GOOD Statement by Wesley Neumann,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
24 July 2025
On Tuesday, 22 July, over 100 committed residents and civil society leaders gathered at the Isaac Jacobs Hall, LOFOB, to discuss the future of the Gilray Scout Site. This meeting was more than just a gathering; it marked the start of an era where communities will no longer accept decisions forced on them by the City.
For too long, the DA-led City of Cape Town has shown a disregard for public participation, undermining the principles of participatory democracy. Instead of engaging and empowering communities, officials and politicians have taken it upon themselves to dictate what is “best,” sidelining the voices of the people.
Public institutions and spaces belong to the community, yet the lack of genuine consultation exposes a deeper systemic agenda that prioritizes profit over people.
This was made evident when Sub-Council Minutes revealed that in 2017 already, David Dunn from the City’s Recreation and Parks Department arbitrarily decided that the Gilray Scout Site should be rezoned and sold, stating it was “a quick win” for developers already circling this valuable land. This, without the lessor of the property or the community being consulted.
This betrayal exposes how public assets are quietly handed over to private interests under the guise of progress. Even as the City boasts of being “the best run in the world,” it continues to abdicate its duty to maintain and develop recreational facilities for the benefit of the people. These spaces are vital for youth development, social cohesion, and community well-being. To sell them off is to rob future generations of what is rightfully theirs.
The meeting also revealed a critical flaw in the City’s policy that allows internal departments to reserve land for new uses. The public is only engaged after impact studies, funded by ratepayers, are completed, rather than being consulted from the start.
Whenever land is to be repurposed for whatever reason, the City must take the community with them and not decide for the community how best to use the community’s land.
We must commend the Greater Grassy Park community for rising up, uniting their voices, and fighting the systemic injustice of excluding people from decisions that affect them. Their courage is a powerful reminder of how grassroots action can confront systemic injustice and reclaim their collective voice.
Media Enquiries:media@forgood.org.za