The historical site of District Six, a place described by its community as “sacred ground,” is being systematically stripped of its physical heritage as individuals steal valuable remnants like granite kerbstones to sell for profit. This plundering of District Six is causing deep distress among former residents and heritage bodies, who see it as a second wave of destruction following the forced removals under apartheid.
The issue was recently highlighted when a member of the public alerted the District Six Museum to images on social media showing people loading granite kerbstones from the area onto a bakkie. Chrischene Julius, Director of the District Six Museum, confirmed that this is not a new problem, with such thefts occurring since the 1980s.
“I think the people who take things from the site are removed from that historical experience of forced removals,” Julius stated, explaining that for former residents, the site evokes “a lot of trauma, a lot of pain.” These are not just stones; they are “emblems of memory” that formed the familiar streets and even the iconic “seven steps of District Six,” holding a “very special place in people’s hearts.”
The theft is particularly frustrating because these historical materials are meant to be incorporated into the current restitution and redevelopment process. “Those granite curbs have been used in the restitution processes. They make up the new redeveloped streets,” Julius explained. “The cobbles are going to be kept with the next phases… that is part of the physical fabric of District Six.” When these items are stolen, it undermines the effort to preserve the area’s character for returning families.
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Gaps in protection and memory
While the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) declared eight specific buildings in District Six—including churches, mosques, and schools—as national heritage sites in 2023, the wider, empty spaces where communities once lived lack the same explicit legal protection. This leaves the broader landscape, symbolic of both the destruction and the hope for restitution, vulnerable to exploitation.
The District Six Museum, an independent organisation formed in 1989, has been central to the work of memory and the fight for restitution. It serves not just as a repository of history but as a “site of conscience,” linking the story of District Six to other sites of forced removals and advocating for a city that “belongs to all of us.”
Julius believes a significant challenge is the disconnect between younger generations and the lived experience of the area. “Our work as elders as such is to make sure that people know what that site is, what it means and why it is sacred and why it will always remain sacred,” she said. The plundering of District Six highlights a failure in collective education about its significance.
The museum, which receives no state funding, relies on public support and donations to continue its educational programmes and advocacy. For the community, the fight is not just about preserving stones but about honouring a painful past and fulfilling the promise of restitution. The ongoing theft from District Six is a stark reminder that the struggle to protect its legacy is far from over.
Image: Demolition in progress, District Six, Cape Town, circa 1974-1975. Taken during the final stage of removal of 6 000 families from District Six, for relocation to the Cape Flats and Atlantis, in terms of the Group Areas Act. [UCT]
