South African town divided over renaming after Robert Sobukwe

A fierce debate has erupted in the historic town of Graaff-Reinet, after authorities moved to rename it in honour of anti-apartheid icon Robert Sobukwe. The decision has exposed deep divisions in South Africa, as residents weigh heritage against transformation.

The nearly 250-year-old town, known for its Cape Dutch architecture and tourism appeal, is among more than 1,500 places renamed since the end of apartheid to shed colonial-era…