What happened in District 6 during apartheid?
In 1966, the apartheid government declared District Six a “white” area under its racial segregation policy. Most residents were forcibly moved because they were black or mixed-race and bulldozers destroyed their homes.
What happened to District 6 Cape Town?
On 11 February 1966 it was declared a white area under the Group Areas Act of 1950, and by 1982, the life of the community was over. More than 60 000 people were forcibly removed to barren outlying areas aptly known as the Cape Flats, and their houses in District Six were flattened by bulldozers.
What is District 6 called today?
Zonnebloem
District Six, or Zonnebloem as it is officially known, is one step closer to being District Six again. The paperwork for the name change for the area near Cape Town’s city centre, made famous by forced evictions during the apartheid era, is now with the Geographical Names Council.
Why is District 6 famous?
District Six is a residential area in Cape Town, South Africa. The area was once known for its lively community, many cultures, and music. In the 1960s, however, it became a symbol for the destructive nature of apartheid.
What happened to the people of District Six?
On Feb. 11, 1966, the government declared District Six to be a white-only residential area under the Group Areas Act. Around 60,000 non-white residents of District Six were forced to move to townships outside of the city center. Residents were moved into the townships according to their racial classification.
When did forced removals start in District 6?
On February 11, 1966, the apartheid government declared Cape Town’s District Six a whites-only area under the Group Areas Act of 1950. From 1968, over 60 000 of its inhabitants were forcibly removed to the Cape Flats, over twenty five kilometers away.
Where were the District Six people moved to?
the Cape Flats
Most of the approximately 20,000 people removed from their homes were moved to townships on the Cape Flats. By 1982, more than 60,000 people had been relocated to a Cape Flats township complex roughly 25 kilometres away. The old houses were bulldozed. The only buildings left standing were places of worship.
Where were the people of District 6 moved to?
Around 60,000 non-white residents of District Six were forced to move to townships outside of the city center. Residents were moved into the townships according to their racial classification. These townships were located in the dry and dusty Cape Flats area outside the city and often had poor infrastructure.
Why was District 6 built where it is?
“District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867. Originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers and immigrants, District Six was a vibrant center with close links to the city and the port.
What is the history of District Six?
The area was named in 1966 as the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town. The area began to grow after the freeing of the enslaved in 1833. The District Six neighbourhood is bounded by Sir Lowry Road on the north, Buitenkant Street to the west, De Waal Drive on the south and Mountain Road to the East.
Why is the District Six Museum so important?
The District Six Museum Foundation was only established in 1989, and the museum itself came into being in 1994. Currently, the museum serves as a remembrance of the once lively multi-racial area that was forcefully removed during apartheid in the 1960s and 1970s.
Where were District Six people moved to?
Most of the approximately 20,000 people removed from their homes were moved to townships on the Cape Flats. By 1982, more than 60,000 people had been relocated to a Cape Flats township complex roughly 25 kilometres away.
How did the forced removals affect the lives of the District Six?
As a result, most residents were affected by the forced removal. Apartments, churches and shops were leveled to the ground in the years after the Group Areas Act. New buildings such as the Cape Peninsula University of Technology were built upon the destroyed buildings, including Ebrahim’s home.
Why is District Six Museum known as a heritage site?
District Six Foundation was founded in 1989 and the museum in 1994, as a memorial to the forced movement of 60,000 inhabitants of various races in District Six during Apartheid in South Africa in the 1970s.
When was the District 6 museum built?
1994District Six Museum / Established
Why did forced removals happen?
More than 860,000 people were forced to move in order to divide and control racially-separate communities at a time of growing organized resistance to apartheid in urban areas; the removals also worked to the economic detriment of Indian shop owners.
Is District 6 a heritage site?
National Heritage Site. District Six Museum believes that that the best tool available for protecting the District Six land is the National Heritage Resources Act of 1999, which makes allowance for the protection of sites of national significance, through declaration.
What was it like to live in District Six?
Before being torn apart by the apartheid regime during the sixties and seventies, District Six, was an impoverished but lively community of 55 000, predominantly coloured people. It was once known as the soul of Cape Town, this inner-city area harboured a rich cultural life in its narrow alleys and crowded tenements.