Activists calls for restoration of Steps of Memory Bonteheuwel's Legacy Rooted in Peoples Power - by Irma Titus
of the Cape Flats soon became a fertile ground for gangs and NESTLED in the township grassroots activism alike. of Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats is a place called Freedom BLAC – Bonteheuwel Legacy Square. Somewhat of a paradise Arts Collective chooses to for anyone in-love with the r e m e m b e r a g e n e r a t i o n o f thought of revolution. It is hopeful youth activists who also site of memory for those sacrificed their lives. It also familiar with the community’s wants to celebrate the many militant history. The square fearless cultural movements represents ‘Peoples Power’ and who occupied this spacComing its fight against the oppressive into Bonteheuwel through the apartheid state. Over the years, Bluegum Street entrance: The the square has remained a Square becomes visible with symbol of freedom as informal a split in the road. It meets traders, artists, library users, Honeysuckle Street on the left; activists, churches and various home to BCC Assembly of God. community groups often use the On the far right over the space without prior permission. pedestrian crossing is the ‘Whoever makes a noise here Bonteheuwel civic hall located first owns the space’ for that on the corner of Bluegum & moment in time. This has been Kiaat Road. Turning left into the Common Law practiced by Kiaat Road; crossing into the many communities, forcibly oldest part of Bonteheuwel relocated by the Group Areas simply known as Jakkalsvlie in Act of 1950; who dubbed their earlier years. Turning left into township CBD area Freedom Jakkalsvlie Avenue hints at the Square. The construction of gentry on the square as the City Bonteheuwel which started in of Cape Town’s Metro Police 1961 was completed in 1964. It Precinct offices are found on was among the first townships the corner of Honeysuckle & reserved for people classified as Jakkalsvlie Road. coloured. Many families were BLAC invites memb e rs o f displaced from areas like District the community to join in the Six and many other areas around #StepsOfMemory campaign Table Mountain. The barren land & history project. We are Irma Titus
NESTLED in the township of Bonteheuwel on the Cape Flats is a place called Freedom Square. Somewhat of a paradise for anyone in-love with the thought of revolution. It is also site of memory for those familiar with the community’s militant history. The square represents 'Peoples Power' and its fight against the oppressive apartheid state. Over the years, the square has remained a symbol of freedom as informal traders, artists, library users, activists, churches and various community groups often use the space without prior permission.
‘Whoever makes a noise here first owns the space’ for that moment in time. This has been the Common Law practised by many communities, forcibly relocated by the Group Areas Act of 1950; who dubbed their township CBD area Freedom Square. The construction of Bonteheuwel which started in 1961 was completed in 1964. It was among the first townships reserved for people classified as coloured. Many families were steps. Its original form collecting photographs, stories library displaced from areas like District Six and many other areas around Table Mountain. TheBonteheuwel barren land ofStudents the Interim and artefacts in a bid to develop “reveals the complexity of Congress (BISCO) and the Cape Flats soon became a fertile ground foragangs and grassroots activism and alike. struggles of the Bonteheuwel Military Wing memory-scape capturing a conflicts Bonteheuwel's Freedom is described “scene of many bloody clashes between activists libraryasasa contested but shared graphical timeline of Square our local (BMW), whichpolice had and close links inhistory. 1980's”To [Cape Uncovered: Warren-Brown andANC’s Yazeed military Fakier] wing space...City Onauthored several Gillian occasions’ get Town involved & shareA People's with the your memories call/WhatsApp activists were arrested and Umkhonto we Sizwe - MK At steps. It's original “reveals the(Spear complexity conflicts and were out of theform Bonteheuwel 0 8the 4 centre 8 5 7 of2 it 3 7all2 is othe r old e mlibrary a i l dragged of ofthe nation) struggles of the library as contested but shared space... On several occasions activists were arrested bonteheuwellegacy@gmail.com Library. Ethel Aranes recalls active in the township. and BISCO dragged out of the Bonteheuwel Library. howgroups she broke up large groups ofregularly activists infor howEthel she Aranes broke recalls up large used the library Bonteheuwel’s Freedom the library into smaller onesSquare so that police would not excuseinto to arrest them.” [Cape Libr., May/June of activists inhave the an library its liaison committee meetings. is described as a “scene of many 2006]” smaller ones so that police Tragically, Colleen Williams, a bloody clashes between police would not have an excuse to library member associated with and Bonteheuwel activists in Youth 1980’s” [Cape (BYM), the Bonteheuwel Interim Students Congress (BISCO) and the “The Movement arrest them.” [Cape Libr., May/ the BMW and Anton Fransch, a Town Uncovered: A People’s Bonteheuwel Military Wing (BMW), which close links with the ANC’s military Umkhonto we Sizwe June had 2006]” librarywing member associated withCity authored Gillianwere WarrenMK (Spear of the nation) active in the township. BISCO used the library regularly for its liaison died during the unrest...” “ T Williams, h e B o nat elibrary h e u wmember e l Yo uassociated t h BISCO, Brown and Yazeed Fakier] committee meetings. Tragically, Colleen with the May/June BMW and Anton [Cape Libr., 2006] M o vBISCO, e m e ndied t (BYM), the Fransch, a library member associated with At the centre of it all is the old during the unrest...” [Cape Libr., May/June 2006]
BLAC – Bonteheuwel Legacy Arts Collective chooses to remember a generation of hopeful youth activists who sacrificed their lives. It also wants to celebrate the many fearless cultural movements who occupied this space. Coming into Bonteheuwel through the Bluegum Street entrance: The Square becomes visible with a split in the road. It meets Honeysuckle Street on the left; home to BCC Assembly Of God. On the far right over the pedestrian anger andcivicviolence canonnever build crossing isGreat the Bonteheuwel hall located the corner
a Nation - Nelson Mandela