District Six tenants won't budge

By Tando Mfengwana
17 February 2007

Seventeen tenants of the historic District Six area cottages put banners on their cottages on Friday, in protest of eviction.

The tenants received letters from lawyers representing the Essop Mohamed Will Trust, ordering them to vacate the grounds by February 28, 2007.

The tenants, with support from the Anti-Eviction Campaign and legal firm Jan S de Villiers, joined forces to fight the eviction.

Independent Online reports that each cottage was covered with banners saying “Hands off Pontac, Nelson and Aspeling Streets! We are the last of the original District 6” and “Our sniors belong here – have pity on them”.

Speaking for the tenants, Magdalene George, 70, said the trust’s lawyers had also written to threaten court action if they display banners.

The cottages are listed in the South African Heritage Association as a Grade 1 site.

The dispute centered on the cottages started when they were inherited by eight brothers in 2000.

Dr Omargee Essop Mohamed Omar, the sole trustee, was given the right to sell after going to church last year.

In an attempt to stop the sale of the cottages, the tenants put in an offer to buy in 2006 but it was refused.

The letter was sent to the tenants by Chris Ficks and Associates.

It said that the properties will be sold to the open market and that it had become unsafe for residential.