The Cape Town city council’s naming committee has unanimously rejected a proposal to rename a street in Blue Downs after alleged gang boss and drug lord Colin Stanfield.

Committee chairman Brett Herron said the application to rename Zach Crescent was not in line with city council policy.

“Stanfield was widely associated with the drug trade. People are terrorised daily by people who are pushing the trade, so there’s no way we can take such a proposal seriously,” Herron said.

The application was made in January on behalf of Stanfield’s nephew, Ralph Stanfield, who owns a property development in Zach Crescent.

Before the naming committee considered the proposal on Wednesday, it had already been rejected by Subcouncil 21.

Stanfield, who was convicted of tax evasion in 2002, died of lung cancer in 2004 after being released on medical parole.

He served only 16 months of his six-year sentence.

The PAC’s Anwar Adams said given that Blue Downs already had a huge drug problem, to rename a street after an alleged gang boss would “further the infestation”.

“We can’t allow drug lords to get attention in this fashion,” said Adams.

The ANC’s Xolani Ndongeni agreed.

“We can’t promote a drug lord. That street will be operated by gangsters.”

Stanfield was reportedly the leader of a former drug cartel, The Firm.

Despite his criminal activity, Stanfield was largely hailed by his community for helping the poor.

The application to rename the street after him was submitted by Jean Muanda on behalf of Glomix House Brokers cc, which is represented by Ralph Stanfield.

The renaming proposal is linked to a development called Delro Village, an erf containing a partially developed block of flats. In 2011, the street was named Zach Crescent at the request of the previous property owner, Mario Fischer House Brokers cc, in honour of his late son.

The property was then bought by Glomix House Brokers cc.

In a report to the committee, the city council said the applicant did not supply any proof of support from the community for renaming the street.

According to the city council’s naming policy, renaming proposals should avoid names that are deemed insensitive, offensive or hurtful.

The proposed name change should also “strengthen community identity”.

The council’s report said because the proposal was contrary to the guidelines of its naming policy, public participation was not deemed necessary.

“The proposed renaming of the street is not likely to contribute positively to community identity,” said the report.

Herron said the renaming policy was not meant for families to have streets renamed after relatives and, that in future, such proposals should be discouraged.

[Source: Cape Argus]