GOOD Statement by Marius van Stade,
GOOD Stellenbosch Municipality Councillor
27 August 2024
GOOD calls for the historical role that coloured farmworkers played in building today’s Stellenbosch to be recognised and preserved in the Aan Den Wagenweg heritage site.
During last week’s Council meeting on the 23rd of August 2024, GOOD abstained from voting on an application made by Remgro to give this site its heritage status.
The issue came before Council as Remgro needed a letter from the Municipality to erect signs on a municipal road explaining the meaning of the heritage site. This included the motivation for declaring Aan De Wagenweg as a Provincial Heritage Site (PHS).
The remaining two sets of Rhodes Cottages in Aan Den Wagenweg were used for coloured farm worker housing during the early 20th century under Rhodes Fruit Farms in the ownership of Cecil John Rhodes.
However, the coloured farm workers residing at the Rhodes Cottages were later forcefully moved after this precinct was declared a White Group Area.
These families had to relocate to the outskirts of Stellenbosch towns such as Idas Valley and Jamestown. The forceful removal from their homes brings back painful memories that were not mentioned or acknowledged in the application.
Moreover, Remgro made no reference of preserving the rich historical, cultural, and social significance of the people of colour.
GOOD Stellenbosch acknowledged the historical, architectural, and social value that elevates the cultural significance of this site.
However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the spatial injustices done to the people of colour under the passing of the Group Areas Act in 1950 which continues to destroy the cultural heritage and identity of coloured people.
“More could have been done to acknowledge and recognise those residents of colour that was living in the Aan den Wagenweg area”, said Cllr Marius van Stade. Prominent Stellenbosch families were forcefully removed under the Group Areas Act in 1950 during the Apartheid era.
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za