Cape Town – Bo-Kaap residents say they are taken aback by an interdict brought by Blok Urban Living barring them from “unlawful conduct” at the developer’s construction site.
Blok was granted an interim interdict this week, only four months after they withdrew an initial interdict application, said the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association.
The interdict was served on “all persons causing obstructions, unlawfully conducting themselves or attempting to cause obstructions, or unlawfully conduct themselves” at the Lion Street site.
The property developer had purchased the site in March last year, and the City had approved the development of 56 residential units. Construction started in April, and in July Blok asked the court to interdict among others Bo-Kaap Youth Movement and “all other persons trespassing” from entering erf 2970.
Association spokesperson Osman Shaboodien said they would challenge the interdict in court next month.
Shaboodien said Blok wanted to bring a crane into the area, and so had brought the interdict.
“We were not party to the process of this interdict and we will challenge it,” Shaboodien said.
Bo-Kaap residents have continuously raised their concerns over the preservation of the area’s culture and history, charging that developers were a threat to it.
The ratepayers association said they were studying the 205-page interim interdict and would keep abreast of legal developments.
“We call on the community to stand united as we continue to fight for the preservation of our culture and heritage and resist gentrification in our beloved Bo-Kaap.”
Blok is being represented by law firm Norton Rose Fulbright.
The law firm said over the past few months individuals had interfered with construction deliveries to the Lion Street site, and they were undermining progress and agreements.
“Four months ago, tensions between the community and developers came to a head with attacks taking place on construction sites across the Bo-Kaap.
"Accordingly, Blok brought an application to interdict the violence in order to protect its staff and contractors.”