Cape Town - The historical Tana Baru cemetery in Bo-Kaap is safe for now as its proposed sale via ClareMart auction house has been cancelled.
ClareMart general executive director Andrew Koch confirmed today that the sale of the “site of the oldest Muslim cemetery in South Africa has been cancelled”.
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ClareMart said in a statement: “After it came to the attention of the auctioneers, through a media release, that the land being sold was under dispute with the community, the auction group took the decision to cancel the sale.”
Koch added: “We cannot proceed to auction property whose ownership is under dispute and we feel the responsible thing is to cancel the auction.
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“Claremart were instructed by the group of heirs, the current legal title holders, to proceed to auction, but were not aware of the ongoing dispute regarding the future of the land, being a part of the cemetery and of significance to the community.
“Once we became aware of this, despite the fact that we were properly mandated, we immediately engaged the community directly.”
Koch said he had spoken to Igshaan Higgins, who represents Bo-Kaap Youth led by Adnaan Osman, which had been organising protests in the area against gentrification and the negative impacts of tourism.
ClareMart said in its statement that it “trusts the current registered owners and the community will reach a better situation going forward and one which benefits the wider community”.
The land in question is two adjacent properties which comprise 20% of the entire Tana Baru on the hills on Bo-Kaap on Longmarket Street.
Its heirs are split on the decision on whether to sell it or not. An initial asking price of R20-million had been set for an auction at the One and Only hotel on June 27.
The Tana Baru Trust, which oversees the maintenance of the cemetery, said it was still in talks with the family to purchase the property. Its intention is to preserve the cemetery where the country’s first Muslims are buried.