Response to deputy mayor's statement on Strand Street Quarry proposal

De Waterkant Civic Association, De Waterkant

The letter "Could the quarry be a decoy for development?" (Atlantic Sun, Thursday May 29, 2025) refers

The De Waterkant Civic Association (DWCA) acknowledges the public statement issued by Deputy Mayor Eddie Andrews, as published in the Atlantic Sun.

Mr. Andrews’ remarks were positioned as a response to correspondence submitted to the Atlantic Sun by De Waterkant resident, Donald Cameron.

It is with regret that the DWCA notes that Mr. Andrews’ statement contains multiple inaccuracies and misrepresentations regarding the DWCA’s position on the proposed redevelopment of the Strand Street Quarry site.

Accordingly, the DWCA is compelled to provide clarification and place the factual position on public record.

The DWCA has consistently recognised the cultural and historical importance of the Strand Street Quarry, particularly in relation to the Bo-Kaap community. In this regard, the DWCA has expressed its in-principle support for redevelopment initiatives that are appropriately aligned with the heritage context and that serve the best interests of the Bo-Kaap community.

As communicated previously, the DWCA has intentionally refrained from commenting on the portion of the site situated on the southern and western side of Strand Street, in full acknowledgement of the widely-held view that the Bo-Kaap community should have the primary and decisive voice regarding the future use of this historically and culturally sensitive site.

However, the proposed construction of a parking facility on the De Waterkant side of the site represents a separate and highly contentious matter.

This element of the proposal was never disclosed or discussed during any of the formal workshops or public consultations in which the DWCA participated.

It appears to have been introduced unilaterally and without collaboration, in a manner that undermines the integrity of the public participation process.

The DWCA maintains that the green space earmarked for the proposed parking, along with the adjacent De Smidt Street Park, forms part of a vital green buffer between the heavily trafficked Strand Street corridor and the residential area of De Waterkant.

In addition, the proposal disregards a long-established de facto servitude and cobbled heritage roadway that has provided vehicular access to residences on Loader Street for more than 90 years.

A detailed document outlining the DWCA’s formal objections to the current land use application will be submitted before the closing date of May 30 2025. This submission will elaborate on the DWCA’s serious concerns regarding the conduct of the City and its consultants throughout this process.

Chief among these concerns is the ongoing and deliberate mischaracterisation of the DWCA’s position, as evidenced once again in Mr. Andrews’ latest statement.

Contrary to the Deputy Mayor’s assertions, there has been no formal consultation with the DWCA regarding the proposed parking development, nor has there been any direct engagement with the property owners who stand to be most affected.

The DWCA formally communicated its objections to the City’s appointed consultants as early as November 2023. These representations have not been acknowledged or addressed.

While the DWCA does note that two informal meetings have occurred between certain City officials, project consultants, and members of the DWCA, it must be emphasised that no “middle ground” was achieved during these engagements. On the contrary, the tone of these discussions was consistently coercive and at times overtly intimidating.

City representatives conveyed to residents that failure to support the proposal would result in adverse consequences, an approach fundamentally incompatible with the principles of democratic consultation.

These meetings were convened only after key elements of the proposal had already been finalised, and therefore cannot be considered part of a transparent or meaningful participatory process.

In the DWCA’s considered view, the broader public participation process has been little more than a procedural formality. It has been marked by selective disclosure, the marginalisation of directly affected communities, and the dissemination of misleading or incomplete information to both the public and decision-making bodies.

Notably, Mr. Andrews’ claim that the proposed bus embayment has been removed from the plans is patently incorrect; these features remain clearly illustrated in the current land use application and the plans previously approved.

Given the factual inaccuracies in Mr. Andrews’ statement, the DWCA is left to conclude that he is either misinformed or is knowingly contributing to the pattern of misrepresentation that has characterised the City’s approach to this project to date.

The comprehensive comments and objections against the current land-use application will be made available on the DWCA’s website in due course.

• The Atlantic Sun reached out to the City of Cape Town, but they had not responded by printing time.