Some indigenous groups in South Africa want to stop Amazon building a new HQ on the site of a historic battleground

Isobel Asher Hamilton, 24 September 2021 – Amazon is building a new headquarters in Cape Town, South Africa. – Some local indigenous groups oppose the development, saying it’s an important heritage site. – The developer said it worked closely with indigenous groups to accommodate their requests. Amazon announced in April it would build a new…

The Liesbeek Action Campaign: ‘Yes, misinformation must stop, but it is not coming from opponents of the development’

By Professor Leslie London, Tauriq Jenkins and Marc Turok for the Liesbeek Action Campaign, 25 August 2021 The Liesbeek Action Campaign believes that misinformation is rife with regard to the River Club development. However, it is not the opponents of the development who are misinforming the public. This is a response to Mr Jody Aufrichtig’s…

Social issues Report August 2021

Thank-you to everyone who donated towards the extension of the Obz Rainbow House keeping their doors open during the coldest recorded winter in 10 years. The Obz Rainbow House is a supported housing model, piloted by OBSID, and assists its residents by offering accommodation as well as psychosocial support during the day in work sites….

Press release from Groote Schuur hospital

Issued from the Groote Schuur Hospital Facility Board 
Date 21st August 2021, 1300 Re: Disrespectful and attacking comments made towards our staff As the entrusted and elected community representatives on the Groote Schuur Hospital Facility Board, we distance ourselves from all the utterances made by a small group of community members who have gathered at…

Before the flood: What’s really going on at the River Club, and why it’s in the wrong place

While Cape Town competes for global investment, and sustainable development is needed to drive inclusive economic growth and social and spatial transformation, the controversial River Club mixed-use development is in the wrong place. Here’s why. The controversy around the recently approved River Club development in Observatory, Cape Town has involved a dispute over whose version…

Cape Dwarf Chameleon sightings

Below is a map showing the recent sightings of Cape Dwarf Chameleons at the River Club. The Cape Dwarf Chameleon is a threatened species, facing the prospect of endangered status. The River Club developement poses a major threat to their natural habitat.

City wins the irony award

From Mother City News 30 June – 26 July In what is either a well conceived counter-intuitive public relations manoeuvre, or the possibly embarrassing result of a democratic process, two of the people who have been leading the persistent and dedicated opposition to the River Club development have been presented with civic awards.  The City of Cape…

Dirty tricks develop at the River Club

From Mother City News 30 June – 26 July A defamatory letter to author MacKenzie Scott, whose ex-husband was Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, was attached to a complaint recently sent to the BackaBuddy crowdfunding platform the Observatory Civic Association is using to raise funds for its legal challenge to the R4.5bn River Club development.   The Observatory Civic Association is…

POPI REGULATIONS CAME INTO EFFECT TODAY

The Protection of Personal Information Act (or POPI Act), comes into effect from 1 July 2021. The OCA would like to assure members  that personal information contained in our database remains confidential and is not shared with any third party without your consent. Should you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please click here: UNSUBSCRIBE  However, no action…