Cape Town - Hollywood actor and Bo-Kaap resident Hakeem Kae-Kazim has thrown his weight behind the call for anti-gentrification of the community and its rich heritage.
The British-Nigerian actor has condemned the development of high rise buildings in the area by “unscrupulous developers”.
Kae-Kazim, a resident of Bo-Kaap for nearly two decades, said he supported his fellow residents’ requests to stop the proposed plans to develop the iconic neighbourhood and supported their anti-gentrification letter of demand.
“It is a vibrant close-knit community where everybody knows everybody and children still play in the street outside their homes,” Kae-Kazim said.
Recently, the ward councillor for Bo-Kaap accepted a letter of demand from residents who do not want their historic community subjected to gentrification. Protesting residents want their concerns, which they claim have been ignored for many years, addressed, including the high tariff rates and exorbitant levies wanted from pensioners and residents of this community.
Recently the auction of two portions of the oldest Muslim cemetery in South Africa, was cancelled following objections from the Tana Baru Trust. The trust said the Tana Baru’s historical significance resided in it being the first officially recognised Muslim cemetery in the country.
Claremart, the auctioning group, advertised the land to be auctioned at the end of the month at a reserve price of R20 million.
Kae-Kazim believes Bo-Kaap residents are suffering as a result of new developments. Bo-Kaap civic association spokesperson Osman Shaboodien said: “We welcome any type of support for anti-gentrification. This issue needs to be highlighted because the time has come to say enough is enough.
“The history of Bo-Kaap does not only affect its residents. It affects all and is a challenge for the whole of South Africa. We need to ensure than in 150 years there is still a Bo-Kaap,” he said.
Ward councillor Brandon Golding said they had engaged with various departments around issues that were highlighted by residents.
“The civic association has weekly meetings on a Tuesday and we have agreed to address issues with them around a schedule.
“I met Shaboodien last week and we will be meeting the civic association tomorrow night to address issues around general traffic management,” Golding said.