Khoi-San activists to keep watch on Brass Bell expansion
INDIGENOUS Khoi and San activists said they would continue to keep a close eye on attempts to move ahead with plans to expand the Brass Bell restaurant.
More than 100 people staged a protest outside the restaurant on Saturday to object against the planned construction that would further restrict access to a tidal pool – a move that community activist Faez Poggenpoel said would be an affront to indigenous history.
“It is a horrible situation where we believe that the public space has been privatised,” said Poggenpoel.
“We want the national government to get involved and give assurances, in black and white, that certain structures will be removed so that families can enjoy the space which is multicultural and multi religious. This, without being surrounded by alcohol consumption. We’ve had enough now as a community.”
The restaurant assumed the entire pool area, which left beachgoers with no place to enjoy the pool, Poggenpoel said.
“The conclusion from this gathering is that we need action now. There is major significance in terms of heritage that is just being ignored by this private business owner which is unacceptable,” added Poggenpoel.
When the Cape Times reached out to the Brass Bell restaurant yesterday for comment, managers on duty said they wouldn’t speak to the media, only the owner would, and he would be at work today.
The City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, said Prasa provided written instruction to its lessee to cease all construction activities.
“The City was informed of the new construction activities on Tuesday evening, March 29.
“The land is a registered erf that belongs to Prasa with the said business having a lease agreement with Prasa for parts of the erf.
“We immediately engaged with Prasa on the matter, and went on site on Wednesday, March 30, 2022, with a representative from the national Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Oceans and Coasts Environmental Compliance,” said Andrews.
Tony Trimmel, chairperson of the Kalk Bay Ratepayers Association, said: “As residents, we have been fighting this issue now for over 15 years. The City needs to take decisive action, halt the current process and revert the site back to what it was before all the additional spaces were taken up for commercial purposes,” he said.