Notwithstanding the loss of green space, it is worthwhile celebrating that the descendants of those forcibly removed will soon return to Protea Village.

On Friday, 29 August, there will be a public engagement process in Rondebosch, Cape Town, to discuss the possibility of recognising Table Mountain, also known as Hoerikwaggo and Umlindi Weningizimu, as a legal subject with inherent rights.

The Wild Law Institute in Cape Town convened the meeting to promote the idea of the "Rights of Nature" because they, like many other activists, citizens and lawyers around the world, believe that mountains and rivers often hold deep ecological, cultural and spiritual significance for people.

In the case of Table Mountain, it is held that it requires legal protection given its role as a vital water catchment and biodiversity hotspot that supports thousands of endemic and indigenous species.

It is also a place that continues to have a dynamic role in the lives of Capetonians - including weekend hikers, mountain climbers, runners, cyclists, dog walkers, users of plants for medicinal and spiritual purposes, and African Independent Church congregants who are drawn to the clear streams running down its slopes.

All these historical and ongoing relationships between people and the mountain will be highlighted by those advocating for the recognition of Table Mountain as a legal entity with inherent rights.

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