Donald Hendricks, claimant and member of the District Six Beneficiary and Redevelopment Trust
With reference to last week’s article about turning the D6 Tafelberg Crèche into a shelter for homeless (“Plan for shelter in D6,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, June 30).
The history surrounding the creche, which was known as the D6 Silvertree Complex, is huge and the site should be preserved as sporting facilities for all District Sixers who are returning and coming home.
Department of Social Development spokeswoman Monique Mortlock- Malgas and her department must be stopped and wait for every claimant to be restituted.
In the 70s, our children attended the creche. During that time, it was at the bottom of Canterbury and Constitution streets and was funded by the apartheid government.
Our parents lived in District Six while bulldozers demolished homes and buildings with ball and chain.
When we got the news that the apartheid government wanted to demolish the Silvertree creche building to make way for a new road linking up to De Waal Drive, for a future technikon and exclusive use for their students, parents were furious and formed the Silvertree Working Committee.
Protest started on the boundaries of the creche. We used our children as human shields, singing freedom songs while the bulldozers slowly backed off – by then it was public knowledge and the schools, churches, mosques, civic organisations from all over supported our call.
Working around the clock, we drafted memorandums and plans for a new road bypassing the old Silvertree building and sports fields.
With documents in hand, we marched into the offices of Parliament and handed all to the secretary of President PW Botha.
At that meeting, one of our elders made an offer of 10 cents for the District Six land.
Finally the feedback from PW Botha’s offices said that the new road drawn by our people was not so steep and also cheaper. It is now Christiaan Street and uses the design of the concerned architects and engineers of District Six.
The Save Our Silvertree (SOS) protest created awareness across our country and the world. The Hands-Off District Six campaign got many organisations involved.
The struggle continues…
