I write in response to what we believe is biased reporting on the River Club redevelopment (“Amazon office developers keep Cape Town’s heritage in mind”, July 4, and “Zenprop lying about River Club project, says professor”, July 6).
First, it’s a puzzle that Zenprop can claim the redevelopment is anything more than a moneymaking exercise by speculators. The development will place 150,000m² of concrete on a flood plain of high environmental sensitivity and huge heritage significance for first nation Khoi groups, and infill a sacred river.
It is a site nominated for provincial and national heritage status based on an expert heritage study and is slated for nomination to Unesco as a world heritage site. It is part of the National Khoi and San Heritage Route, a presidential legacy project.
The development is fiercely opposed by more than 60 indigenous first nation entities, civic associations and environmental NGOs, and more than 56,000 people have signed a petition opposing it. The fact that the developers have found some Khoi leaders willing to support the development does not change the fact that the majority of Khoi groupings see this development as an insult and do not accept that a media centre, amphitheatre and indigenous herb garden justify the permanent destruction of intangible heritage….
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