Cosatu totally against the privatisation of Good Hope centre

Mbasa Gqokoma
12 February 2015

The Congress of South African Trade Union in the Western Cape has slammed the decision by the City of Cape Town to privatise the use of the Good Hope Centre to a film company.

The City of Cape Town says it is looking at various development options for the Good Hope Centre to create an enabling economic environment. 

Cosatu’s Tony Ehrenreich said it is through these kinds of actions that the Democratic Alliance has put in place that the City has seen the levels of inequality increase over the last five years.

The Good Hope centre is the only big venue that is affordable for working class communities to use for their cultural and other activities. To now hire this out of form Company that denies access to the poor people of the city of Cape Town is completely unacceptable.

We calling for the decision to be reviewed and we will file the matter with the public protector to defend the public interest Ehrenreich added.

Meanwhile in response the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Tourism, Events and Economic Development Garreth Bloor said the centre will be used as a temporary or short-term film studio for three years, with a single tenant or combination of tenants from the film industry.

He added that log-term plans for the centre will take three to five years to develop. The film industry obviously has a massive need demand in terms of location until the city is considering that as a form studio during that short term period at which we discussing the long term future of the Good Hope centre.

This initial proposal will also give chance to the public to comment and of course it certainly is one aspect of a much larger process in this proposal Bloor added.