3.15 Forced removals

Geography

Grade 5

Population: distribution and density

Module 31

Forced removals

In 1948 the National Party came into power in our country. The party developed a policy according to which different cultural groups were separated and settled in separate areas with their own suburbs, recreational facilities, schools, business centres, etc. The Group Areas Act was imposed to implement this policy. This act deprived people of the freedom to choose where they wanted to live. Certain areas were reserved for certain cultural groups. Large groups were forced to vacate their homes and businesses in these areas to make place for other groups for whom the area was reserved.

This policy was followed until 1994 in South Africa, when the first democratic political election took place. The ANC came into power and they abolished the Group Areas Act of 1950 immediately.

Examples of these removals were Sophiatown in Johannesburg and District Six in Cape Town.

The latter area was established when slavery was abolished at the Cape. There were a variety of cultures who once lived together in harmony.

Activity 1:

To distinguish between facts and opinions

[lo 1.2; 1.7]

Read the newspaper reports, discuss the contents in your groups and answer the questions.

PUTTING DISTRICT SIX TOGETHER AGAIN

Glynnis Underhill

CAPE TOWN - A vision of District Six as “a community of the future” will be outlined at the signing of a historic deal between evicted residents, the Government and the City of Cape Town tomorrow.

The signatories will pledge to recognise the pain and suffering of the community and to re-establish the vibrancy of District Six in its redevelopment.

Major land claimants like Abdul Gaffoor Ebrahim, whose father owned nine properties and two shops in District Six, have also thrown their weight behind the deal, which will pave the way for the speedy redevelopment of the area.

“Nowhere in history have landowners been prepared to sacrifice their land a second time in the interests of the broader community.

“I am hopeful that the Government is committed to restitution and will carry out its moral duty by delivering on its promises. But landowners must be fairly and justly compensated,” said Mr Ebrahim.

More than 45 000 people – families of tenants and landowners who were thrown out under the despised Group Areas Act in the 1960s – are now expected to return to affordable housing in District Six.

Cape Town municipality and the provincial government have been at loggerheads with former residents over the valuable inner-city land.

But now the three parties will commit themselves in writing to work towards healing the damage caused by apartheid, putting to rest years of wrangling.

Plans to create an inner-city community, with emphasis on the most affordable housing, will be developed and discussed at workshops.

Mr Ebrahim said the international community was watching events unfold in District Six and was witnessing this “sorry chapter” in our history come to an end.

“This will be a victory for the victims of apartheid,” he said.