The plan to rename Lanseria International Airport has been come under fire from multiple political parties in South Africa.
In early May, Johannesburg Executive Mayor Dada Morero announced that a plan is underway to rename Lanseria Airport, located in western Gauteng.
During his 2025 State of the City Address, the mayor revealed that the Joburg city council were involved in discussions with the airport’s management to rename the site as part of a rebranding effort.
“We are informed that the airport management is contemplating renaming the facility to more closely reflect and celebrate its connection to our city,” he said.
Morero claimed that the decision to rename the airport is part of a broader vision for Lanseria’s growth and identity.
“The city will support this initiative, which will strengthen the airport brand and foster a stronger sense of belonging,” said the mayor.
Morero stated that the name change is essential to emphasis the site’s growing role as a major transport hub for Gauteng, serving as an alternative to O.R. Tambo International Airport.
He further argued that the name needs to resonate with the city’s image and aspirations while promoting the airport to feature more prominently on the international stage.
“We are growing, and our airport must grow with us—in infrastructure, in capacity, and in identity,” he said.
It has not yet been revealed what the proposed new name for Lanseria will be.
Opposition to the name change
The surprise announcement caught several coalition partners in the city council off guard, such as the United Democratic Movement (UDM), and other political parties like the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
UDM councilor Yongama Zigebe told News24 that the State of the City announcement was the first time the party had been made aware of the renaming plan.
“As a party, we are waiting for Morero to bring a report on the renaming to the Portfolio Management Committee so that we can discuss it there,” he said.
Zigebe pointed out that the council, not the mayor alone, has the final say on whether the name change will go ahead.
The UDM also criticized the city management’s priorities, arguing that choosing to focus on a renaming is highly questionable when Joburg is already facing severe financial pressures.
“For a city that is under national scrutiny and local expectations, with our finances dwindling, we can’t make this a priority,” said Zigibe.
AIC councillor and Finance MMC Margaret Arnolds acknowledged that the Lanseria renaming issue had come up at a recent lekgotla, suggesting that it has been discussed informally within the administration.
Another vocal critic of the move is FFP councillor Franco de Lange, who labelled the name change as an “absolute waste of taxpayers’ money.”
He further argued that the move has nothing to do with addressing the social and economic issues that Gauteng residents face on a daily basis.
“That is not going to feed them, give them housing, or provide meaningful job opportunities,” De Lange said.
Despite the opposition, the controversial name change for Lanseria is still set to proceed.
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