By Annisa Essack
21:06:2021

District Six evokes many emotions for those forcibly removed during the Apartheid years but for 108 claimants, who have been waiting, patiently, for years, their return to the District Six in the Cape Town City Bowl was one of joy and relief.

Centenarian land claimant Shariefa Khan celebrated her birthday in April, one of the 60 000 people forcibly removed by the Apartheid government. The suburb was declared a Whites’ only area 55 years ago. She was overcome with raw emotion just at the very mention of her planned return this coming week. She is the oldest living claimant.

Founder and Chairperson of the District Six Working Committee, Zahra Nordien, says years of bureaucratic processes, lost paperwork and construction challenges have caused delays in what has been an uphill battle for those who have fought for their return to the upmarket area.

Nadia Khan, 68, who will be living with her mother, said her mother, who had suffered a stroke last year, was very excited to return to District Six, and the family were hopeful that this would positively impact her health.

Mother and daughter visited their new home together last week, and it was decided that a few renovations were required to make the bathroom more accessible for Shariefa.

Before their eviction, Khan lived with her husband, Dawood, and six children in the Bailey Flats in Hanover Street, where they also owned Bombay Café, renowned for its Indian and Cape Malay cuisine. Then, the family moved to Rylands on the Cape Flats, where they lived for the past six decades.

The District 6 Working Committee (D6WC) said they were grateful that the process has finally come to fruition, many of whom are old and found the application and appeals processes difficult.

But for many, it might only be a fading dream. District Six Working Committee Spokesperson, Karen Breytenbach, said that it would take many years. Unfortunately, many claimants may not live to see that happens, mainly as most claimants are elderly and the pandemic’s toll on them.