Residents are opposed to the development overshadowing the oldest mosque in the country
- The City of Cape Town is expected to make a decision on the future of a proposed six-storey hotel and restaurant in Bo-Kaap.
- Residents are objecting to the scale of the development, saying it will overshadow the oldest mosque in the country.
- The developers argue that they have had extensive engagement with residents and had made changes like adjusting the windows away from the mosque.
Arguments for and against a proposed six-storey hotel in the historic suburb of Bo-Kaap were heard on Tuesday by the City of Cape Town's advisory panel for appeals.
"Emotions are running high," said Osman Shaboodien, chairperson of the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association. "I would like to see some sense and peace prevail so we can walk away from here making a historic decision," he said, while asking the panel to consider the size of the development.
But the development company has argued that the objections before the panel aren't any different from those raised previously. It says they were addressed during its engagements with the community.
In July GroundUp reported on the proposed six-storey development planned for the Bo-Kaap that residents said would significantly impact the heritage of the area.
The Auwal Mosque, the first mosque established in South Africa, is just ten metres from the planned hotel and restaurant to be built on what is currently an empty lot at 150 Buitengracht Street.
The Municipal Planning Tribunal approved Flyt Property Investment's development in July but community members objected to this and have opposed other large developments in the suburb.
At an appeals meeting on Tuesday, community member Rafiq Jacobs told the panel that any development near the mosque should be lower than the minaret (used to project the call to prayer).
"The Auwal Mosque and the people who have called this place home for centuries deserve nothing less than our respect and protection. I urge you to not just consider the height of a building. The height and spirit of Bo-Kaap must be preserved."
Heritage expert Dr Stephen Townsend, on behalf of Bo-Kaap residents, argued that Bo-Kaap was in a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone (HPOZ). He said the community was merely asking that the developers amend their building plans to a "tolerable scale" that does not damage the HPOZ, the townscape and nearby heritage resources.
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Ryan Flowers, asset manager at Flyt Property Investment, told the panel that the company had already had extensive engagement with the community.
"We decided that we would like to build something that fits a little bit better with the Bo-Kaap landscape. We don't want a monstrosity. We want something that fits," he said.
"I think often developers are painted with the brush of this just being about business and making those numbers work. We are normal people. We aren't a massive developer," he said.
Flowers said that one design change was that windows facing the mosque were adjusted. "As you'll see those side windows were purposefully readjusted. We don't feel like the objections raised are any different from those that were raised previously and addressed during the facilitation process. Every day that we hold up the development, it costs real money," he said.
In response, Shaboodien pointed out a mural of Bo-Kaap outside the mayor's office and said: "Bo-Kaap is the only treasure we have."
The panel is expected to make recommendations on the matter to the mayor in the coming weeks.
