The following speech was delivered by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, today at a ceremonial handover of prime land in Bishop’s Court to 86 claimant families.
It is an honour for me to be here and address you all on a matter that is very close to my heart and a key priority for the City of Cape Town administration. In fulfilling our commitment to redress and reconciliation, we are celebrating a restitution claim milestone with 86 families.
These are the righful owners of the land we are on today who were forcibly removed by the unjust Apartheid regime between 1966 and 1969 under the atrocious Group Areas Act.
These famlies and others who have sadly passed on were moved from this land in Bishop’s Court to the Cape Flats to areas such as Lotus River, Steenberg, Grassy Park, Manenberg, Heideveld and Wetton.
While this is a day of celebration, in all honestly it is really sad for me to know that the families in front of me today have waited so many years to return to their land.
I especially think of Mrs Francis Gussling, known as Aunty Hatta, who sadly passed away in 2008 at the age of 99. She was moved from this land to Lotus River. She never had the chance to return home.
Two years ago, Mr Alexander September, Uncle Al, passed away at the age of 89 and he too will never return home. He was moved to a Council flat in Grassy Park.
I am relieved to know that both Aunty Hatta and Uncle Al had stated in their wills which family members have access to their claim. This will ensure that members of those families can live on this land that was so wrongfully taken from their elders.
Claimants, I know your one wish is to move into your homes on this land.
It has been a long road and your hopes have been raised many times, but we are forging ahead to esnure that the rightful owners return to their land.
The claimants of this prime land here in Bishop’s Court, known as the Protea Village Action Committee, lodged their claim for this land in 1995.
Claimants have been on this journey for 22 years.
In 2006, the National Government, the City and claimant community signed a memorandum of agreement in which the City agreed to transfer 8,5 hectares of the land to the claimants at no cost. Today this land is valued at approximately R100 million.
In terms of that agreement, the Department of Public Works also agreed to transfer 3,7 hectares of land that was in its ownership to the claimants at no cost.
This is only right as you cannot buy back your own land.
Subsequent to this agreement’s signing and various processes being started, a legal battle ensued in which some local residents who deemed themselves as interested and affected parties took the claimants to court, essentially asking that this land remain public open space.
Thankfully, in 2011 the court ruled in favour of the claimants and the processes to return to their land could recommence.
The City assisted with all planning and legislative tasks related to the resettlement of the claimant community such as the subdivision process which has been concluded.
Meanwhile, the Department of Land Affairs appointed a service provider, Bethel Partners, to assist the claimants with the community development plans.
I wish you all the success with the plan to build 86 residential properties for the claimant families, an education facility, sports grounds, and residential units for the open market that will cross-subsidise the cost of the claimants’ homes.
We hope to join you in celebration soon when the community returns to move into their new homes here in Bisho’s Court where you belong and where you can again be a vibrant, integrated community that is representative of the inclusive city we are building every day.
In line with our commitment to building caring city which prioritises redress and reconciliation, we have completed many restitution cases in the past six years from Constantia to Somerset West and Simon’s Town.
In the coming months, we will be finalising the transfer of land in Plumstead, Crawford and Heideveld to claimants.
It is my commitment that we will continue doing all we can to ensure that the rightful owners are returned to their land that was so cruelly taken away from them.
In closing, I want to express my thanks to the Protea Village claimant community, Bethel Partners, and other government departments for their commitment to this restitution case.
It is my hope that each family here today can complete this story on a positive note.
For those who are here as representatives of your parents or grandparents who are no longer with us, keep carrying their flame and pressing on this journey knowing that they will be proud that members of their family will be back home here in Bishop’s Court.
Thank you, baie dankie, enkosi, shukran and God bless.