New beginnings for Protea Village claimants

The joy is overwhelming and we are not that far from moving back home - these were the words of eldest Protea Village claimant Kathleen Basson, 93, at a historic sod-turning ceremony on Tuesday, March 11.

Various spheres of government along with the Protea Village land claimants and Protea Village Communal Property Association (CPA), attended the ceremony on the land in Protea Village where homes will be built for 86 land claimants.

Eight-six families were forcibly removed from the area nestled between Bishopscourt and Fernwood during Apartheid and relocated to areas such as Heideveld and Lotus River on the Cape Flats.

After the 1994 Restitution of Land Rights Act, the families lodged a claim for the land in 1995.

Ten years later, an agreement between the state and the City of Cape Town led to the land being transferred to the community in September 2006 (“ Last hurdle for land claimants,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, October 5, 2023).

Protea Village Development Company (PVDC) director, Barry Ellman says a few milestones were achieved during the past few years.

They include the transfer of the awarded land to the Protea Village CPA by the national Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and the City of Cape Town; grant funding approved by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) in November 2021; Town planning approval granted by the City of Cape Town as well as City approval for the Urban Settlements Development Grant (USDG) funding.

Mr Ellman says the Bishopscourt Estate development on the opposite of Kirstenbosch Drive will also help fund the development of Protea Village for the 86 claimants.

Protea Village CPA chairperson, Andrew Maxwell said: “Today’s sod-turning ceremony is the culmination of a process involving many stakeholders and finally marks the beginning of the physical rebuilding of our community,” 

He added: “This is more than just a housing development; it is the restoration of dignity, history, and generational wealth for families who were unjustly displaced. After decades of struggle, we are witnessing the rebirth of Protea Village."

DPWI minister, Dean  Macpherson said: “Today we celebrate an act of building an inclusive community that brings together the past, present and future in harmony.” 

Minister Macpherson says the land for restitution, which was owned by the DPWI and City of Cape Town, was rightfully awarded to the 86 families as part of restitution in 2006.

“Today is a full circle moment where we turn over soil in a physical affirmation of this community’s resilience and determination.” 

DALRRD minister Mzwanele Nyhontso commended the cross-collaboration work with their department, the Protea Village CPA, the City of Cape Town and DPWI on this process of bringing the residents home again.

“Our department as custodian of restitution in the country, requested the land to be released from the City and DPWI who agreed to award the ervens to the Protea Village Community, which led to the conclusion of a settlement agreement."

Mr Nyhontso says his department pledged R60 million towards the development of Protea Village for the eight hectares of land. 

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says this was one of the most extraordinary land restitution projects in the country. “The City is proud to be helping in seeing it come to fruition. This includes our assistance with the drafting of the project’s business plan as well as the approval of over R40 million in funding for the construction of the infrastructure to support this development."

Ms Basson says she was in her early 20s when she had to move out of Protea Village. She went on to live in Claremont. “Its nearly 60 years since I moved out and moving out was a really sad occasion.”

Ms Basson says even though it took a long time to come back, her message to others awaiting restitution was that there “will be results in time".

Another Protea Village claimant, Martha Thomas, 84, lived with her mother and five brothers in Protea Village. Ms Thomas, who was a qualified nurse, was 17 when she and her family had to move to Lotus River. “It was very sad and cruel when my family had to move out.” 

Ms Thomas says it is a happy occasion that she can return to Protea Village. “The memory of this place has never left my mind and I will move back with pleasure.”