Bo-Kaap residents claim small victory
BO-KAAP residents claimed a small victory after property developers BLOK were told by the Western Cape High Court their crane was prohibited from entering the area until the next court date was determined.
This after BLOK brought an interdict against residents in Bo-Kaap to prevent them from interfering with the construction of a high-rise building in the area.
The residents opposed the interdict, and the case was heard yesterday.
Advocate Mustaque Holland said BLOK was not, under any circumstances, allowed to move that crane until the court provided a definitive court date.
The matter was postponed to December 18 with a court date for arguments set to be determined after consulting with the Judge President of the Western Cape High Court.
“For now, as the matter stands, the crane will not move. Proper communication about the date will be communicated,” Holland said.
On November 20 chaos erupted as Bo-Kaap residents and the police clashed over developments in the area.
About 50 residents gathered outside to protest the development, with many saying the group was destroying Bo-Kaap’s heritage.
Chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Ratepayers Association Osmad Shabodien said: “There is definitely grounds for us to go to court. We are still going to take over that building. Let them build that building. We are going to move in. Mark my words, that building is ours.”
The Western Cape National Heritage Council confirmed last week that it received an application to declare Bo-Kaap a heritage site.
The ANC Youth League hand-delivered a nomination to Heritage Western Cape for Bo-Kaap to be declared a provincial heritage site. The ANCYL lodged an application with the heritage council on November 27.