What happened to District 6 Cape Town?
On 11 February 1966 it was declared a white area under the Group Areas Act of 1950, and by 1982, the life of the community was over. More than 60 000 people were forcibly removed to barren outlying areas aptly known as the Cape Flats, and their houses in District Six were flattened by bulldozers.
Why did you have to move out of District Six?
In 1966, the apartheid government declared District Six a “white” area under its racial segregation policy. Most residents were forcibly moved because they were black or mixed-race and bulldozers destroyed their homes.
What is District Six called now?
Zonnebloem
District Six, or Zonnebloem as it is officially known, is one step closer to being District Six again. The paperwork for the name change for the area near Cape Town’s city centre, made famous by forced evictions during the apartheid era, is now with the Geographical Names Council.
What were the effects of forced removals in District Six?
Most of District Six’s residents were classified as colored under apartheid. As a result, most residents were affected by the forced removal. Apartments, churches and shops were leveled to the ground in the years after the Group Areas Act.
What is District 6 like now?
Today it is an almost vacant lot, shown on maps as the suburb of Zonnebloem. Before being torn apart by the apartheid regime during the sixties and seventies, District Six, was an impoverished but lively community of 55 000, predominantly coloured people.
What is the main function of District Six?
Originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers and immigrants, District Six was a vibrant center with close links to the city and the port. By the beginning of the twentieth century, however, the process of removals and marginalization had begun.
Why is District Six important?
District Six is the most visible because it was prime land in the heart of a city and because it was so iconic in the country’s history as a place of refuge and community for so many South Africans of all backgrounds. It was the place to which many immigrants into the city first came and found help and support.
What type of community was the District Six?
The residents of District Six were mostly traders, immigrants, and freed slaves. Although most residents were mixed-race, some black people and a small number of white people also lived there. There were also residents from many other countries. People from different cultures and backgrounds lived together in harmony.
What was District 6 known for?
District 6 is responsible for the creation of the hovercraft, trains, and other transportation vehicles used throughout the Panem. They also provide many of the workers who keep the trains moving, on time, and on schedule.
Why is it called District 6?
“District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867. Originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers and immigrants, District Six was a vibrant center with close links to the city and the port.
What can District Six do to protect the land?
District Six Museum believes that that the best tool available for protecting the District Six land is the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 [LINK TO NHRA], which makes allowance for the protection of sites of national significance, through declaration.
Why was District Six such a target for destruction?
It represented the polar opposite of what the Apartheid government, inaugurated by the National Party coming into power in 1948, needed people to believe and internalise. District Six thus became one of the main urban targets for destruction in the city of Cape Town.
What is restitution in the context of District Six?
Restitution in the context of the historic District Six presents a number of challenges as well as opportunities for all who are involved and committed to its reconstruction. It is an ambitious project which needs to take into account the psycho-social trauma of the community together with their legal rights to just and equitable restitution.
What is District Six kanaladorp?
Over time, some people called District Six Kanaladorp, ( kanala being derived from the Indonesian word for ‘please’), and its likely that the name stems from a fusion of the two meanings.