Open letter to residents of the newly established District Six community, specifically those who are bigoted and think without reason.
When I moved here, I was excited to hear about the establishment of a community forum. It meant we residents could actively engage each other and really build on a legacy from the past.
Let’s face it. We were talking over 40 years since the forced removals of our families and friends. Now in the second decade of the 2000s, we were living new lives in a totally new society – but the memories, images and stories from the past were still clear in our minds.
The returnees came from very diverse communities – and from different social and cultural backgrounds. With all of this in mind, I was eager for us to merge together and to start something fresh. Boy have I been disappointed!
I guess it was an unrealistic hope. Especially if you factor in the way residents acted towards each other in their previous communities. Sometimes a new concept, or a dream just isn’t enough to unite a people – especially if those people have an agenda or their own impure motives.
So I attended some meetings. What a disgrace! Overly drawn-out, sometimes running late into the night, without any progress. Bickering, finger-pointing, he said-she said, decisions driven through regardless of impact…divide and rule! What was even achieved in 2014? A sporadic neighbourhood watch? The isolation and alienation of certain individuals and groups of residents?
The D6 Community Forum constitution is incredibly long-winded, but what does it even mean in practice? Some things can look amazing on paper – but putting them into effect is another story.Some of the things you are trying to do look good on paper, and noble in fact. But you need to evaluate why you don’t have the full support you need. You need to interrogate your methods and your agenda, and the implementation thereof.
So that is my context. Now let’s go into it.
I have been here for a few years. I enjoy the location, chatting to my immediate neighbours, and the view is wonderful. In my time here, I have learnt plenty about what this community is, and what it shouldn’t be. I have been relatively quiet, but I look out for people. But enough is enough people.
Through observation and multiple conversations I can say that this place is a joke! I have been following the District Six Community Forum’s Facebook page for the last few weeks. It gives soon-to-be-residents glimmers of hope, and also offers disgruntled residents (the same few) a cathartic outlet to vent their dislike of certain people and the things they have done.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/DistrictSixCF/
Now, I think that the Forum has some notable achievements like the knitting group, and there are some individuals there, and in the community who actually have the community’s best interests at heart. There is also a huge chunk of residents who have been completely alienated by them, and by residents.There are many others who just want to live their lives, and raise their children in peace.
The problem is bigotry – those short-sighted people who cannot tolerate an opinion other than their own. And the people who share their opinion? They become their friends and allies.
“The way things used to be in District Six” is a term that has been conveniently thrown around as a term to justify people’s decisions and behaviours. Yet they conveniently forget the truth, and take nostalgic bits and pieces from the past to fit their agenda. They selectively choose things from the old D6 and try to reinstate them – yet conveniently forget about others.
For instance – some people believe that the whole of District Six should be pedestrianised to allow the children to play in the streets. Because children played in the streets in District Six in 1952. That is absolutely absurd. They believe that residents who have balls kicked against their cars, walls and doors should be happy about it. And if they dare complain, they are the ones with a problem. That is ridiculous.
In 1955, how many cars were there in the residential streets? We are talking over 50 years ago. So you are applying history to the present, and saying that your children and grandchildren have a right to play in the streets. That is mind-boggling.
Do you have any idea how many times children have almost been hit by cars driving along Pontac St, or turning into Stuckeris Street? It is scary. Imagine the outcry should this happen. And who will be to blame? The driver of course – “he should have looked where he was going”, or “he should have known my child was going to run out into the road!” How convenient. Parents – dare I say it – you are responsible for your children. If you are letting them play in the road for whatever reason, you had better damn well have the reaction time of a Protea wicket-keeper. If you are not watching your child, what the hell do you care whether they get run over or not anyway?
And let’s face it, there are plenty of parents who are not watching their children – and are happy for them to be out of the house for most of the day, even stretching into the evening.
I remember driving down Stuckeris Street at 10.30pm late last year, to the right next to the field – it was an absolute circus! Small children, big children, ball games, skateboards, cellphones, shrieking, laughing, shouting, very small children walking across the field. It was past 10pm and I could not believe my eyes! And not a parent in sight!
Well, that lasted for a few months, but it seems to have ‘cleared up’ – but the amount of parental neglect is still shocking! It is not something I will ever be able to understand. Another time I saw young children just wondering around together in the dark! But if you cannot hear or see your child, what is going through your mind. And what if that child is 7 years old? Do you just go on trust? That she is with her friends at the end of the road? Parents like you are lazy, sick and worthless. Yet you will make the most noise should something happen to your child. You make me sick.
Going back to cars and people’s property. Moving back here, many people had their cars parked within their gate, or garage at their previous homes. Now with parking predominantly on the street, it does make your care more vulnerable to theft and damage. With this in mind, it should make people mindful and respectful of each other’s vehicles. But it has not. Rugby, soccer, cricket games – and your car is just part of the field. So what if it gets dented, or scratched? You have not taught your children and grandchildren to respect other people’s property!
Of course residents are going to speak out – it is their right! Yet you have the audacity to question them, and moan that the children have nowhere else to play! Really? Do the words “responsibility” or “accountability” mean anything to you? Rest assured that if your son smashes a cricket ball through my car or house window, I am first going to publicly humiliate them, and then I will be slapping the repair bill against your forehead. Try me.
Parents, there are these things in existence called parks and public spaces. But you are so blind to the outside world, that your child playing within the immediate community is the only option you know! That is disgusting. How do you expect your child to become a well-rounded individual if they rarely leave their community? We have seen how people like that turn out – not well – and there are plenty of them living in District Six.
Of course, a D6 park would be fantastic. But let me remind you that it would be a city park – a public space – and not the property of the Community Forum. Bear that in mind when there are people who wish to walk their dogs, or sit on the grass and enjoy the weather. They too will be using the park. It will be a public space. Surprised?
Speaking of the park – it won’t solve the big problem of some residents being really awful and irresponsible parents. It will just offer them a ‘safe’ space to dump their children. And what will you do to those people who do not live in the area who wish to use the park? Kick them out? Question their District Six credentials? It is a public space, and you do not have the right to do that.
Stop pretending your children and grandchildren are little angels, and future models of the community. Stop pretending a park is the answer to all of the community’s problems. Try raising your children properly first. Take them to a park outside of District Six, take them to a museum, for a walk along Company Gardens. Stop being so damn lazy and let them experience a different culture, a different setting.
And the other thing? I could not care less if you are happy to have your child stand on the street corner late into the night. Although it does make the place look like a ghetto – they are just having a good time right? By 10, 11pm, most people want to sleep. They do not want to hear anything – including your child’s pre-pubescent roars, ball-game-playing or questionable antics. Have some respect for old people, for people who have to be up early the next morning. If you really do not understand this, mail me your address, and I will play soccer in front of your house at 7am on a Sunday morning – let’s see how happy you are about this.
And this corner culture? In today’s society it is strongly associated with gang culture. Name me a handful of respectable and successful young people who spent the last few years standing on the corner in the evening. You will surely struggle.
Oh bigoted residents of District Six – have you ever considered that you are guided by emotion, and not by reason? Have you ever wondered why there is a huge portion of the community who has consciously decided not to get involved in your meetings and activities? You accuse them of not living in the spirit of D6 – of being secluded. You have never looked at yourselves, or the past actions of the forum – and questioned whether these could have totally put people off…
And what of the under-35s who were originally part of the forum when it started? Where are they now? Living in their own country? Locked behind their doors? They are happy, getting on with their lives. They are working hard in their professional capacity, and raising their children – who are not likely to be running around in the street after dark, unsupervised. I suppose there is something wrong with them too, hey? These are actually the people you need in your forum – they are emotionally intelligent, sharp, and have great leadership capacity. But why would they waste their time and energy on something frustrating like the forum?
In the past – people respected each other, and they had consideration for each other. It meant that they actually thought about the effect that their actions could have on another person. That was a long time ago. But it is something we need in society even today – especially within our community. But it is severely lacking.
It is great that you have such a strong emotional attachment to the area – but you also forget that D6 means different things to different people. Yet you are forcing through your collective agenda, because it is your selective vision for the area. Yet you actually have no idea about who lives here. It is more diverse than you think. If anyone doesn’t like your ideas, they are the one with the problem, hey? That is your modus operandi.
Stop assuming that the regular people who attend the meetings make up the community – they are only a small percentage. Ask yourself how you can get more people involved and how you can be more inclusive. You brush off individuals by saying there is something wrong with them; that they probably don’t have the right to be here, or they don’t want to be a part of the community. Yet there are numerous young couples, skilled professionals; intelligent and wise people who have made a conscious decision not to get involved in your politics. Life is too short!
Your narrow-mindedness and inability to accept another viewpoint is scary. You also do not consider other people’s lives or circumstances. Old people, people who work late, people who have to wake up very early – how much time do they have to sit in your exhausting meetings?
You have a rigid vision for the way you think things should be now, and you will be damned if anyone is going to tell you otherwise. I can think of some Presidents who think like that – their countries aren’t doing too well. You should think about that for a moment.
You do not represent the interests of the community, you represent the interests of a small bunch of people who think and act like you – your fellow bigots. The other people who attend meetings are probably too scared to speak out, or too old to deal with this nonsense.
Oh, the District Six of old – a place of diversity, different ideas and cultures. A melting pot of humanity.
Fast-forward 60 years and we have a Rwandan family renting here! Shock, horror! I have heard the opinions and read the articles, but the truth is that there would not have been such a huge outcry had the family that moved into the rented flat been Muslim. That is a fact. You know it in your hearts. I grew up in a household of mixed religion – and looking back I feel blessed to have experienced 2 different viewpoints. Now being older however, it makes people who act in such a barbaric way all the more insufferable.
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/foreigners-threatened-in-district-6-1.1866206#.VYgBu_mqqko
The fact is, residents’ issues should have been taken up with the owner of the flat, and the government. Why bully and threaten the innocent Rwandan family? Because they want to live close to their workplace? Because they are willing to pay R7500 per month? Because they do not look or sound like you?
There are people waiting to come back, but what does that have to do with someone who owns their own unit? If I wish to rent my unit out next month, do I need to first ask your permission? Or will you be victimising my tenants? You are not the moral police of the area, and you have no authority. What are you going to do when other people start renting out their homes? What about the residents who moved there in 2005? They have been there for over 10 years! What if they need the income? Do they need to explain this to you? Too many people have crossed the line here.
And guess what? There are black people who live in the area! Their families were from District Six! Can you believe it? The community at large has left them feeling marginalised and unwelcome. For a community that is supposed to be diverse and inclusive, that is horrific.
Oh bigoted residents, when was the last time you had your black neighbour over for supper? Do you even greet them or acknowledge their existence? Keep your prejudice to yourselves you offensive hypocrites.
I read with amusement about the whole episode of the bonfire, and the couple who confronted you. Of course they were the ones with the problem, hey? You just wanted to have a good time with all the little kiddies? You incredibly intelligent and responsible people – did you know that it is actually illegal to have a fire on an open field? When you decided to break the law, did you first consult the neighbours near-by to let them know that there would be a fire behind their house, and the smoke would be blowing into their kitchen? Did it ever cross your mind to do that?
So there was no permission, no consultation and your flames of passion ended up being doused!
Yet you felt disgruntled with the people who called the fire brigade? What did you expect? Do you really have a pea-sized brain? Or do you have extremely limited vision where you can only see as far as your nose? I just don’t get it. As the so-called ‘leaders’ of the community, you are pathetic.
Every single one of the residents could have called the fire brigade – it would have been their right as responsible citizens. And I am sure if they had, you would have questioned each and every one of them on their links to District Six, and familial right to be here. What a farce.
Wrapping up – I do like the idea of a Youth group. It sounds great on paper. But here is my question – what is the age range of this group? 4 to 18? You might need to reconsider this. Surely it should be split into separate groups? For what business do a 5 year-old and a 16 year-old have socialising together if they are not blood related?
The parents should take turns in running the groups for the smaller children, and it should include activities which stimulate their minds and creative spirits. For the older group, what exactly do they do? Would you consider getting several cars together and taking them say, up to Signal Hill? Or to the park? But I guess that would require too much effort – and it is much easier to dump everyone into a small office and blare your music.
Speaking of that, did you ever consult the residents living directly above the office? How dare they complain, hey? What right do they have to be affected by your children’s late-night noise?
I think I am finished here.
But a word of advice – keep your ‘enemies’ closer than your friends – because the very people who openly sing your praises and pat you on the back are talking about you behind your very back. How do I know this? I am one of them! Do not be so naïve, bigots.
Another piece of advice, try to view things from someone else’s perspective – it might just give you some humility.
Over time, understanding and accepting other viewpoints may just help you to shed your bigotry. And do not be afraid to occasionally take a glance in the proverbial mirror. It might also result in the taste of humble pie. For a new District Six does not need emotional people who have no emotional intelligence – it needs smart, savvy and social leaders to take it forward.
I enjoy my life, and am happy living here. But as any sane person knows, you can only take so much of the crazy for so long – and you either become crazy or you have to speak out. And I have chosen to speak out, finally.
You would be very surprised to find out who I am, and probably feel betrayed by one of your own. But I do not have the time or the care to deal with your politics. So for now I am going to sit pretty and enjoy being anonymous.
When I see you I will smile, and you will smile back at me, because that is how it works. But just know that this community is rotten from the inside out, and the wise ones will not attend your meetings, nor will they speak to you directly about how they feel.
For what is the point? There is surely something wrong with them too, hey? J
I have not named names, and have held back from dishing dirt and embarrassing certain people, but you know who you are. Life goes on…
Feel free to mail me any time: honestd6resident@gmail.com
It might just open your eyes.
