Wikipedia:WikiAfrica/Stubs/South Africa Geographical Names Council

South Africa Geographical Names Council is the mother body for all the Provincial Geographical Councils.

The main purpose is to deal with standardisation of the Geographical Names in each province, and the final approval by the national Geographical Names Council. The SAGNC is a body established by Act of Parliament (Act No 118 of 1998) and appointed by the Minister of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology. Each province are represented by one member. The members are appointed by the Minister, taking into account their special expertise and the population of the country. Representatives of the Post Office, Mapping and Survey, and the Pan South African Language Board. The need for a council like the SAGNG were to make sure that, as far as possible, there is one name for one place and each name has one written form, and to make sure that people identify with the history, culture, heritage and socio-economic consideration of names. Geographical Names Committee, for example the Western Cape Provincial Geographical Names Committee (WCPGNC), are bodies mandated by the Act to consult with the public, investigate and make proposals to the SAGNC on geographical names.They work closely with the SAGNC.NC's are provincial representatives of the SAGNC.

Other members appointed by the MEC, e.g. experts in language, geographical names and mapping, and representatives of local government, the House of Traditional Leaders, tourism, etc.