………………… 32

7.4 Nguni languages ..................................... …………………………………... 35

7.5 Sotho languages............................................. ………………………………. 39

7.6 Xitsonga ........................................................................................................ 44.

7.7 Tshivenda…………………………………………………………………………. 45

7.8 Other languages............................................................................................. 45

8 ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS …………………………………………………..45

Metropolitan, District and Local Municipalities

8.1 Eastern Cape Province ................................................................................ 46

8.2 Free State Province ……………………………………………………………….48

8.3 Gauteng Province ...........................................................................................49

8.4 KwaZulu-Natal Province .................................................................................50

8.5 Limpopo Province ………………………………………………………………….52

8.6 Mpumalanga Province ....................................................................................53

8.7 North West Province .………………………………………………………….......54

8.8 Northern Cape Province ………………………………………………………......55

8.9 Western Cape Province ……………………………………………………….......56.

5
PREFACE

Subsequent to the submission in 1991 of the third edition of the Toponymic Guidelines for South
Africa, some important developments have taken place in the country. In 1994 a new government
came into power with new authoritative structures, a new constitution and eleven official languages.
Although South Africa has had a national geographical names authority since 1939 (The National
Place Names Committee - NPNC), it was felt that a new body with a broader mandate was to be
established, falling under the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Heritage. Accordingly a Working Forum
on Geographical Names came into place with a professional team selected from the Directorate of
Surveys and Mapping, and language professionals.
” The Working forum prepared a draft report, taking into account relevant United Nations resolutions
and recommendations on the standardisation of geographical names, the principles and
procedures of the NPNC, international practices, and the recommendations of the White Paper on
Arts, Culture and Heritage.” (Report on the South African Geographical Names Commission).
Following the White Paper recommendation for terminological corrections, this draft report
recommended the authoritative body on geographical names be renamed to South African
Geographical Names Commission and eventually called The South African Geographical Names
Council. The composition of this body was to be in accordance with practices in other countries.
Other recommendations concerned the terms of reference and functions of the council; its areas of
jurisdiction; powers; policies; principles and procedures; involvement in provinces; staff support;
updating; verifying and networking databases; the publication and promotion of the work of the
Council; and initially supporting the preparation and publication of a Dictionary of South African
Geographical Names and the projects of the Survey of South African Geographical Names.
In the light of these developments, a fourth edition of the Toponymic Guidelines for South Africa
has been prepared to accommodate the multilingual language policy of the country. The hope is
expressed that it will be of practical use to cartographers and other editors.
Appreciation is expressed to:
- the University of South Africa who approved this as a project for study leave twenty
years ago on recommendation of the Chairman of UNGEGN at that time, Dr Peter
Raper;
- the valuable and enriching discussions, co-operation and contributions with colleagues
from the Department of African languages, the National Language Board, SAGNC and
Names Society of Southern Africa whose expert linguistic knowledge made this edition
possible;
- officials of the Geographical Names Unit at the Department of Arts, Culture and Heritage
who accepted the results of this project as a working document to be updated regularly.

Dr. Barbara Meiring

6
1 LANGUAGES AND LEGAL STATUS OF NAMES

1.1 General remarks

The history of South Africa and its peoples allowed for many languages to be spoken and the
geographical names of South Africa are thus derived from a number of languages of which
the first two that explorers came into contact with were the Bushman dialects and Khoe
(various dialects). Other indigenous languages are the Sotho languages: Sesotho sa Leboa
(Northern Sotho), Sesotho (Southern Sotho) and Setswana (Tswana); the Nguni languages:
IsiXhosa (Xhosa), IsiZulu (Zulu), Siswati and IsiNdebele (Southern Ndebele); Xitsonga
(Tsonga) and Tshivenda (Venda). Non-African languages influencing the South African
toponomy include English, Dutch, Indian Languages, Portuguese, Dutch, French and
German. An important contribution is made by Afrikaans, a language that developed from
contact between the Dutch, French and German officials and their Malay and Khoe staff.
In the present edition attention will be given primarily to geographical names from the eleven
official languages of the country, namely, in alphabetical order, Afrikaans, English, Nguni
languages(IsiZulu, IsiXhosa, IsiNdebele, Siswati), Sotho languages (Sesotho sa Leboa,
Sesotho, Setswana), Tshivenda, Xitsonga and names from Bushman and Khoe
languages (on which a comprehensive investigation has been carried out by experts, and the
results published in various publications mentioned in Chapter 6 as Source material. Other
historically relevant languages like Dutch, Portuguese, German, French and Indian languages
will be mentioned. In view of the divergence of the African languages and the fact that these
languages are in the process undergoing reformulation of their orthographies, geographical
names from these languages should not be regarded as immutable at this stage.

1.2 Official languages

After the change of government in 1994 South Africa’s bilingual language policy was replaced
by a multilingual policy. The new constitution gave official status to the above mentioned nine
indigenous languages and the two former official languages, that is eleven languages spoken
by a substantial number of speakers in the country, also allowing for the promotion of
languages brought in by immigrants, for instance Portuguese, German, French and Indian
languages.

1.2.1 General remarks

The eleven official languages of the Republic of South Africa are all are written in the Roman
script, as are all the other languages from which geographical names in South Africa have
been derived. The click or suction consonants encountered in the Bushman and Khoe
languages (cf. par.4.4) are not reflected in geographical names.
Regardless of the language from which a geographical name is derived, that name has
official status if it is the name of an official place,(cf. par. 2) and if it has been approved by the
national geographical names authority of South Africa. It is thus recognized that the
toponymic landscape is multilingual. Once the spelling of a geographical name has been
standardised in a certain language, this is its official status.On an unofficial level, however,
names in different languages could be applied to the same entity. However, in view of the
policy to redress the past inequalities with regard to the representativeness of all official
languages in the toponymical landscape, some of the present examples could possibly be
outdated due to continuous standardisation.
7
 1.2.2 The alphabet
In all official languages the same alphabet is used:
Aa Hh Oo Uu
Bb Ii Pp Vv
Cc Jj Qq
Dd Kk Rr Xx
Ee Ll Ss Yy
Ff Mm Tt Zz
Gg Nn

In addition to the normal alphabetical sequence there are certain diacritic signs in some African
languages, Afrikaans, Bushman and Khoe which are used in conjunction with particular vowels and
consonants to produce specific pronunciation and stress, for example in
Afrikaans â ä á à ê ë é è î ï í ì ô û
Setswana: ê ô ù ú ó
Northern Sotho: ê ô
Sesotho: ê ô
Khoe (on the national emblem): !KE E: /XARRA //KE

Also the diaeresis occurs in geographical names.

2. SPELLING RULES FOR GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

The rules given below have been formulated by the South African Geographical Names Council
and the National Language Boards for the various languages for implementation as well as by
the Directorate of Surveys and Land Information, state departments, provinces, municipalities
and other naming bodies.

2.1 General rules

“(i) The recognized spelling and styling of the language from which the name is derived
should be adhered to as far as possible.

(ii) Diacritical signs should be used in accordance with the requirements of the
language” (UN Resolutions).

(iii) Although standardised names are language specific, translations often occur in a
multilingual country and commonly used as such by different language groups, for
instance eKatikati, Xhosa for the official Cathcart. However, it is recommended that
the official names and spelling are to be used for public transport and tourism
purposes as indicated on maps.

(iv) When a place is known under more than one name, one of the names is usually the
official name, however more than one official name for a place may also exist, i.e.
8
 Cape Town and Kaapstad that have equal status.

(v) Names of rivers, dams, mountains, routes etc. often appear without the generic item
which is then indicated by a symbol. The topographical reference is implied.

The rules are applicable to:

(i) new place names which are submitted and ultimately approved by the Minister after
recommendation by the SAGNC for official use, i.e. future official place names;
(ii) any existing non-official place name for which official status is obtained on
application, e.g. a farm name as the name of a motor bus stop, a street name for a
post-office, a topographical name as name of a town, etc.
(iii) unofficial place names, among which existing and new topographical names, e.g.
names of mountains, lakes, rivers;
(iv) existing place names which are incorrectly spelt or written and submitted to
the SAGNC for standardisation.

2.1.1 Geographical names from African languages

Geographical names from African languages are unique in the sense that a name is usually a
compound consisting of a phrase, an expression or full sentence with the locative prefix or suffix
indicating ‘place of’ or ‘river’ , i.e. Boitumelong (‘place of happiness’); Mangaung (‘place of
cheetas’); KwaZulu (‘place of the Zulu’); uMhlanga (‘the river Mhlanga), etc.

When European missionaries first attempted to describe and write the African languages, the
orthographies were European versions and many phonological features were lost. Therefore many
place names derived from African languages in various parts of South Africa are adapted forms of
the African languages not only in pronunciation but also in their written form. Thus we find Kyalami
instead of IKhaya lami (‘my home’) and Silkaatsnek from the Europeanised Silkaats, which is
Moselekatse in Sesotho and uMzilikazi in IsiZulu. Magalies should be Mogale and Marico should be
Madikwe. Some of these names are currently under scrutiny where language communities prefer
the language specific spelling. African place names which are phonological adaptations from
English, Afrikaans or other languages should be written in accordance with the officially recognized
orthography of the African language concerned, e.g. KwaMashu < ‘place of Marshall’), Morija
(<Moriah). This includes the language specific diacritical signs of the language and the spelling of
personal names and surnames occurring in or used as geographical names, unless it does not
comply with UNGEGN’S international requirements for maps.
The names from African languages are presently being standardised according to the respective
orthographies as part of the standardisation process regarding geographical names. Examples
given might still be in their linguistically incorrect form but will come under scrutiny if proposed by
the respective communities and language groups involved.
Although the South African Geographical Names Council is concerned primarily with the writing of
place names in accordance with the conventions of each South African language, UNGEGN
guidelines have to be taken into consideration for international purposes. This could necessarily
result in breaches of African language orthography in the above-mentioned respects.

9
2.1.1.(a) Geographical names from Nguni languages
In the Nguni languages the locative prefixes e-, o-, ku- and kwa- combine with the element that
follows them. In the same way the initial vowels i- and u- combine with the element that follows
them, the first consonant of which is always written with a capital. The different Nguni languages
differ with regard to the capitalisation of the initial vowel and consonant.
The suggestions given below are recommended with a view to establishing principles in order to
obtain some degree of uniformity. The problem with Nguni place names can be resolved only if a
distinction is drawn between the way they are written in the context of the Nguni syntax and in the
context of most international languages. The demands of these contexts are different and, in the
difficult cases, irreconcilable. In other words, it is not possible to write IsiZulu / IsiXhosa/ Siswati /
IsiNdebele so that it conforms at once with the orthographic requirements of Nguni languages as
well as with the writing conventions of other languages.
Three conventions in particular could present problems:
(a) The use of more than one capital letter within the same name, e.g. EMpangeni (to denote a
post office) and KwaZulu;
(b) the use of a capital letter for the second letter of a name, e.g. eMpangeni (town name), and
(c) varying initial vowels in different syntactic contexts, e.g. uMzimkhulu (as subject or object or
river name) as opposed to eMzimkhulu (as a place name).

In addition many isiZulu and isiXhosa geographical names are adaptations from Khoe or Bushman
languages and are pronounced with a click sound where the gq, qu x an c represent different clicks,
e.g. Gqunube (Gonubie), Qumrha (Komgha), Kwenxurha, Xariep, Cacadu, etc.

Guidelines for Nguni names

The following guidelines are therefore suggested for the writing of Nguni names:
Capital letters: The different Nguni languages each have their own system.
(a) Only the first letter of a name used to be written with a capital, for example
Amatikulu but the current isiZulu orthography dictates that the initial vowel, for instance
indicating place (e) or a river (u) becomes a lower case and the following letter becomes a
capital, i.e. aMatigulu, eZwelethemba, eMoyeni, uMzimvubu, eMalahleni. IsiXhosa,
isiNdebele and Siswati has a different orthography, i.e. Mthatha,Mpekweni,Dutywa, Emoyeni
etc. Exceptions in all cases are the names of post offices, i.e. UMkhuze, UMzimvubu, etc.
(b) This principle need not necessarily be applied to names that begin with the prefixes Kwa-,
Ku- and Ka-. KwaZulu, KwaMashu is acceptable.
(c) Where it can be established that the initial vowels of names may vary with syntactic
context, it could be a consideration to write these names without an initial vowel. Should
this be the case with Umzimkhulu for example, Mzimkhulu could be considered.

Names from the Nguni languages include:

IsiXhosa Siswati IsiNdebele IsiZulu

Bhisho Dingamanzi Enzwabuklunga eMzimkhulu

Bongolethu Emgwenya Limpopo Eshowe (eKhowe)

Cofimvaba Komati Mbembaneni eThembisa

10
 Emathafeni Mabhemana uMhlanga

Malalane uMdloti

Engcobo Mlaleni eMalahleni

Entsimkeni Muhlambamadube eMkhondo

Guguletu Nhlangamzwane eMakhazeni

Ikhala Salitje KwaDlangezwa

Indwe Sibhamu KwaDukuza

Intabamnyama Sundwini KwaMhlanga

Khanyiso Thambokhulu

2.1.1.(b) Geographical names from the Sotho languages

The locative affixes used in the Sotho geographical names are Ga-, Ha-, -ng.
Ga- and Ha- in the Sotho languages are joined to the component that follows, e.g. Gadikgale,
Garankuwa, Gamosetlha and Harasebei.
The suffixes follow the specific element and is written as one word, i.e. Bolokaneng, Boipatong. Not
all names have these affixes but are statements or phrases written as one word. Other Sotho
geographical names include:

Bolokaneng Ditlhlaila Ikhutseng

Bophelong Dikhorong Ipopeng
Bothibelong Ditshukudu Itekeng
Botshabelo GaMmabasotho Itshokolele
Dikakhatlong Ikageleng Katlehong
Diphelaneng Ikageng Kgopeng
Kutloanong Matlhwaring Qhoweng
Lejwaneng Mmabatho Refilwe
Lekaneng Monyakeng Rweleleyatunya
Letlhabile Moriting Sefikeng
Mahlalerwa Morojaneng Sekhutlong
Mahlatswetsa Moshaweng Seretse
Mahwelereng Motlomo Shamariri
Majwemasweu Mpharani Thabanchu
Makeleketla Naledi Thushang
Malebogo Ntsoanasati Tladi
Masjaing Ntunjenkala (Untunja) Tlhabologang
Matimachwewu Nyakallong Tswaraganang
Matlakeng Palala Tswelelang
Matlapeng Phalaborwa Utlwanang

Adaptations of Khoe and San also occur as in Ntha < Khoi Nta / Entaap ‘ false river’; Qhoasing <
San !khwa ‘water’;
xi
2.1.1.(c) Geographical names from Xitsonga / Shangaan
In Xitsonga geographical names Ka- and Eka- and the component following them are written as
separate words, e.g. Eka Mpofu and Eka Mhinga. However, in Ekandustria the prefiks Eka
precedes a specific element from another language, and it is written as one word. The prefix n’wa
indicates a class of nouns that also refer to rivers, places, mountains, etc. as in N’wanedzi/
Nwanedzi. The prefix ma- is also used to indicate a toponym, as in the river Matyulu and the town
in Gazankulu Malamulele.
Other Xitsonga names are
Manyeleti Hlamvu Makulujana
Manyukelani Likhwanini Makuweni
Dobodzi Luvhundini Malahlapanga
Fayini Mabyandzawu Marico
Hetajomboro Mabyematsuna Mhlambanyati
Hlahleni Mahlambandlopfu Mikhothweni
Mpanamana Nwarihlangari Shigomeni
Munywini Nwatamhiri Shiswayini
Murhiwoyila Nwatindlopfu Timbavati
Nhlangamutwana Shibyeni Timfeneni
Ntsumaneni Shihloka Vulwamati
Nwanedzi Shilalani Xilala-xa-botse

2.1.1.(d) Geographical names from Tshivenda

In Tshivenda locality is indicated by prefixing ha- to a personal name or noun or by adding -ni as a
suffix. The Ha- as well as the personal name begins with a capital letter, e.g. HaMasia, HaMakuya.
The majority of geographical names in Tshivenda do not use the locative. Other Tshivenda names
include:
Botsoleni Matangari Luvuvhu
Fundudzi Mukumbani Luvhundini
HaTshikota Tshiugani Messina
HaTshirundu Tshitambo Nzhelele
Mapungubwe Vhubvumanyundo Shashanga
Moebeni (Bvumanyundo) Tshidzivhan
Magoni Dzithomboni
Sibasa (< Tshivhase) Thulamila Tshitambo
Thohoyandou Tshamavhudzi

2.1.2 Afrikaans place names

In accordance with a revision of the orthographic rules applying to the fused or separate
writing of compound geographical names in Afrikaans, the toponymic guidelines applying to
these names in Afrikaans correspond to the rules of the 2009 edition of Afrikaanse Woordelys
en Spelreëls (Afrikaans Word list and Spelling rules).

GUIDELINES
(a) Names consisting of a simplex are to be written in the official form, i.e. Hendrina, Montana,
Zastron, Bethlehem, Napier, Kosmos, etc.

(b) Capital letters are used:

xii
 (i) At the beginning of all Afrikaans geographical names

(ii) At the beginning of main elements in compound names and syntactic structures as place
names like the following:
Drie Susters,Twee Riviere, Klein-Letaba, Groot-Karoo, KwaZulu-Natal, Vallei van ‘n
Duisend Heuwels, Port Elizabeth, Aliwal-Noord, Somerset-Wes, Noordoos-Vrystaat, Jan
Smitstraat, Molopo se Oog, Die Oog, Fort Klapperkop, Berg-en-Dal, Aanhou Wen, Koppie
Alleen and names from other languages like Les Marais, La Lucia, Con Amore, The Pines,
KwaDlangezwa.

(iii) For the generic term following a number in street names: 7de Laan, 20ste Straat, Derde
Laan/Derdelaan.

(c) Hyphenated names. Compound geographical names are hyphenated in the following cases:

(i) A proper noun preceded or followed by descriptive terms like adjective(s), adverbs and/or
locatives, for instance Agter-Paarl, Bo-Kaap, Waterval-Onder, Groot-Karoo, Durban-Noord,
Nieu-Bethesda, Oos-Rand, Beaufort-Wes.

(ii) A conjunction of more than one proper noun, for instance Graaff-Reinet, Leeu-Gamka,
Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg.

(iii) Where a name becomes difficult to read due to length or an accumulation of vowels or
consonants:
Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg-roete, Perde-eiland, Van Lill-laan.

(iv) Names based on the spelling of fauna or flora:

Wag-‘n-bietjie, Haak-en-steek.

(v) Syntactic structures like: Bos-en-Berg, Berg-en-Dal.

(d) Compound geographical names: Although geographical names based on Afrikaans personal
names have historically followed an inconsistent pattern, i.e. Roossenekal but Paul Roux, Piet
Retief (now eMkhondo), and those with a generic term written as Pietermaritzburg, Paulpietersburg
but Jan Kempdorp, Willem Kloppersville, the recommended spelling for compound geographical
names have the following ruling:

(i) Based on a combination of a personal name, surname, title, etc. the elements are
preferably to be written separately, i.e. Paul Roux,Sir Lowry’s-pas. A geographical
name derived from a nickname written in a specific way cannot be prescriptive except
when a generic item is involved, i.e.Rooikooslaagte/Rooi Koos-laagte.

(ii) When a generic term is added to a compound or word, whether proper noun,
common noun, numerical, adjective, adverb, abbreviation or acronym to form a
geographical name, it is written as one word in conjunction with the last item or
hyphenated if required on the grounds of (c) above, i.e. Jan Kempdorp, Nelson
Mandelaweg, Gariepdam, Tafelberg, Sir Lowry’s-pas, Hamerkopstraat,
Springbokvlakte, Eersterivier, Unisarand, Mooikloof, Middeburg.

For a list of generic elements see Chapter 7.

13
 2.1.3 English place names

Although English names already existing overseas should best be avoided, these names that are
given to places in South Africa in most cases retain their original spelling and form. English names
that are formed and given in this country, however, may differ in spelling and form from the
‘imported’ names due to the influence of local languages.
(a) Simplex names
There should be no problems in regard to the spelling of simplex names.
(b) Compound names
In practice a certain amount of irregularity is found in the writing of compound English
place names. For example, names ending in crest, end, gate, hill, ridge, view, may be
written either as one word or as two. Thus are encountered Wavecrest but Leisure Crest,
Teaksend but Flats End, Westgate but North Gate, Foxhill but Calf Hill, Redhouse but Blue
House, Aloeridge but Gravel Ridge, Bayview but Mountain View.
An analysis of certain types of word combinations in the written form of English place names
in South Africa has indicated a tendency in the writing of English place names.

(i)Names that are written separately

(a) Most names of which the first part is one of the following adjectives: Bonny, Golden,
Lower, Old, etc. Examples are Bonny Rest, Golden Gate, Lower Sabie, Old Town, Rocky
Hill but Newlands, Saltville.

(b) Names in which the generic term is still strongly felt as a common noun, e.g. Albert Falls,
Algoa Bay, Amatole Basin, Berg River Valley, Bretby Mine, Brighton Beach, Cape Flats, Nagle
Dam, Sand River, Table Mountain.

(c) Most names of which the second element is a plural noun, e.g. Birch Acres, Beecham
Woods, Broken Slopes.

(d) Names with Crown, Fort, Loch, Mount and Port as the first part, e.g. Crown Reefs, Fort
Beaufort, Loch Maree, Mount Frere and Port Alfred.

(e) Names of which the second part indicates the situation, e.g. Beaufort West, Boksburg
North, Modder East, Randfontein South.

(f) Names consisting of a numeral plus a noun, e.g. Four Pines, Three Sisters, Twenty Four
Rivers.

(g) Names consisting of Glen plus a personal name, e.g. Glen Karen, Glen Lynden.
(h) Phrases used as place names, e.g. Ascot on Vaal, Ebb and Flow, Henley on Klip, Hole in
the Wall.

(i) Names of which the first part is written with an apostrophe, e.g. Davey’s Halt, Gordon’s
Bay, Eagle’s Crag, Lion’s Head but Grahamstown.

(j) Names consisting of the abbreviation St plus a proper name, e.g. St Andrew’s, St Mark’s.

(ii)Names written as one word

The following names are usually written as one word:

14
 (a) Names ending in bourne, bury, combe, dene, hurst, lea, leigh, mere, wick, etc. For example
Ashbourne, Woodbury, Ashcombe, Forestdene, Meadhurst, Birchleigh, Buttermere,
Thornwick.

(b) Names beginning with Broad, Cross, Gay or Middle, e.g. Broadlands, Crossmoor, Gayridge,
Middlebrook.

(c) Names beginning with Bal, Brae, Clan, Craig, Dal, Holm, Pen, Sel, Strath, etc. For example
Balcraig, Braeview, Clanville, Craigend, Dalview, Holmleigh, Pendale, Selcourt, Strathcona.
(d) Names composed of syllables or parts of names or words, such as Atcem (from Atlas
Cement Company), Corobrick (Coronation Brick), Navex (Navarro Exploration), Soweto
(South Western Townships), Soshanguve (Sotho, Shangaan, Nguni, Venda).

2.1.4 Khoe and Bushman place names

Archaeological research has proved that Southern Africa was inhabited by the Bushman (and later
the Khoe) for thousands of years. As the only inhabitants, they named places where they resided.
With the arrival of the European settlers and later the African groups from the great lakes of Africa,
these indigenous names for geographical features were translated and replaced. The Khoe
(formerly written Khoikhoin) and Bushman languages were virtually extinct within the borders of
South Africa, but under the inspiration of a few descendants some of these languages are being
revived and taught in schools and cultural gatherings of these cultural groups. A large number of
names of geographical entities derived from these languages exist, which may be submitted to the
SAGNC for approval as official names.
In such cases the following principles will apply:
(a) Bushman and Khoe place names are normally styled solid.
(b) Diacritical signs to indicate pitch, nasalization, etc., are generally not used.
(c) Clicks could be indicated as in new names like !Xhariep. The UN recommendation
regarding pronunciation should however be kept in mind.
(d) Established forms of spelling, such as Kei, Goukou, Henkries, Kango, Knysna, Quora are
usually left unchanged although they do not accord with the orthography of the languages
concerned.
(e) Due to pronunciation difficulties spelling should be changed as little as possible, except that
at the end of a name:
(i) -p may be standardized as -b,
(ii)-bep/-beb/-bes, -beep/-beeb/-bees, -biep/-bieb/-bies, may be standardized as -bib/-
bis,
(iii)-sep/-seb/-ses/-sieb/-sies, etc., can be normalised as -sib/-sis, -reb/-res, etc.
(f) The sound (x) is represented by ch, except in cases where its representation in some other
way has already become established, e.g. Gamka, Khorixas.

Place names and compounds of which one element is Bushman/Khoe and the other of another
language are treated in accordance with the principles that apply to the other language. Hence the
forms Kei Mouth, Gouritzrivier / Gouritz Rivier, Naab se Berg, Keiskammahoek.
Many isiZulu and isiXhosa names are of Khoe and Bushman origin (Cf Ch.6, Raper 2011 and 2012)

2.1.5 Contraction or abridgements in geographical names

15
When a geographical name consists of a contraction or an abridgement of more than one word, it is
written as one word, e.g. Thabatshweu, Intabankulu, Thohoyandou, Masakhane, etc.

2.1.6 Other languages

The South African Geographical Names Council has a policy to replace existing foreign names (like
Amsterdam, Belfast, London) with indigenous South African names. The following rulings, however,
are still applied subject to approval by the SAGNC:

a. Dutch names
Dutch names are retained where the Dutch spelling has become the accepted form and is being
used as such. For example, we write De Doorns, Franschhoek, Volksrust, Zeerust, Garstfontein.
This rule normally applies to important places.
The Dutch spelling can also be retained if a post office or siding, etc., is named after the farm on
which it is situated and the farm name has a registered Dutch spelling and the South African
Geographical Names Council is requested to retain the old spelling. Each case is decided on merit.
The Council still maintains the general principle of giving an Afrikaans form to certain names that
are submitted in the Dutch form. Thus we write Blouberg, Noupoort, Seekoeivlei and Sondagsrivier.

b. Portuguese names
Most South African geographical names of Portuguese origin have been anglisised and retain this
form for official purposes: Dias/ Diaz, Algoa, Agulhas, St. Bras, Saldanha, etc.

c. German names
Most South African place names of German origin retained their German orthography as they
primarily refer to the names of Rhenish and other missionaries or governers: Steinkopf,
Stutterheim, Döhne, Hermannsburg, Haenitsburg.

d. French names
Place names from French origin retain the registered spelling: Marseilles, La Rochelle, Mont-aux-
Source , Saron, Picardie, Val de Grace and many farm names in adapted forms like Laborie (< La
Brie); Lekkerwyn (<Lecrevent); Fleurbaay (<Fleurbaix) etc.

e. Indian names
There are not many towns with Indian names in South Africa.
Desainagar means “Desai town” after the first registered Indian millionaire in South Africa, Mr.
Desai. There are, however street names in certain areas named after prominent Indian
personalities.

f. Hebrew/Biblical names
Many geographical names in South Africa have Bibilical references. These names have been
adapted to languages spoken in the area, i.e. Morija (<Moriah - ‘provided by the Lord’); Bethlehem
(<Hebrew for ‘house of bread’ with reference to the town lying within an important wheat producing
area); Elim, Bethany; Bethesda, Pniël; etc.

2.1.7 Dual and multilingual forms

16
In South Africa, where there are eleven official languages, one may expect a large number of
geographical names that are used in one language also to be used in a translated form in other
languages. In the course of time different names have established themselves for the same places.
The following combinations can be encountered, viz.
(a) Names of which all the parts are translated, e.g. Bloedrivier/ Blood River,
Drieankerbaai/Three Anchor Bay, Kaapstad / Cape Town / eKapa.
(b) Names of which both parts are ordinary words in the language concerned, but only the
second part is translated, e.g. Gariep Dam /Gariepdam; uMngeni/uMngeni River.
(c) Names of which the first part is a personal name and the second part a generic term, e.g.
Nelson Mandela Drive/Nelson Mandelarylaan, Boshoffweg/ Boshoff Road, Caledon Square/
Caledonplein, Simons Town/ Simonstad.
(d) Multilinguistic combinations like Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal, Leeu-Gamka.

In terms of the country’s policy of multilingualism the members of each language group have the
right to insist on the form they use in the natural context of their own language. For official
purposes, however, precedence may be given to one form, that is, ‘the first of the two equals’. This
precedence is based on the derivation and linguistic composition of the name, its age, the
population group preponderating in the locality concerned, the official languages of the Province,
etc.
.

2.2 Pronunciation of South African geographical names

2.2.1 General remarks

(a) When geographical names are spoken, they tend to be pronounced as though they
belonged to the language of the speaker, or to the language in the context of which they
are being used. Thus the pronunciation of names could be anglicized by English-speaking
persons, africanised by African language speakers or pronounced according to Afrikaans
pronunciation.
(b) This tendency is particularly strong in the case of Bushman and Khoe. Not only are the
suction consonants or “clicks” omitted, but the original pitch (high, middle and low) is
ignored, and the names are pronounced as though they are African, Afrikaans or English.
This phonological adaptation is usually reflected in the orthography.
(c) Geographical names derived from the various African languages, too, were adapted
phonologically (and orthographically) to Afrikaans and English. Many of these names have
become standardised in this adapted form, i.e. Eshowe, Phalaborwa,etc. many of which
are in line for standardisation according to the orthography of the African language
concerned.

2.2.2 Pronunciation Key for South African languages

a. Nguni languages

The Nguni languages distinguish between vowels formed in front and in the back of the mouth with
tones ranging from high (i and u), mid-high (e and o), mid-low (ê and ô) and low (a).

17
Vowels Isizulu Isixhosa Siswati Isindebele
a [a] -lala(sleep) -lála -lala -lala
e [e] -leli (this one) êli -leli leli
[ɛ] -enza(do) énza -enza enza
i [i ] insipho(soap) isépha insipho isibha
o [o] iloli(lorry) ílori iloli ilori
[ɔ] -oma(become dry) ôma -oma oma
u [u] -vula(open) -vula -vula -vula

Consonants
The 18 click consonants in isiZulu and isiXhosa and the 7 in Siswati are represented by [l], [ll] and
[!] in various combinations with c,h,g,k,q and the nasal n. Some clicks are voiceless, others not.
However, place names derived from expressions with clicks are usually pronounced without the
clicks.
Isizulu Isixhosa Siswati Isindebele
b [b] ubaba(father) úbawó babe ubana
bh [b] -bhala(write) bhâla bhala bhala
mb [b] imbazo(axe) imbûzi(goat) imbazo(axe) imbuzi(goat)
c [/] -cula(sing) -conga(collect) cima(extinguish)
ch [/h] -chita(throw out) -chitsa chatjha(hire)
d [d] idada(duck) amádoda(men) lidada(duck) idada
nd [d] indaba(a case) ídoda(man) ndanda(float) indoda(man)
dl [/z] -dladla(play) -dlâdla dladla dladla
ndl [dlz] indlovu(elephant) índlovu - indlovu
dy [dʃ ] - ídyasi(coat) - -
dy [tʃ ] - índyebo(harvest) - -
f [f] -funa(want) -fá (die) -funa (want) -fa(die)
mf [mpf] imfene(baboon) ímfe(sweetreed) imfene imfene
g [g] ugogo(grandmother) -gula(be ill) gogo(gr.mother) ugogo
ng [ng] ingubo(garment) íngubo(blanket) ingubo(garment) ingubo
ngc [n/g] ingcosana(little) - -ngcunu(naked) ingcuba
(carcass meat)
gc [/g] -gcoba(anoint) - -gcoba gcoka(dress up)
gx [/ig] -gxibha(slander) -
(r)h [x] -hola(money) írháfu(tax) -hola(earn) rhola(earn)
gr [gr ] - ígrónya(sack cloth) - -
h [h] -hamba(go) -húhúza(blow) -hamba iholo(hall)
18
h [ɦ ] ihhashi(horse) íháshe lihhashe -
hl [ϸ ] -hlala(sit,stay) -hlála -hlala -hlala
nhl [ntϸ’ ] inhlanhla(luck) - - -
j [dz] ijuba(dove) -juba(unconscious) lijuba ijuba
nj [ndz] inja(dog) ínjá inja inja
k [k’] ikati(cat) kákubi(badly) likati ikosi(chief)
kh [kh] -khala(cry) -khá(pick) -khala khamba(go)
k [k] ukukhala(to cry) - -faka(put in) kuhle(pretty)
kl [kϸ’ ] -klikliza(choke) - -klebhula(rip) kleza(milk)
kr [kx’] - íkrêle(sword) - -
l [l] -ilala(sleep) -lála lala lala
lh [l] - úLholhó(name) - -
m [m] umama(mother) -mêma(invite) make(mother) mema(invite)
m(h) [mɦ] Mina!(Here,take) mhumha(drink) Mina! Mina
n [n] -nona(be fat) -na(rain) nona nona
nh [nh] nhinhiza(speak) îsínhanha(richman) nesi(nurse) -
p [p’] ipipi(pipe) pása(out of breath) lipipi ipipi
ph [ph] -phupha(deam) -phá(give) phupha phapha(fly)
q [!] iqoqo(collection) - iqoqo iqaqa(frog)
qh [!h] iqhude(rooster) - - qhula(knock)
gq [!g] gqagqaza(scatter) - - gqaba(vaccinate)
nq [n!] -nqanda(turn away) - - -
nkq [n!] qonkqela(amass) - - -
nkc/nc [n/] - - nconcotsa(knock) ncenga(beg)
nch [n/h] - - nchanti(long ago) -
n(‘) [n] - ingwe(leopard) - ingwe
nyh [ɦ’] - inyhólóba(elbow) - -
nty [nc’] - ntyélo(information) - -
ndy [ndj] - ndyebo(bigharvest) - -
r [r] uMariya(Maria) uMariya Mariya uMaria
s [s] -susa(take away) –sála(remain) -susa susa
sh [ʃ ] -shosha(bend low) -shushú(hot) -shosha -
t [t’] into(a thing) itakáne(lamb) intfo into
th [th] -thatha(take) -thêtha(speak) ithaya(tyre) thatha
ts [ts’] tsatsaza(spurt) -tsîba(jump) lutswayi(salt) tsatsaza
tsh/tj [tʃ ‘ ] utshwala(beer) tshîxa(lock) tjani(grass) utjani(grass)
tsh/tjh [tʃ h] – -tshisa(burn) tsatsa(take tjhada(marry)
ty [c’] - úkutyá(eat) - -
19
tyh [ch] - ítyhéfu(poison) - -
ths [tsh] - isíthsaba(crown) - -
v [v] -vula(open) -vala(close) vula vula
mv [ɱɸv] imvula(rain) ímvubú(hippo) imvula imvu(sheep)
W [W] Woza!(Come!) -wa(fall) Wota!(Come) Woza!
x [//] -xoxa(talk) - xoxa -
xh [//ih] xhuga(limp) - - -
nxg [n//g] –ngxangxasha(hop) - - -
nx [n//g] nxa(when,if) - - nx!(sound of annoyance)
nkx [n//] -xhonkxa(sow thick) - - -
y [j] yebo(yes) ukúya(to go) yebo yami(mine)
ny [ɲ ] inyoni(bird) inyama(meat) inyoni inyoni
z [z] -zama(try) -zama -zama zama
nz [dz] inzalo(progeny) ínzalo - -
dz [ndz] - îdzedze(flea) - idzila(copper rings)
tf [tf] / [tø] tfumba
tf [tøh] intfombi
dv [dv]
ndv [ɲdv]

b. Sotho languages

The Sotho languages distinguish between vowels formed in front and in the back of the mouth with
tones ranging from high (i and u), mid-high (e and o), mid-low (ê and ô) and low (a).

Vowels Sesotho sa Leboa Sesotho Setswana

a [a] -araba(answer) -araba -araba

e [e] -lema(plough) -lema -lema
ê [ɛ ] -êma(stand -êma -êma
i [i] -ipshina(enjoy) -idibana(faint) -itse(know)
u [u] -utshwa(steal) -utlwa(hear) -utlwa
o [o] -gola(grow big) -hola(grow big) -gola
ô [ɔ] -ôma(become dry) -ôma -ôma

Consonants Sesotho sa Leboa Sesotho Tswana

20
p [p’] pitsa(cooking pot) pitsa pitsa
ph [ph] -phela(live) phio(kidney) philo(kidney)
pj [pƒ] - -pjapjata(boil well) -
pjh [pƒh] - -pjha(become dry) -
b [ß] -bitsa(call) -botsa(ask) -botsa
m [m] maabane(yesterday) -metsa(swallow) -metsa
f [f] -fofa(fly) -fetsa(complete) -fetsa
fj [fƒ] - -lefjwa(be paid) -
fs [fs] bofsa(youth) - -
psh [psh] pshikologa(roll down) - -
f(s) [fƒ) -bofsa(is tied) -
p [p’] papa
ph [ph] phatla
pṧ [pƒ] mpṧa(dog) - -
p(s)h [pƒh] -psha(dry up) - -
bj [ßz] bjang(grass) -bjaratsa(crush) -
my [mj] -myemyela(smile) - -
w [w] wena(you) -wa(fall) -wa
c [/] cecece(expressing pity) c-c-c c-c-c
nc [n/] nce-nce(ticking watch) -ncama(eat) ncencana(small)
t [t] / [t’] tau(lion) tau tiro(work)
th [th] -thiba(stop) -thiba -thiba
ts [ts’] -tseba(know) -tsela(road) -tsela
tsh [tsh] tshipi(iron) -tshela(cross) -tshela(live)
r [r] -rora(roar) -rema(chop) -rema
s [s] -soal(serve up) -seha(cut) -sega(cut)
n [n] noga(snake) -nea(give) -naya(give up)

nq [n!] nqwaa(bad beer) - -

tl [tl/tl’] –tla(come -tlola(jump over) -tlola(jump over)
t(s)/tj [tƒ’] -tsea(take) - tjeka(dance) tjaraloga(bitter)
t(s)h [tƒh] -tshaba(flee) - -tshomoga(jerk)
(s)/sh [ƒ] -soma(work) -shapa(punish) -(s)apa(punish)
j [dz] -ja(eat) jwang(how) jaanong(now)
tlh [tlh] ntlha(point) tlhaho(origin) -
nx [n//] nxanxae!(pardon!)
hl [ɬ] -hlotla(filter) hloho(head) -
l [l] -leka(try) lela(cry) -lela
21
d [ḍ ] -dula(sit) duma modumo
y [j] -bolaya(kill) -ya(go) -ya
ny [ɲ] -nyaka(search) -nyala(marry) -nyema(weaken)
h [ɦ ] -huma(become rich) -haha(build) -huhumela(crawl)
k [k’] koloi(wagon) -kumola(uproot) -kumola
kh [kh] -khutsa(rest) khabetjhe(cabbage) -khutla(end)
kg [kxh] kgomo(cattle) dikgomo -kgama(strangle)
g [g ] -gama(milk) galase(glass) -gama
ng [ɲ] ngaka(witchdoctor) -ngola(write) -ngapa(scratch)
x [//] - (interjection of annoyance)
nx [ɲ//] - nxanxabetsa(treat gently)
q [!] - -qala(start) qo-qo(social greeting)
qh [!h] - -qhala(disperse) -
nq [ɲ!] - nnqa(direction) -

c. Xitsonga
Vowels Example
a [a] aka
e [e] vele
i [i] kwihi
o [o] nhloko
u [u] huku

Consonants

b [b] hambana
bv [bv]
c [tƒ] cina
d [d]
dy [dj] dyambu
dz [dz] dzaha
f [f] fanele
g [g]
h [h] huma
hl [ɬ] nhlampfi
j [dz] jomela
k [k] kala
l [l] lowu
m [m] marito
n [n] nala
p [p] peletiwa
pf [pf] pfelelaka
q [l] / [!] qulu
r [r] rito
s [s] sasekile
sh [ʃ ]
22
sw [sw]
t [t]
ts [ts]
ty [tj]
v [ß]
vh [v]
w [w]
x [ƒ]
y [j]
z [z]

d. Tshivenda

Venda distinguishes between a high tone and a low tone. The meaning of some words may
depend on the tone, i.e. thóhó (head) has two high tones and thòhó (monkey) has one high
and one low tone. Some consonants are also aspirated.
Vowels Examples

a [a] u amba (to speak)

e [ɛ ] u renga (to buy)
i [i] u lisa (to herd)
o [ɔ] u vona (to see)
u [u] u ruma (to send)

Consonants

b [b] bako (cave)

bv [bv] u bvuma (to rumble)
bw [bj] u bwa (to dig)
p [p’] u panda (to stamp)
pf [pf’] kupfene (small baboon)
pw [pj/pxw] u pwasha (to shatter)
ph [ph] (aspirated) u phapha (to cleave)
pf [ fh]( “ ) pfene (baboon)
phw [pjh]( “ ) u phwama (to be moist)
d [d] u daha (to smoke)
dy [dj] dyelo (to crawl)
dz [dz] dzembe (hoe)
dzh [dzh] u dzhena (to enter)
dzw [dzw] u dzwala (to bear young)
d [th] (dental) u da (to come) diacritic under d pronounced with tongue against the front teeth.
t [t’] u takala (to be glad)
ts [ts’] kutsimu (small field)
tsh [tƒh] (aspirated) tshifu (trap)
tsw [tʄ h] (aspirated) u tswa (to steal)
tzh [tƒ’] u tzhipa (to strangle)
tzw [tʄ ‘] u tzwipudza (to strike with a whip)
ty [c’] u tyetyenea (to laugh loudly)
th [th] (aspirated) thavha (mountain)
t [t’ ] u tafuna (to chew) - dental t.
g [g] u goga (become lean)
k [k’] kokodza (to pull)
23
 kh [kh] (aspirated) khuhu (fowl)
f [f] u fa (to die)
fh [ø] u fha (to give)
v [v] u vala (to close)
vh [ß] u vhala (to read, count)
s [s] u sala (to remain)
z [z] u zazamela (to itch, burn)
sh [ƒ] u shavha (to flee)
zh [ʄ ] u zhaka (to trample)
sw [ʃw] u swika (to arrive)
zw [ʄw] u zwifha (to tell lies)
x [x] u xa (to dry up)
h [h] u hana (to refuse)
hw [‘ w] u rahwa (to be kicked)
r [r] u ruma (to send)
l [l] u la (to eat) - dental l.
l [l ] (dental) u lala (to lie down)
m [m] u mama (to suck)
mm [mh] o mmbikela(she cooked for me)
n [n] u nona (to be fat)
nn [nh] nndwa (war)
n [ɲ ] u nama (meat) – dental n.
Nn [ɲɡ] onndu (hut/house)
ny [ɲ ] vhunyunyu (mosquitoes)
nny [nɲ ] o nnyimbela (he sang for me)
ng [ɳ ] nngu (sheep)
w [w] u wa (to fall)
y [j] u ya (to go)

e. Afrikaans

Vowels

Spelling Example Spelling Example

a [a] kat aa/a [a:] vader/maan

e/ee [e] predikant/been ee [e:] vee
eë [eə] reën ae [a ] waens
e [ɛ] vet ê [ɛ:] sê
e [ i] bedjie e/ê [æ]/[æ:] werk/skêr
i/e [ə] begin i/ie [i] lied/ basilika
ie [i:] mier ei/y [əi] reis/ys
o/oo [o] bote/noot o/oo [o:] bo/voor
oë [uə] oë oei [ui] koei
ou [œu] trou ui [œy] lui
ooi [oi] mooi oi [ɔi] toiings
o [ɔ] kom ô [ɔ:] môre
eu [ø] neus eu [ø:] treurig
u [ɶ] stuk û [ɶ:] brûe
oe [u] soet oe [u:] loer
u/uu [y] brute/minuut uu [y:] uur

Consonants
Spelling Example Spelling Example
24
 b/bb [b] baba/robbe b [p] rob
d/dd [d] dam/beddens d [t] bad
f/ff [f] fiets/effens g [ç] gee
g [x] gaan ch [x] chaos
g [dz] gentleman g/gh [g] berge/gholf
h [h] hulle j [j] julle
k/kk [k] koop/lekker k [ç] kies/bietjie
l/ll [l] laat/julle m/mm [m] mamma
n/nn [n] nag/panne n/ng [ɲ ] lank,sing
n [ɳ ] handjie n [ñ] mens
p/pp [p] pop/poppe r/rr [r] rook/karre
s/ss [s] sag/visse sj [ʃ ] sjokolade
t/tt [t] tafel/letter tj [t ] tjek
ts [ts] tsetse v [f] vra
w [v] wag w [w] kwart
z [z] zulu x [ks] oxo

f. English
See Toponymic Guidelines for the United Kingdom. Pronunciation of British English may
however differ from general South African English although it may not be reflected in the
spelling.

g. Khoe and Bushman languages

The languages are characterized by suction consonants or ‘clicks’ which are, or may be,
semantically determinative. They are the dental click, represented in writing by the symbol /,
the palatal click =/, the lateral click //, and the cerebral click, represented by ! as seen on the
country’s national emblem: !KE E: /XARRA //KE (‘diversity in unity’). In place names these
suction consonants are generally omitted. Thus for /Ae//gams the form Aegams is written, yet
for Gariep the form !Xhariep is also written for the new name of the dam or Municipality.

h.Other languages
For the pronunciation of Dutch, Portuguese and German geographical names, see Toponymic
Guidelines for The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, always taking into account (a) above.

3. LINGUISTIC SUBSTRATA IN SOUTH AFRICAN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES

Geographical names in South Africa are mainly of African, Bushman, Khoe, Afrikaans,
English and other European (e.g. Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and
others) origin, or have their origin in these languages. The linguistic substrata peculiar to each
of these languages will ipso facto feature in these place names. This will also apply to
25
 elements from these languages occurring in hybrid place names in which elements from
different languages present. Then there are etymological (or folk etymological) adaptations
which seem on the surface to be, for example, isiZulu, English or Afrikaans names, but which
are, or were, Bushman, Khoe, etc., for example uMzinyati, Mangaung, Blood
River/Bloedrivier, Goodhouse, Koppies, Koringhuis. Certain names of which the lexical
meaning is not immediately evident, e.g. The Coombs, Illovo, Clocolan also reveal Bushman,
Khoe or African language substructures when researched. By and large the linguistic
substrata can readily be discerned in geographical names which have become adapted into
English or Afrikaans from the indigenous languages, e.g. Abbabis, GaMarota, eHlobane,
Kraggakamma, and the like. Less readily discernible is the Khoe and Bushman substratum in
names adapted into, for example, Xhosa, e.g. Bulura, Qora; and isiZulu names. (Cf. Raper
2011, 2012 in Chapter 6).

4. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIALECT(S) AND STANDARD LANGUAGE(S)

4.1 Peculiarities of dialect in different languages

The dialects of each language spoken in South Africa are seen as the rightful home language
(mother tongue) of their users. Technically the standard form of any language is but one of
the variations with a specific function, usually for official correspondence. The social reality is
that all the languages in South Africa have more than one dialect spoken in different parts of
the country which reflects the inherent diversity of the population. Sesotho sa Leboa, for
instance has at least 15 dialects spoken in Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Dialects will
inevitably be reflected in names, therefore Recommendation B(a)(1) in the United Nations
Document on Geographical Names (1996) states that :”The field and office research be as
complete as possible in order to provide information on 1. The written and spoken form of the
name and its meaning according to local inhabitants” and 2.”The spelling of geographical
names be as much as possible in accordance with the current orthographic practice of the
country concernerd with due regard to dialect forms ..” Where a geographical name has been
given by local people using a dialect, and this name became common usage, the name is
acknowledged, i.e. Letaba < Sesotho sa Leboa le thaba , dialectical for le hlaba (‘sandy
river’). In the same way Mulalani was derived from a Sotho dialect referring to ‘place of small
palm trees’ and Kaditswene, a name that represents part of the oldest recorded vocabulary in
the Sehurutshe dialect of Setswana. Although guidelines for standardisation take the rules for
the standard variety of each language into account, established names derived from dialects
should be approved if the local speakers prefer it in that form.

4.2 Arial distribution of languages within South Africa

(To be inserted)

5. NAMES AUTHORITIES AND NAMES STANDARDISATION

5.1 The South African Geographical Names Council

The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names (UNGEGN) was established
xxvi
 for the international standardisation of place names. Recognising that national
standardisation is a basic prerequisite for international standardisation, and that each
country has the sovereign right to decide on names and written forms for its features,
United Nations Resolutions recommend that each country should have a national
geographical names authority to standardise names.
South Africa has had such an authority since 1939, first known as the National Place
Names Committee (NPNC). However, the NPNC has previously had too narrow a
mandate, excluding, for example the names of topographical features. New names were
sometimes given and existing names changed without consultation with the NPNC. A
Working Forum on Geographical Names was accordingly established to advise the
Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology on the reconstitution of the NPNC in
accordance with the recommendations of the White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage,
and according to international standards”. (Report of the South African Geographical
Names Commission).
The recommendations of the new commission to the Minister included that the name
should be The South African Geographical Names Council with the responsibilities as
indicated in the Council’s Handbook on Geographical Names based on international
guidelines as suggested by UNGEGN. This Handbook covers the following:
What are geographical names?
What is the South African Geographical Names Council (SAGNC)?
What does the SAGNC do?
What geographical names are covered by the SAGNC?
What geographical names fall outside the jurisdiction of the SAGNC?
Provincial Geographical Names Committees (PGNCs)
Functions of a PGNC
Why geographical names should be standardised?
Policies for standardisation
Principles for geographical names in South Africa
Recognition of names not previously approved
Grounds, procedures, considerations and categories for changing geographical
names
Application for approval of a geographical name

5.2 Provincial Names Committees

Each of the nine provinces in South Africa should have a Geographical Names Committee
whose main purpose is to standardise existing names and propose new names in the
place of names that are perceived as abusive or do not comply with the rules set out in the
Handbook for South African Geographical Names. Procedures are in place by which such
proposals are to be handled in a democratic manner. These proposals are then sent to the
SAGNC on a specific proposal form for further consideration.

5.3 Urban Advisory Committees on Street and Place Names

An Urban Advisory Committee on Street and Place Names is recommended for
municipalities, comprising experts in all official languages of South Africa and in local
history, as well as a representative with Onomastic research experience and city
councillors. Its function is to consider proposed names for suburbs, streets and parks of a
metropole/city/town, and to advise the City Council on these names. A name-bank from
27
 which names may be drawn when required could be established.

6. SOURCE MATERIAL

1. TOPONYMIC GUIDELINES FOR MAP AND OTHER EDITORS (Third edition)

The third edition contains an extensive list of sources used for its compilation. Based on
this information, the present edition is an adaptation to comply with the demands for a
multicultural language policy. Sources used in the previous edition are:

1.1 (a)Maps

South Africa 1:50 000, 1 920 sheets, 1967-1988.

South Africa 1:250 000 Topo-cadastral edition, 70 sheets, 1970-1988.
South Africa 1:250 000 Topographical edition, 70 sheets, 1970-1988.
Southern Africa 1:500 000 Administrative edition, 23 sheets, 1977-1986.
Southern Africa 1:500 000 Aeronautical edition, 23 sheets, 1977-1986.
Southern Africa 1:500 000 Topographical edition, 23 sheets, 1977-1986.
World Aeronautical Chart ICAO 1:1 000 000 (Southern Africa), 16 sheets, 1972-1990.
Note: All of the above map series are published by the Chief Director of Surveys and Land
Information, Mowbray.

1.1(b) Gazetteers

1.1.1 Official

(a) National Place Names Committee, comp. 1991. Official Place Names in the Republic
of South Africa (Approved 1978-1988). Pretoria: Government Printer. As the title
states, this publication contains names of “official” places, i.e. names of cities, town,
townships, post offices, railway stations, and stopping-places of buses of the South
African Transport Services (now Transnet), some 1 700 in all. An introduction of 11
pages outlines the procedures followed by the NPNC when considering proposed
names, as well as general suggestions and guidelines for the spelling and styling of
names from the various languages from which the names are derived.

(b) Onomastic Research Centre, comp. 1976. Place Names in the Cape Province and
South West Africa. Pretoria: Human Sciences Research Council. Comprizing some
30 000 entries, this computerized gazetteer was compiled for the Cape Province
from the Topo-cadastral series 1:250 000 (Pretoria: Government Printer, 1954-1975.

(c) Place Names Committee comp. 1978 Official Place Names in the Republic of South
Africa and in South-West Africa. Pretoria: Government Printer. This publication
contains an alphabetical list of all “official” place names (cf. par. (a) above) approved
to 1 April 1977, some 18 500 entries. An indication is given of the location of each
28
 named entity in terms of province, the route on which it is situated, or the centre
under which it falls, as relevant, and the feature type to which the name refers. An
introduction of 121 pages, in Afrikaans and English, is devoted to principles
governing the approval or rejection of names, guidelines on the spelling and styling
of names in Afrikaans, English, Bushman, Khoe and the indigenous African
languages, and to historical aspects of the National Place Names Committee.

(d) Raper, P.E. ed. 1991. Concise Gazetteer of South Africa. Pretoria: Onomastic
Research Centre. Compiled in accordance with Recommendation E of Resolution 4
of the First United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical
Names, this gazetteer contains some 5 636 entries. It is based on the 1:1 000 000
scale aeronautical charts and other sources, with relevant data as stipulated in
Resolution 4E of the First UN Conference. Besides the standardized geographical
name, each entry gives an indication of the type of feature, its location in terms of
degrees and minutes, district and province, and its status (official or unofficial).
Where relevant, official and unofficial variants have been added, as well as names
and data from other sources. With a view to a second, expanded edition, the names
are being updated in accordance with the latest orthographic rules applicable to the
various languages from which they are derived.

1.2.2 Private
(a) Skead, C.J. 1973. Zoo-Historical Gazetteer. Grahamstown: Cape Provincial
Museums. Published as Volume 10 of the Annals of the Cape Provincial Museums,
this gazetteer contains a list of some 11 000 place names with alternative (historical)
names for the place or entity concerned. The location of each feature is given in
terms of degrees and minutes.

(b) Leistner, O.A. & Morris, J.W. 1976. Southern African Place Names. Grahamstown:
Cape Provincial Museums. Published as Volume 12 of the Annals of the Cape
Provincial Museums, this gazetteer contains some 42 000 geographical names taken
from maps, other gazetteers, lists of farms and of post offices, and other sources.
The location of each feature is given in terms of one sixteenth of a degree square
(e.g. 22 19 AC), magisterial district, and province.

(c) Rousseau, W.L. 1975. Suid-Afrikaanse Pleknaamleksikon. Cape Town: Kennis-

uitgewers. This ‘lexicon’ of geographical names, in Afrikaans, is contained in the
same volume as the index to a children’s encyclopaedia entitled Kennis
(‘knowledge’). It comprises about 130 pages (triple column), some 11 000 entries,
and gives the location of each place in terms of province, grid reference (e.g. K-6, L-
3, etc.), and description (e.g. ‘west of Springs’, ‘at Germiston’).

(d)Nienaber, G.S. and Raper, P.E. Toponymica Hottentotica, Vol. 3, Pretoria: HSRC
1980, pp. 71-122.

2. Other sources also used for the fourth edition

(a)Raper, P.E. et al 2014 Dictionary of Southern African Place Names. This publication
contains more than 6000 entries, including names of major features in neighbouring
countries like Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland, with information dating from
the year 1486 where applicable. Cognisance has been taken of resolutions of the
29
 United Nations and each entry complies with the minimum requirements recommended.
In all entries the feature type is indicated, as well the location of the named entity in
terms of the sixteenth of a degree square in which it is situated, as well as province, and
distance and direction from one or more other features. The scope and intention of this
publication are wider than those of a traditional gazetteer, for it also contains
information on the origin and meaning of the names, some local historical data, an
indication of the language(s) from which the name is derived, and so forth.

2010 “Translations as key to the meanings of Khoisan hydronyms”in LANGUAGE

MATTERS Vol 41(1) July 2010.

2011 “Interpretations and translations of Bushman (San) place-names” in ACTA

VARIA 2011 (2) .

2012 “Bushman (San) influence on Zulu place names” in ACTA ACADEMICA

Supplementum 2012 (2).

(b) Department of Arts and Culture APPROVED NAMES until 2000, www.dac.co.za
(c) PANSALB Booklets on language rules for the official languages of South Africa.

7. GLOSSARY OF WORDS FREQUENTLY OCCURRING IN GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES AS

DESCRIPTIVE TERMS, AS SPECIFIC ELEMENTS OR GENERIC TERMS, AND WHICH
ARE USEFUL FOR THE UNDERSTANDING OF MAPS

7.1 KHOE and BUSHMAN(San) languages

KHOE: With the exception of Nama and Damara (both spoken in Namibia and the
Northern Cape), the Khoe languages have mostly become extinct within the Republic of
South Africa as spoken languages but are being revived by the descendants of the Khoe
and Bushman cultural organisations. In place names the suction consonants typical of
these languages are generally omitted. Thus for /Ae//gams the form Aegams is written. In
appellatives, epithets and other words, these suction consonants are indicated. In the
following lists, the suction consonants are given where relevant, for it is from these
appellatives etc. from which place names are derived.
Although some of these elements are not in line with the modern orthography (of Nama for
instance) they are listed here because that is how they are encountered in place names.
Only the most frequent elements are listed. For a more comprehensive listing see the
Source Material in Chapter 6 of this document.

In common with other substantives, place names in Khoe generally end in -b (masculine)
or -s (feminine). These endings are not reflected in the following lists of generic terms.
Here again the elements are sometimes given as they occur in place names, and
consequently they do not always comply with the modern orthography. The click or suction
consonants: /, //, =/ and !, are integral element of words or morphemes and, although
omitted from place names when these are written, they are or may be semantically
determinative. The following lists should, therefore, correctly be systematized under each
xxx
of these consonants. However, in view of the use for which they are intended, and the fact
that the users may not be au fait with the Khoe languages, and since these consonants are
not reflected in place names and one would not know under which consonant to seek the
element, the listing is alphabetical according to the letter following the suction consonant.
Thus a, /a, //a, =a
/ and !a would all be listed under a.
a (hole) /a (marsh, swamp) =/a (reed) !a(river)

am (mouth, fountain) !am (green) ami (ostrich) ani (bird)

/ara (gully) //ara (blunt) !are (hill, hillock) #are (grass

//ari (raisin bush) aru (Albizzia) /aru(dung) !ari (steenbok)

/asa (new) au (bitter) /au (fountain)

//au(fish) bi (milk) dai (milk) dana (head, hill)

dani(honey) dao (mountain

pass) dawe (Tamarix ) dom (throat, channel, furrow) ei (face, plain) //eixa

(angry) =ga
/ (flat, plain) !ga (poison) //gam (water)

!gam (deep) /gam (two) !gan (path, road) gama

(crooked)

#gama (brown) //gana(Acacia giraffae) ganna (Salsola) //gara

(quiver tree)

!gari (river) //garu (waterhole in rock) /garu (leopard) //gau (place,

settlement)

/gawa (hat, cliff) gaxu (long) gei (large) /gho (Acacia

hebeclada)

/gina (fly) /giri (jackal) =go

/ (peak) goba (speak, argue)

=goa
/ (mud) !goa (ravine) /goa (child) goma (cow,ox) /gowa (dune)

!gom (wild olive) !gou (transverse) gu (sheep) =gui

/ (nose,cliff) //ha (gorge,

ravine) #ha (flat plain) hai (tree) /hara (knoll) !hao (ledge, sill, bank)

!hara (kraal) /hara (breast) //haragu (korhaan) #hawa (broad, wide) /haru

(bulrush) hei (tree) /hei (grey) //hoa (cliff, hollow) #hoa

(blue) !hoa (crooked) !homi (mountain) /horo (neck) !hu (earth,

ground, land) /huni (Boscia tree) !huni (yellow) !kae (dark) kamma (water, river)

/kama (hartebeest) /kara (gully) //khae (sand) #khari (small) !kho

(lime, limestone) /khom (stone) //khu (thorn) !khoro (limestone) #khoa

31
 (elephant) /kuru (sour) !khuwi(marsh,swamp) //kara(gravel) koe

(hill, mountain) =kuru

/ (watervein) kuwi (marsh, swamp) mû (eye, spring)

//na (horn) !na (stomach, plain) !naba(rhinoceros) !nae (giraffe)

!naru (ebony) !nau (ochre) !nawa (rhinoceros) !nani (ridge, edge) =nari
/

(island) /near (baboon) //noa (hollow) !noa (porcupine) !nom (head,

hill) !noro (hind-head, hill) !nu (far, distant) !noma (fig) #nu (black)

/o (stinking)

#o ( narrow) ob (river) om (house) /ori (iron) /oro (old)

ro (round hill) sam (breast) sana (mole) su (pot, depression) toro (Karoo

ground) tsau (well) tsawi (ebony(Euclea pseudebenus) /ui (rock, stone,

mountain) /u(salt) !uri (white) !unia

(palmtree)

xora (waterhole dug in sand) xam (lion) xau (excrement) xanu (drift, ford)

BUSHMAN: The following information was kindly provided by Prof. Peter Raper for a
clearer understanding of the complexity of research into the origin of South African
geographical names. Names with a Bushman heritage are tested against words from
the different Bushman languages. Raper (2011) states that due to the fact that the
Bushman inhabited all parts of southern Africa, names from Bushman languages
have to be assumed in all languages everywhere in the region where language
contact was possible. Adaptations in African languages have clicks as well as click
replacements and sound shifts according to the phonological and orthographical
systems of the various languages, for instance Zulu (Cf. Raper 2011,2012).

Dorothea F Bleek (Comparative vocabularies of Bushman languages, 1929 and A Bushman

dictionary, 1956) classified the Bushman peoples and their languages into three groups, the
Southern, Northern and Central Groups, and allocated symbols to them, e.g. S1, S2, S3, N1,
N2, N3, C1, C2.
The names of the languages are the following:
(S1): /Xam (S5): Sesarwa (N3): !O !kuƞ
(S2): //Ƞ !ke (S6): /Nu //en (C1): Hie
(S3): Batwa, //Xegwi (N1): Auen, //K’au //en (C2): Naron, //Aikwe
(S4): /Auni (N2): Kung, !Kũ, !Kuƞ (C3): Hadza
(S4b): Ki/hazi

The Bushman languages are characterized by suction consonants or ‘clicks’. These are
/, the dental or alveolar fricative click;
//, the retroflex fricative click, or lateral click;
!, the cerebral or retroflex plosive click,
≠, the palatal or palato-alveolar click;
ʘ, the lip click, also called the labial and bilabial click

32
!!, the retroflex click, between the palate-alveolar and lateral click.

The symbol ̅ is used to indicate a high tone; the symbol _ is used to indicate a low tone;
the colon : after a vowel indicates that the vowel is a long vowel.
ʌ is pronounced like the ‘u’ in the English word “bun”.
k’ indicates that the velar ‘k’ is pronounced with glottal closure.
k” indicates that the velar ‘k’ is pronounced with strong glottal closure.
y is pronounced as ‘u’ in the French word “du”.

GENERIC TERMS Hill (C1) !goa

Bank (S1) _/kao (C2) !nauʃa, !gabiʃa
(N3) !ku (S2) /nau Neck
Bush, Tree (S5) !gͻm (S1) !xã:
/Xam (S1) ʘho: (N1) ̅!nͻ: Pan
(N3) ̅!ni
(S2) ʘbo: (S4) !howa
(C1) tʃou /kwa (S5) lu ̅ bu, lebala
(S4) ʘbwa, ʘmwa Pass
(C2) !noáʃa
(S5) ʘmse: (C1) !kuu
(C3) han !a, //a, !a
(S6) ʘpwoi-ma Hole (in ground) Pit, well
(N1) !gãi tse ̅a (S1) !kwe!kwe (S1) xwara
(S2) xora, //karu
(N2) ̅!kaƞ (S3) ku:mi
(S5) //kana
(N3) !gãu, gãu, !ʔo (S4) //kʔe: (C1) džinaa
(C1) hie /kwa (S5) džu
(S6) žo:e (C2) tʃauba
(C2) hi:ʃa (N1) _dum Pond, pool
Cave (N2) !koro (S1) ≠kauru
(S1) !kau-ka //neiƞ (N3) ts’i: (S2) //kwe:ʃ
(S6) žo:e (C1) kooje (S3) kha:
(C2) //eiʃa (S5) !nau, lu ̅ bu
Cliff (C2) _aiʃa, _dum (N1) //naƞ
(S1) ≠k’aurukǝn Kloof (C1) jiba
(C1) koro (S1) /ara (C2) !kubiʃa
Flat, plateau Lake Porcupine
(S1) swa:, ts’wa: (C1) džiba (S1) !xõ:
(S2) tã:, /k’ã Lizard (S2) /kwi:
(C1) borot’e (S1) !kha ̅ u (S4) /ũ
(C2) /ka:ba (N1) tsaĩ, !khau (N1) !u:m, !noi
Mist (N2) ̅ //um
(S1) /khum, /kum (N3) !õ
Gorge Mole (C1) gwee
(S1) !kãuã (S1) //khũ, //hũ (C2) ≠nwe:ba
Ground Mountain Ravine
(S1) !ãu (S1) !kau, !kou (S1) /ara
(S2) !ãu (S2) ̅!kau Ridge
(N1) k”a (S5) /num (S2) ≠kã:
(N2) k”a (S6) !nau, !gum River
(N3) k”a (N1) !num, ̅!no: (S1) /k’a
(N2) !num (S2) /k’ĕi
(C2) xumʃa

33
(S5) !na:̅u (N1) !num (S2) !kha:
(S6) !nau (N2) !num (S2d) kho
(N1) ≠ka: (N3) !num (S3) //kha:, ʃa:
(N2) ̅ kã, //xum (C1) //gwa (S4) //kha
(N3) !kai, kai (C1b) ‘goa (S5) ̅ !kha:
(C1) kwe (C2) //nͻ̃a:ba, ≠gnoa (S6) !kha:
Riverbed, dry (C3) //a
(N1) ̅ !gu:
(S1) !kyri, !kwiri Stream
(N2) ̅ //gu:
(S6) dum (S1) ̅/i:
(N3) ̅ //gu:
(N1) _dum Valley
(C1) tsaa
(N2) //kͻ//kͻnu (S1) ̅/ko:
(C2) _dumba (S2) ̅!kã:, !nõ, ≠e ̅ ru (C2) tʃaʃa
Spring (fountain) (S6) /kau Waterfall
(N1) !kube, _tsa !ni: (N2) //kub ̅ bu
(S1) !khwa:tsʌxau
(N3) _!gai, !kai Waterhole
(S2) _/kan /karuke
(C1) hore (S1) xwara, ≠hauru
(S6) !kha≠ɯ̃ (C2) !xubisa (S2) _!kha: xǝra:
(N1) ≠ha Veld (S3) //a
(C2) /goãsa (S1) !kauxu (S5) !na ̅ u, //gãna
Stone (S2) !kã, !ãu tsĩ (N1) k’oã, //xwe
(S1) !kau, !kou, //o:e (S3) /kama (N2) sisi
(S2) ̅!kau, !kn !néï (N1) _!kai (C1) hwere, džinaa
(S3) že, žu: (C1) kaoo Well
(S4) //k’ͻ (C2) ≠ka: (S3) //’a
(S4b) _!oe Water (N1) ≠ha
(S5) /nyle (S1) !khwa:, !kwa
(S6) !um, ≠ͻje

SPECIFIC TERMS Bare (S6) !xai, ̅ //karri, ̅ //kare

Ants (S1) ̅ ≠ka: (N1) !na:, !nwi;, !a:m, /kã
(C1) simesime (N1) ̅ /kau (N2) /ne ̅ //a
Antbear (N2) /ʌhá: (N3) ̅ //ne//ne, //ka//ka
(S2) ̅ //k’wa: Beautiful (C1) !kxowe, //koo
(S4) si k’ai (S1) a:kn (C2) ̅ kei
(S6) //go:de Bitter
(N1) ̅ /gãi (S2) _/kaukǝ
(S1) //k’aowa, /u:
(C1) go (S5) gakǝ, !xe: Black
(C2) !go:ba (S1) /hoa:ka
Baboon (S6) !kãƞ, //xai (S2) /gͻ:, !kwe:
(S1) /hu/hu, //xetten (N1) ̅ /m (S5) /k’a:, dani
(S2) /hu, //hũ //ka (S6) ≠kana
(N3) ̅ //hm
(S4) //nwaaƞ, /nera (C1) kaa, kaika, twenje (N1) ̅ žͻ:
(S5) /ammi, ≠habi, /ami (C2) tõë, /u:i (N2) ̅ džͻ:
(S6) /ka_/ka, /gori Big (N3) _džͻ:
(N1) _//kei, _//gora (S1) !keri, !kui:ja
(N2) //ke (S2) !go: (C1) džunje
(C1) džwere, džwene, (S3) /a: (C2) ≠nu:
jwene (S4) !kã Blue, pale
(C2) /goraba (S5) _!xai (S1) /kainja

34
(S2) /k’i: (C2) //kamaba (S1) !kou ̅ !kou
(S5) xwi: Chalk Dry
(S6) //gai (C1) hwe !gwa, džuawe (S1) k”orokn, //ko:wa
(N1) _!kãu, /gãu (C2a) ≠a (S2) k”o
(N2) /kaƞ Cold (N2) tʃa, ≠khu, ̅ ku
(N3) /gã (S1) _k”ao, tã, serriten (C1) /ko
(C1) kwe:ba (S2) kiaƞ, /hu:, sĩja (C2) /o:
(C2) tʃã (S3) !xoa Eland
Blue, dark (S4) //xau (S1) s’a
(S1) /hoa:ka (S5) //k’we:, /ka (S2) sa:
(S2) ̅ /xau (S6) //kãu (S4) !kã
(S6) /gwi/gwi (N1) ≠xi: (S5) dũ
(N2) ≠karau (S6) !gum
(N1) ̅ žͻ:
(N2) ̅ žͻ:
(N3) /k’au, /k’kxau (N1) ̅ !ni:
(C1) /guruwa
(N3) _džͻ: (N2) //niƞ !!na
(C2) ≠xei
Brackish (N3) ̅//ni:
Crooked
(S1) /u: (C1) du
(N1) ≠k’ ̅ o
Break (C2) _du:ba
(C1) //gaihe, //gaiehe
(S1) ̅ /k”abbu, k”abbu, Elephant
Crow, black
xubbu (S1) ≠xoä
(S1) _//ho ̅ e, !gauru, ̅ (S2) /xwa
Bright
xuru (S6) ≠xabe
(S1) ≠xi:, ≠ka:
(S2) //gwa; (N1) !xo:
(S2) /kãi
(S6) _oä (N2) !xo
(S5) //ki:
(N2) !kwara
(N2) ≠k’i: (N3) !xo:
(N3) _!nwala
Broad (C1) tʃowa
(C1) kola kola
(S1) kͻri:a
̃ (C2) ≠koäba
Crow, pied
(N2) //xai (C3) be//k”au
(S1) _!k’agn
(C1) kam ≠kowe Fire
(S6) /kanabe
(C3) ≠kaija (S1) /i
(N1) !ka
Brown (S2) /i
(C1) !kahabe
(S1) !keija (S3) /i:
Dark
(S2) hǝré: (S1) _!ho (S4) /i
(S5) xwi: (S1) _!ho (S5) /a:
(S6) ≠nǝ_a: (N1) ̅ žo: (S6) /ã:
(N1) ≠gau (N2) ̅ žo (N1) _da:a
(N3) //gãu (N3) _džo (N2) daá
(C1) tokwa (C1) džunje (N3) _da:a
(C2) _/nwa (C2) _gai (C1) /tee
Calabash (C3) ʃai (C2) /e:ʃa
(C1) guju Flat
(N3) tʃikovi Deep (S1) botǝnbotǝn
Camelthorn tree (S1) ̅ !kõuwã (S2) /k’ã
(S2) ̅ !ku:, //kana (S5) /khe (C1) tari
(S4) //k’a (C2) /nu:a
(N2) ≠gaáƞ
(S5) ̅ //ka: (C1) oe Fowl
(S6) ̅ //ka: (C2) !nu:, !gam
(S1) kukuru
(N1) ≠ai Double (N1) huƞkeri

35
(C2) huƞkǝriƞ (S4) ̅ usi, ̅ uʃi (S2) !ne, !na
Fresh (N1) ̅ !ko (S5) _//ka:
(N1) dau (N2) ≠xã (S6) !xaija
Giraffe (C1) njim (N1) !naa
(S1) !nu:ï Hippopotamus (N2) //noa, /ne ̅ //a
(S5) xuä, //kõ (S1) ̅ /ga: (N3) //na:a
(N1) ≠koä, !nabe (S2) //k’wa: (C1) ≠khau
(N2) ≠koá (N1) !kau (C2) //kuƞ
(C1) gabee (N2) !kao Lime
(C2) !nabe (N3) ̅ !xai, nguvu Lion
(C1) kubu (S1) _//khã
Glitter (C2) kore (S2) !ͻhe:kia
(C2) ≠ga (C2b) hau (S3) _/kai
Green Hot (S4) _ka:i
(S1) /kainja, kǝruwa (S1) tã /i (S6) xam
(S2) /kxre, /karowa (S2) //ko:_na (N1) _!nai, xam
(S5) _/gai (S4) /kʌm (N2) ̅ !ne, xam
(S6) ≠kaba, bana (N3) _nai, _nei
(S5) ʃiʘwi (C1) kxam, ho:m
(N1) /kãu, /noussi
(S6) //u: (C2) xamba
(N2) /kaƞ, ̅ ≠ke (N1) ̅ kwi (C2b) hum, hom
(N3) /kãƞ (N2) ̅ kwi Little
(C1) tʃabe, barat’i (N3) ̅ khwi (S1) ≠eni, -ʘpwa
(C1) ≠kee
(C2) tʃã, !ʌm (C2) kuru (S2) ≠ẽ, -ʘpwa
(C3) tikitʃi Jackal (Canis (S3) ʘpa:ri
Grey mesomelas)
(S5) //ʌni,
(S1) ̅ !kue:tǝn (S1) koro (S6) /e:
(S2b) ̅ !khain (S2) _ko ̅ ro
(N1) –tʃe, -tse, -ma
(N1) _žo: (S2d) tʃekasa (N2) tsema, -ma
(N2) /nau (S4) ʘpo sa (N3) dze, dzema
(C1) kwebu (C1) haini
Hard (S5) !gauʃi
(S6) /go:xu (C2) /k’ari, -/kwa
(S1) /yri:ja, //kwĩ Long
(N1) /goru (N1) !gwa /na:
(N2) /kara (S1) !xo:wa
(N2) !kaƞ (N3) po (S2) /a:
Hartebeest (C1) n!gaa (S4) xaras
(S1) !k’wa (C2) /geriba (S5) ̅ !kum
(S2) !ga: Jackal, silver (Vulpes (N1) !gẽ
(S4) !k’e chama) (N3) ≠gana
(S5) _!nae (C2) ̅ kei
(S6) !nai (S1) !gwi:tǝn
Mussel
(N1) _džo: (S6) //nautʃa (C1) lamba
(N2) /ku (N1) !u:, //nwoi Nice
(N3) /kokwe (N3) //ai
(S1) a:kǝn, twai-i
(C1) //kama (C1) /gire
(S2) _/kau, tsai:
(C2) //kamaba (C2) _//a:ba
(S3) /keo
High Large
(S1) !xo:wa (S1) !keri, !kui:ja (S5) ̅ ʘp’um

36
(N1) tãi, ̅ /m (N1) !õa, _kai (S6) //ʌnte
(N2) dža, ža (N2) !kara (vegetable), ka (N1) !nwa:, //ẽ //o
(C1) kaa, kaie ̅ i (beetles) (N2) //noa, //kao
(C2) tõi, _kare (N3) /noxu, _≠ka:la (N3) !kai ̅ !’a
Old (C1) kiki kakxo (C1) džuu, saka
(S1) !kǝri (C2) tãnxu, !gaixa, ≠no: (C2) ≠a:ba, //k’õ:ba
(C3) k”ada Rhinoceros bicornis
(S2) !naiƞ Porcupine
(S3) //xeo (S1) !xo: (S1) //xoa:kǝn
(N1) !na:, _/ga (S2) /kwi: (S5) dju:
(N2) ≠ga:, //ga: (S4) /ũ (N1) /xi:
(N3) /ga, //ga:a, //na:a (S4b) /õ (N2) ̅ /khi:
(C1) kaide, //gao (N1) !u:m, !noi (N3) ̅ //xei
(C2) ̅ kei, xai (N2) ̅ //um (C1) kxii
Ostrich (N3) !kõ Rhinoceros simus
(S1) to:i, k’ani (C1) gwee (S5) !goba
(S2) kwe (C1a) umkwe, ≠nwe:ba (N1) !naba
(S4) ko: (C2) ≠nwe:ba (N2) !naba
(S5) //gwe: (C1) gaba
(S6) koi Pretty (C2) !naba
(N1) _!go: (S1) a:kn Rock Rabbit
(N2) ̅ !kui, ≠kam, ≠gam, ̅ (C1) pela
n’am (S2) _/kaukǝ Rooibok
(N3) _!goe (S5) gakǝ, !xe: (C2b) pala, gala
(C1) !gano, /garo (S6) !kãƞ, //xai Round
(C2) /garoba (N1) ̅ /m (S1) _kͻrekͻre,
(C3) kenaƞgu (N3) ̅ //hm kwǝrekwǝre
Owl (C1) kaa, kaika, twenje (S2) kǝkeriƞ
(S1) !hũ!hũ (C2) tõë, /u:i (S5) ̅ /kha ki
(S2) !nõna Quagga (C1) _!guvu
(N2) !konuko ̅ !hu:ko (S1) //k’wi Salt
(C2) /kõʃa (N1) /gwe (S1) ̅≠ko:
(N2) ̅/kwe (S5) !xa:ne
(C2) bi:eba (S6) !nͻb
Ox Red (N1) dabe
(S1) xoro (S1) ̅ !ki: (N2) ̅gwi
(S2) xurumba (S2) xre: (N3) ̅ gwi
(S3) !khoa (S3) /kamse (C1) debe
(S4) gumi (S5) /kanja (C2) dabe
(S5) gume (S6) _/gane Sand
(S6) gume si !xadi (N1) !gã (S1) !kãu
(N1) gume (N2) !gã, !ga: (S5) //xu:m
(N2) gumi (N3) !gai (S6) ≠gum
(N3) _gumi (C1) taakue, /geje (N1) k”a
(C1) džube (C2) /nuo_a (N2) k”a
(C2) gwe:ba Reed (N3) k”a
Poison (S1) !nwa: (C1) hom
(S2) //xe: /ã
(S1) _!ga:okǝn, !gwe: (C2) xum-ʃa
(S3) ga:si
(S2) /xoa, /ha Sharp

37
(S1) ̅ tsi: (S2) !koeƞ (S2b) //araƞ
(S5) ʃi:, _taa (S3) !xo: (N1) ≠nwi
(N2) !ne, ≠nabe (S4) ≠kõ (N2) ≠nu ̅ e
(N3) _!ne (S5) /gai (C1) hi
(C1) haja (S6) /gi: (C2) k”ẽi
Sheep (N1) /ou, /hõ Warm
(S1) !gei (N2) /ou (S1) !ku:i
(S2) ≠ger ̅ u, teru (N3) ̅ /hum (S2) !kwona, hai-i
(S3) !xa: /i (C1) gaie (S3) kuruwa
(S5) gu:, ku: (C2) _!geiba, !giba, !gai (S5) ̅ ʘpwi, go:ba
(S6) //gwoi Steep (N1) ̅ kwi
(N1) gu: (S1) ≠khaĩ
(N2) gu: Strong (N2) ≠xaƞ
(N3) _gu: (S1) !na:, /gi: (N3) ̅ khwi
(C1) dʃu (S2) _!nai: (C1) tʃobehe
(C2) _gu:sa (C1) karie
(C2) kuruʃa
Shiny Sweet
White
(S1) t’wai:i
(S1) !gwa:i, /kai, /kãi, (S1) ̅ !kui:ta, /k’o:wa,
/kain, /kainja (S2) t’jaƞ
_//xaƞ//xaƞ
(S2) tabe (N1) t’õi
(S2) /o:wa
(C2) taba, tabi, tjaba (N2) ̅ taƞ (S4b) //na:
Small (C1) kaiho, eje (S5) ̅ //xwa
(S1) ≠ẽri, ts’ǝre (C2) _kare (S6) !kari
(S2) ʘpwoinki Thorn (N1) ̅ !kau
(S3) //kxeni (S1) //kẽin (N2) !k’ao
(S4) //nai (S2) //kẽi (N3) ̅ !kau
(S5) /gona (S2a) ̅ //kho:si (C1) hwehe
(S6) /kari, /ki: (S4) /xu: (C2) !u:
(N1) tse-ma, _!gͻ (S5) //kaba Yellow
(N2) tse-ma (S6) //kaba (S1) /kainja
(N3) tse-ma, !ko: (N1) ̅ !ku (S2) _/kala
(C1) dwee, //gom (N2) ̅ !ku (S6) !komi
(C2) /k’are, -/kwa (N3) !ku (N1) /gãu
Snake (C1) //kam
(N2) /kaƞ
(N1) ‘gai: (C2) //gama
Springbok Under (N3) /kaƞ
(S1) wa:i (C1) /a
(S1) !kuƞ
(S2) !gai (C2) /kore
(S2) !kãu
(S3) !kõa Zebra
(S5) !na:ma, ke
(S4) //kum (S6) ka (S1) ̅ dou, _/haba
(S5) //kwa: (N1) !kã!kã, !nu://ne: (S5) !ĩ:
(S6) /goa (S6) xa !ĩ
(N2) daƞ (N1) /gwe:
(N1) !kõ, !gub
(N3) /ko (N2) !kwore
(N2) //kha, ≠exa
(C1) kxumka (C1) koha
(C1) /kxaie
(C2) !o: ̅ kwe (C2) bi:eba
(C2) _!gaiba
Vulture
Steenbok
(S1) /kwi:
(S1) !koeƞ (S2) /kwi:

38
7.2 ENGLISH
See Toponymic Guidelines - United Kingdom. To this certain loanwords considered as
South African English can be added, for instance vlei, rand, kloof, spruit, kaya, safari, kraal
as well as the common names of indigenous fauna and flora.

7.3 AFRIKAANS

aar (underground appelkoos (apricot) bas (bark)

water course) arbeid (work)
bees (ox)
arend (eagle)armoed
aalwyn (aloe)
(poverty berg (mountain)
aan (at, on)
assegaai (assegaay) bitter (bitter)
aand (evening)
aap/apie (monkey as (ash) biesie (reed, bulrush)
/little monkey)
baai (bay) blik (tin)
aarde(earth)
baard (beard) blink (shiny)
aasvoël (vulture)
bad (bath, mineral bloed (blood)
agter (behind)
spring)
akker(field, acorn) blom (flower)
baken (beacon)
amandel (almond)
amper (nearly) bamboes (bamboo)
appel (apple)
bank (bank)
blou (blue) bul (bull) droog (dry)
blydskap (happiness) bult (hillock) duin (dune)
bo (upper) burger (citizen) duiwel (devil)
bobbejaan (baboon) dagbreek (daybreak) dwaal (roam)
boegoe (buchu,herb) dal (valley, dale) dwars (transverse)
boesman (bushman) dam (dam) eend (duck)
bok (buck) dassie (rock rabbit, een (one)
coney)
bont (pied, spotted) eerste (first)
deel (part, portion)
boom (tree) eiland (island)
derde (third)
bos (bush, wood, esel (ass, donkey)
thicket) die (the)
fort (stronghold)
botter (butter) diep (deep)
fontein (fountain)
brak(brackish, saline) dik (thick)
gans (goose)
brand (burn, fire) donker (dark)
gat (hole)
breë (broad, wide) doring (thorn)
geduld (patience)
bron (source) dorp (town)
geel (yellow)
bruin (brown) draai (bend, curve)
geluk (luck,
buffel (buffaloe) drie (three) happiness)
burg (castle, town) drif (ford) gemsbok (oryx)
39
genade (grace, grot (grotto, cave) hoek (corner)
mercy)
gruis (gravel) hof (court, garden)
gif (poison)
grys (grey) hol (hollow)
glad (smooth)
hartebees (Bubalis hoogte (heights)
goed (good) caama)
hoop (hope)
gras (grass) helder (clear, bright)
hoog (high)
groen (green) heuning (honey)
hout (wood)
groot (big, large) heuwel (hill)
huis (huis)
jag (hunt) kwagga (zebra) oord (resort)
jakkals (jackal) laagte/leegte (dip, olien (wild olive,
valley) Olea Africana)
kaal (bare, barren)
lang (long) olifant (elephant)
kaap (cape)
leeu (lion) onder (lower, under)
kabeljou (cob)
lekker (pleasant) ongeluk (misfortune)
kalk (lime)
lelie (lily) oorlog (war)
kameelperd (giraffe)
lemoen (orange) oos (east)
kamp (camp,
paddock) loerie (lourie) os (ox)
karee (Rhus lancea ou (old)
tree) loop (water course)
oranje (orange)
kasteel (castle) los (loose)
palmiet (Prionium
kannon (cannon) lughawe (airport) sp., reed)
matjies(reed mat, pampoen (pumpkin)
kom (basin, bowl) bulrush)
pan (pan)
kat (cat) meer (lake)
pas (mountain pass)
keurboom (Virgilia mond (mouth,
plaas (farm, place)
oroboides) estuary)
patrys (partridge)
klein (small) myn (mine)
perd (horse)
klip (stone) melk (milk)
plaat (stretch)
kloof (ravine) middle (middle)
plat (flat)
koedoe (kudu) modder (mud)
poel (pool)
kop/koppie moed (courage)
(hill/hillock) pos (post)
mooi (pretty)
koring (wheat) poort (opening,
nek (neck)
entrance)
kraai (crow)
neus (nose,
put (well)
kraal (village, corral) headland)
punt (point)
krans (cliff) nooit (never)
rif (ridge, reef)
kruin (summit, crest) noord (north)
rand (edge)
kuil (pool) nou (narrow)
rant (ridge)
krom (crooked) nuwe (new)
renoster (rhinoceros)
kruis (cross) oog (fountain)
40
 riet (reed) steil (steep) vier (four)
rivier (river) sterk (strong) vis (fish)
rond/e (round) stil (quiet) vlak (shallow)
rooi (red) storm (storm) vlakte (plain, flats)
rots (rock) stof (dust) vlei (marsh)
rug (ridge) strand (beach) voël (bird)
ruigte (thicket) stroom (stream) volstruis (ostrich)
rus (rest) stryd (struggle) voor (in front)
rif (ridge) suid (south) vrede (peace)
saai (sow) suikerbos (Protea vryheid (liberty)
mellifera)
seekoei (hippo) vye (fig)
suur (sour)
ses (six) vyf (five)
swart (black)
silwer (silver) waai (blow)
taaibos (Rhus spp.)
sewe (seven) wal (embankment)
tafel (table)
skaap (sheep) warm (hot)
tier (tiger)
skiet (shoot) water (water)
toring (tower)
skoon (clean) wel (well)
turf (peat)
skilpad (tortoise) waterfall (waterfall)
twee (two)
skurwe (rough) wei (graze)
twyfel (doubt,
slang (snake) wes (west)
uncertainty)
sloot (ditch, gulley) wild (wild)
tee (tea)
small (narrow) wildebeest (gnu)
uitkoms (deliverance)
sneeu (snow) wind (wind)
uitkyk (look-out)
soet (sweet) winter (winter)
uitsig (view)
sout (salty) wilger (willow)
uitspan (outspan)
son (sun) wit (white)
vaal (grey)
spioen(spy) wonder (wonder)
val (falls)
spits (pointed, peak) wolwe (wolf)
vallei (valley)
springbok(springbuck yster (iron)
vals (false)
spruit (creek, stream) ystervark
vark (pig)
(porcupine)
stasie (station)
veg (fight)
stad (city)
vet (fat)
steenbok (steenbok,
ver (far, distant)
ibex)

Examples:
dam (Gariepdam) rivier (Stormsrivier) park (Monumentpark)
41
 burg (Boksburg) rand (Unisarand) stad (Kaapstad)
ton (Standerton) ville (Nieuwoudtville) vliet (Sandvliet)
vue (Heldervue) dorp (Humansdorp) mond (Gouritsriviermond)
hoek (Franschoek) fontein (Bloemfontein) rus (Eersterus)
dal (Hoopdal) spruit (Nelspruit) kraal (Hammanskraal)
pan (Blinkpan) hoop (Delportshoop) sig (Amandasig)
bult (Amandelbult) hoogte (Diamanthoogte) nek (Mauersnek)
vlei (Bainsvlei) heuwel (Bontheuwel) hof (Dewetshof)
drif (Muldersdrif) laagte (Graslaagte) punt (Groenpunt)
fort (Brandfort) kloof (Diepkloof) poort (Derdepoort)
draai (Kromdraai) berg (Winterberg) kop (Verkykerskop)
bos (Baardskeerdersbos) kus (Suidkus) land (Riemland)
vlakte (Knersvlakte) eiland (Robbeneiland)

7.4 NGUNI languages

Nguni languages

The African languages are characterised by the use of imagery to refer to a topographical
feature, i.e. in isiZulu two hills near uLundi in KZN, positioned next to each other
resembling tiny breasts of a Zulu maiden (amabedlana) is called aMabedlana.
amabedlana(little breasts) amabele(breasts)

amadi(water) amanzi (water) amati (water)

amatshe (stones) amayiwa (hlonipha for stones)

banga (beer calabash with broad mouth, species of flat-topped tree (Albizzia gummifera)

bazo (axe) bele (breast)

bhembhedu (water tree(Anastrabe integerrima) bhuma ( bulrush (Prionium spp., Typha capensis)

bogodo, imbogodwe (grindstone) bhubesi (lion) bumba (clay, to form from clay)

buluIu (puff-adder) buzana (small goat) buzi (goat)

caba (flat area, cleared of bush) chibi (pan) chweba (lagune)

cibululwana (small puff-adder) chweba (lagune)

omba (sugar cane (Sorghum saccharatum) duli (anthill, hill, hillock)

duma (hillock) dumbe (edible tuber(Colocasia antiquorum)

dwala (large, flat rocks) fafa (driving mist, spray of waterfall)

fazi (woman) fene (baboon, monkey) fenjane (small baboon, monkey)

godi (hole, ravine, hollow, valley) gude ( wild banana (Strelitzia augusta)

xlii
gudu(herb(Hypoxislatifolia) hlaba (small aloe (Sonchus dregeanus)

hlabathi (soil, sand) hlahla (tree) hlanga ( reed(s)

hlathi (forest) hlawe (gravel) hlinza (to strip, to skin)

hohoba (gorge) hosha (gorge) gazi (blood)

gquma (dune, mound, hillock) gqunyana (hillock) juba (dove)

khanda (head) kawu (vervet monkey) khaya (home)

khaza (common red tick) khomazi (whale cow) khukhuze (tree (Cassine capensis)

lalazi (whetstone) lambo (river) langa (day, sun )

laza (whey) lotha (ash, ashes) manzi ( water )

mati (water) mazambane (potatoes) mbila (rock rabbit, coney)

mehlo (eyes) mfula (river) mkhondo (spoor, tracks)

mkhonto (spear, assegai) mlotha (ashes)

mpange (impange) forest tree (Olinea cymosa)

mphanga(umphanga) ferntree(Cycadaceae, Encephalartos altensteinii)

mpophoma (waterfall) mpofu (eland buck) mpukane (fly)

mpungushe (jackal) mthunzi (shade, shadows) mvula (rain)

muzi (home) ndawo (place, town, settlement) ndlela (road, path)

ndlovu ( elephant) ngwe (leopard) ngwenya(crocodile)

nja, (dog) nkangala (ridge) nkentshane (wild dog)

nkonjane (swallow) nkonyane (calf) nkosi (chief)

ntaba (mountain) ntenesha (red hare) ntombi (girl, maiden)

nyathi (buffalo) nyoka (snake) nyoni (bird)

nkunzi ( bull) phondo (horn) sangoma (healer)

sundu (date palm (Phoenix reclinata) tshe (stone tuba (a pass)

vubu (hippopotamus) zangoma (medicine man) zembe (axe)

zi /umzi/ mzi (kraal, village, home, town) zimbi (iron, iron ore)

In the Nguni languages the generic term usually precedes the specific. Specific
terms and other words occurring in geographical names are not always readily
recognizable as such, since they are subject to adaptation as required in different
syntactic contexts.
43
 Some geographical names derived from the Nguni languages are marked by initial
vowels, prefixes and suffixes. The most prevalent of these are:

Prefixes: Suffixes:

aba- -ana

ama- -ane

e- -eni

i- -ini

ka- -weni

ko- -wini

ku-
kwa-
o-
um-
umu-

Specific elements and descriptive terms:

amanzi (water)

baba (father)

bele (breast)

bila (to boil, stirring furiously)

bhula (sound of hitting/ thrashing)

bomvu (red, earth colour)

busa (to reign)

cwili (to sink away, dive)

daka (muddy, dirty)

deda (to make way for)

(i)dla (to eat, devour)

donsa (to pull, tear, drag)

duma (thundering, running engine)

fafaza (to spray)

fihla (to hide away, conceal)

44
fu (to strip)

geza (to wash)

ginga (to swallow)

goja (to swallow)

kude (distant, far away)

hlamba (to wash, washing)

hlanga (reed(s)

hlanganisa (to bring together, gathering) hlaza (blue, green)

hlaza (green grass/ herbage, freshness)

hlaza (edible tuber species (Plectranthus ulenthus)

hlaza (bush shrike (Laniarius spp.)

hlaza (rude, uncouth)
hle (good,nice,lovely,beautiful,pretty)
jabula (to rejoice, be happy)

khanya (to glow, clean)

khonjwa (to point, indicate)

kude (distant, far away

k(h)ulu (large, great)

kunetha (raining, where it rains)

kunuka (smelly, bad odour)

khwela (to climb, ascending)

lambo (river, water)

lola (to sharpen)

makhaza (cold, frost)

ne (four)

bili (two)

mhlophe (white)

mpunga (grey)

mnyama (black, darkness, unfathomable, deep)

mpofu (tawny, yellow, ochre)

45
 mpuphu (sandy)

mphuphu (finely ground like powder, phuma (to rise, to come out)

sand) shona (sinking, setting (of the sun)

mtoti (sweet, agreeable) tshaa/tshaza (spraying of mists)

ncane (small) tshezi (brick red, ground coloured)

ndlula (to pass, to go across to) thwala (to carry)

nyama (meat) vuka(to arise, awaken)

phamba (to catch, to puzzle)

7.5 SOTHO languages

Prefixes Suffixes

mo- ; ba-; ga- -ng

Specific elements and descriptive terms

-adima borrow

-akanya consider, guess, assess, wonder, reason

-ama involve, affect, touch

-amogela/amohela adopt, receive, accept, welcome, get

-araba answer, respond, echo

-atisa multiply, usually, often

baagi population

-badimo ancestral

batho people

-be bad, evil, mean

-bela boil, cook

bogale blade, bravery, sharp, rage

bogare middle. Centre

bogodimo height
46
-bolaya kill, slaughter, poison

-bolela talk. tell, say, allege, report

-bona see, find

borwa south

bosego/bosiu/bosigo night

botshabelo refuge

dikeledi tears

dikgomo/diruiwa cattle

-fetsa complete

gauta/gouta gold

-golo/-holo big, capital, chief, main, eldest, etc.

homotsa/gomotsa comfort

kabelo portion, tation, share, fate, offer

kamogelo/kamohelo welcome, reception, adoption

kgabo monkey, ape

kgaka guineafowl

kgobokana gather, congregate

kgosi king, chief

komelelo/komello drought

kopano meeting, congress, union, society

konyana/kwana lamb

(-)kota peg, log, stump

kubu hippopotomus

kwano/kutlwano harmony, agreement

kwena crocodile

lebaka cause, reason, occasion, turn

(-)leboa north

lefase/lefatshe earth, land, world

47
lefa inheritance

legongtshipi/lehongtshepe ironwood

lenong vulture

lepogo/lengau cheetah

leraga mud, sediment

lerato love, affection

leswika/letlapa stone

letsatsi sun, day

letsoku ochre

letsopa clay

letswai salt

mafolofolo diligence, enthusiasm

mafulo /makgulo pasture

mafura/makhura fat

makatso surprise

mantsiboa evening

marega/mariha/mariga winter

(-)maswabi sad, tragedy, disappointment

meetse/metsi water

mmogedi spectator

mmutla rabbit

moagi/moahi citizen, tenant, mason

moago building

Modimo God

modumo sound, thunder, roar

moduwane willow

moedi, moela valley, stream

mogoma plough

mohlape herd, flock, swarm

48
mohlodi source, flavour, taste

mokgopha aloe

molaetsa message

mollo/molelo fire

monate nice, sweet, pleasure

moswe/mosha meercat

motho person, individual

motse town, village, city

mouwane fog, mist, vapour

moya/mowa air, breath, soul, spirit, wind

mpho gift, donation, present, offer

naga/naha area, field, state, veld

nakedi skunk, polecat

naledi star, planet

nama meat, flesh

nawa bean

nku sheep

nkwe leopard

noga/noha snake

noka river

noko porcupine

nonyana/nonyane bird

ntshu/ntsu eagle

-nyane/nyenyane small, little, less, petty

pela dassie

-pele ahead, further, front, forward

-phala excel

-phaphathi flat, broad, wide

49
-phela live

phenyo triumph

phiri hyena

phohu/phofu eland

phororo waterfall

-phadima/-phatsima glitter, shine

phefo wind

pitsa cooking pot

podi/pudi goat, buck

pula rain

-rata favour, prefer, like

-robala sleep

sebaka chance, opportunity, space

sediba pool, fountain, well

sekokgo spider

sehlabelo sacrifice

sekhutlo/sekwahelo/sekhurumelo lid, cap

setshaba/setjhaba nation

taba case, issue

taemane/teemane diamond

tau lion

tebogo/teboho gratitude, thanks

thaba mountain

thabo pleasure

-thabilego/-thabang cheerful

thapelo prayer

-thata hard, difficult, very

tholo kudu

thuso help, assistance, aid

50
 thutlwa giraffe

tladi flamingo

tlou elephant

tokologo/tokoloho freedom

tsebo knowledge, information

tsela path, way, road

tshephe/tshepe springbok

tshukudu rhinoceros

tshwanelo/-tshwanetso duty

tshwano likeness

tshwene baboon

-tsokotsa rinse

tswelopele advance, progress

tumelelo/tumello/tumelo admission, approval, permit

-tumeleng/-tumelego famous, popular

-utolla/-utulola/-utulla disclose, explore

(To be completed)

7.6 XITSONGA

Prefixes Suffixes

n’wa- / ma-

Specific elements and descriptive terms

(To be completed)

7.7 TSHIVENDA

Prefixes Suffixes
51
 Specific elements and descriptive terms
(To be completed)

7.8 OTHER languages

See Toponymic Guidelines for Britain, The Netherlands, Portugal, Germany, England, etc.

8. ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS

52
 The Republic of South Africa is divided into nine provinces, namely the Eastern
Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern
Cape, Limpopo and Western Cape. The country is divided into 52 districts
(Metropolitan and District Municipalities).There are 6 Metropolitan municipalities
which act as both district and local municipalities. The other 46 District
Municipalities contain more than one local municipality each, which in turn contain
more than one town each. As may be expected in a country in which there are
eleven official languages, the names of the administrative divisions reflect all the
cultures or languages.

METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITIES
• City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality (Cape Town and surrounds)
• Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (East Rand)
• eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality (Durban and surrounds)
• City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality (Johannesburg and surrounds)
• Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality (Port Elizabeth and surrounds)
• City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Pretoria and surrounds)

DISTRICT MUNICIPALITIES

Eastern Cape Province

• Sarah Baartman District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Camdeboo
- Blue Crane Route
- Ikwezi
- Makana
- Ndlambe
- Sunday’s River Valley
- Baviaans
- Kouga
- Kou-Kamma

• Amatole District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Mbhashe

53
 - Mnquma
- Great Kei
- Amahlati
- Buffalo City
- Ngqushwa
- Nkonkobe
- Nxuba

• Chris Hani District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Inxuba Yethemba
- Tsolwana
- Inkwanca
- Lukanji
- Intsika
- Emalahleni
- Engcobo
- Sakhisizwe

• Ukhahlamba District Municipality

Local municipalities:
- Elundini
- Senqu
- Maletswai
- Gariep

• O.R. Tambo District Municipality

Local Municipalities
- Mbizana
- Ntabankulu
- Qaukeni
- Port St. Johns
- Nyandeni
- Mhlonto

54
 - King Sabata Dalindyebo

• Alfred Nzo District Municipality

Local Municipalities
- Umzimvubu
- Matatiel

Free State Province

• Xhariep District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Letsemeng
- Kopanong
- Mohokare

• Motheo District Municipality

Local Municipalities
- Naledi
- Mangaung
- Mantsopa

• Lejweleputswa District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Masilonyana
- Tokologo
- Tswelopele
- Matjhabeng
- Nala

• Thabo Mofutsanyane District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Setsoto
- Dihlabeng
- Nketoana

55
 - Maluti a Phofung
- Phumelela

• Northern Free State District Municipality

Local Municipalties:
- Moqhaka
- Ngwathe
- Metsimaholo
- Mafube

Gauteng Province
• Sedibeng District Municipality
Local Municipalties:
- Emfuleni
- Midvaal
- Lesedi

• Metsweding District Municipality

Local Municipalities
- Nokeng tsa Taemane
- Kungwini

• West Rand District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Mogale City
- Randfontein
- Westonaria
- Merafong City

56
KwaZulu-Natal Province
• Ugu District Municipality
- Vulamehlo
- Umdoni
- Umzumbe
- UMuziwabantu
- Ezingoleni
- Hibiscus Coast

• Umgungundlovu District Municipality

Local Municipalties:
- uMshwathi
- iMngeni
- Mooi Mpofana
- Impendle
- The Msunduzi
- Mkhambathini
- Richmond

• Uthukela District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Emnambithi-Ladysmith
- Indaka
- Umtshezi
- Okhahlamba
- Imbabazane

• Umzinyati District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Endumeni
- Nqutu
- Msinga
- Umvoti

57
• Amajuba Distict Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Newcastle
- Utrecht
- Dannhauser

• Zululand District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- eDumbe
- Upongolo
- Abaqulusi
- Nongoma
- Ulundi

• Umkhanyakude Districy Municipalty

Local Municipalties:
- Umhlabuyalingana
- Jozini
- The Big Five False Bay
- Hlabisa
- Mtubatuba

• uThungulu District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Mbonambi
- uMhlatuze
- Ntambanana
- uMlalazi
- Mthonjaneni
- Nkandla

• iLembe District Municipality

Local Municipalties:
- eDondakusuka

58
 - KwaDukuza
- Ndwedwe
- Maphumulo

• Sisonke District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Ingwe
- Kwa Sani
- Greater Kokstad
- Ubuhlebezwe
- Umzimkhulu

Limpopo Province
• Mopani District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Greater Giyani
- Greater Letaba
- Greater Tzaneen
- Ba-Phalaborwa
- Maruleng

• Vhembe District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Musina
- Mutale
- Thulamela
- Makhado

• Capricorn District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Blouberg
- Aganang
- Molemole

59
 - Polokwane
- Lepele-Nkumpi

• Waterberg District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Thabazimbi
- Lephalale
- Mookgopong
- Modimolle
- Bela-Bela
- Mogalakwena

• Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Greater Marble Hall
- Greater Groblersdal
- Makhuduthamaga
- Fetakgomo
- Greater Thubatse

Mpumalange Province
• Gert Sibande District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Albert Luthuli
- Msukaligwa
- Mkhondo
- Pixley Ka Seme
- Lekwa
- Dipaleseng
- Govan Mbeki

• Nkangala District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Delmas

60
 - Emalahleni
- Steve Tshwete
- Highlands
- Thembisile
- Dr JS Moroka

• Ehlanzeni District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Thaba Chweu
- Mbombela
- Umjindi
- Nkomazi
- Bushbuckridge

North West Province

• Bojanala District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Moretele
- Madibeng
- Rustenburg
- Kgetlengrivier
- Moses Kotane

• Central District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Ratlou
- Tswaing
- Mafikeng
- Ditsobotla
- Ramotshere Moiloa

• Bophirima District Municipality

Local Municipalities:

61
 - Kagisano
- Naledi
- Mamusa
- Greater Taung
- Molopo
- Lekwa-Teemane

• Southern District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Venterdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Matlosana
- Maquassi Hills
- Merafong City

Northern Cape Province

• Namakwa District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Richtersveld
- Nama Khoi
- Kamiesberg
- Hantam
- Karoo Hoogland
- KhÔi-Ma

• Pixley ka Seme District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Ubuntu
- Umsobomvu
- Emthanjeni
- Kareeberg
- Renosterberg
- Thembelihle

62
 - Siyathemba
- Siyancuma

• Siyanda District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Mier
- !Kai! Garib
- //Khara Hais
- !Kheis
- Tsantsabane
- Kgatelopele

• Francis Baard District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Sol Plaatjie
- Dikgatlong
- Magareng
- Phokwane

• Kgalagadi District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Moshaweng
- Ga-Segonyana
- Gamagara

Western Cape Province

• West Coast District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Matzikama
- Cederberg
- Bergrivier
- Saldanha Bay
- Swartland

63
• Cape Winelands District Municipality
Local Municipalities:
- Witzenberg
- Drakenstein
- Stellenbosch
- Breede Valley
- Breede River/Winelands

• Overberg District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Theewaterskloof
- Overstrand
- Cape Agulhas
- Swellendam

• Eden District Municipalty

Local Municipalities:
- Kannaland
- Hessequa
- Mossel Bay
- George
- Oudtshoorn
- Bitou
- Knysna

• Central Karoo District Municipality

Local Municipalities:
- Laingsburg
- Prince Albert
- Beaufort West

64