Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de
Lille
City committed to redress through reconciliation and restitution
Note to editors: this is an extract from a speech delivered by Mayor De Lille at
the Richmond Park sod-turning and unveiling of development plans today, 19
December 2014.
Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mr Gugile Nkwinti,
Land restitution officials from national and provincial government,
Members of the Richmond Park Communal Property Association,
Good morning, goeie dag, molweni, as-salaam alaikum, shalom.
It is my honour and great pleasure to welcome everyone here today on what
is a wonderful occasion – just days after we celebrated the Day of
Reconciliation.
As the City of Cape Town, we are committed to reconciliation through
redress.
We are committed to restitution because of our political history and we
therefore strive to do all we can to ensure that people get fair restitution.
Today’s sod-turning and celebration represents that commitment, but most
importantly it represents a partnership between the National Government,
the Western Cape Government, the City of Cape Town, the community, and
the developers to realise this milestone.
Restitution is one of the greatest tasks which we as government can facilitate.
As the City of Cape Town, we do all we can to assist in each process, be it
releasing City land or facilitating the transfer of City land.
In March this year, Council approved the rezoning of the Richmond land in
accordance with the City’s commitment to redress, but also to enable
possibilities.
The rezoning of the land for light industrial use will bring a direct economic
benefit to the Richmond Park claimant community.
Today we are reversing what was one of apartheid’s most divisive laws, the
Group Areas Act, which separated people and communities along racial
lines and saw thousands of families forcibly removed from their homes.
401 families were removed from Richmond Park between 1972 and 1984 and
most of them resettled to Atlantis and the Cape Flats.
Following their land claim in 1998, their claim was settled in 2011 with the City
of Cape Town and the National Department of Public Works transferring the
land at no cost.
During this time, the Richmond Park Property Association formed a
partnership with developers to develop the land into an industrial and retail
park.
This agreement is one which truly speaks to the City’s belief that redress is not
only about changing people’s living conditions, but also about empowering
them economically.
The claimant community has partnered with developers who agreed to
contribute skills for the development of the light industrial complex.
The financial compensation and allocation of shares by the developer to the
claimants will ensure that these families can start to build their lives afresh
after their unfortunate fate as a result of the apartheid regime.
I am pleased to know that this partnership between the Richmond Park
community and the developers will bring skills development, employment
programmes and much needed jobs and empower the community, lifting a
large majority of the Richmond Park community out of poverty.
I would like to thank everyone involved in reaching this point.
This story is one which truly speaks of a victory against one of the biggest
crimes of apartheid.
In closing, I would like to thank the Department of Rural Development and
Land Reform, the Western Cape Government, City officials, and all other
stakeholders who have made this achievement possible.
My hope is that this project becomes a legacy that we can all be proud of
and that we forge ahead to do all we can to bring restitution to more
communities.
Thank you, baie dankie, enkosi.