South African
Place Name Changes
Search towns, cities and municipalities renamed since 1994. Type the old or new name to find the official change.
Map © OpenStreetMap contributors
Cities & Large Towns
Officially gazetted · includes postal codes
| Old Name | New Name | Postal Code | Province | Type | Year |
|---|
About This Tool
South Africa's post-1994 renaming programme has touched every province, hundreds of towns and thousands of streets. This tool lets you instantly find both the old and new official name — plus postal codes — for any place in the country.
Postal Codes
Postal codes are sourced from the South African Post Office (SAPO) directory. When a place is renamed the postal code remains the same — the SAPO code does not change with a place name change. One postal code is shown per entry.
Key Clarifications
- Pretoria has NOT been renamed — Tshwane is the metro municipality only.
- Durban has NOT been renamed — eThekwini is the metro only.
- Bloemfontein has NOT been renamed — Mangaung is the metro only.
- Louis Trichardt was renamed Makhado then reversed by court order — officially Louis Trichardt again.
Data Sources
SA Government Gazette · SAGNC · SAPO postal code directory · Wikipedia: List of Renamed Places in South Africa · media reports to April 2026.