District Six Museum

One stop on our sightseeing tour of Cape Town was the District Six Museum. District Six was a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers, and immigrants. In the 1970's, however, 60,000 residents were evacuated and the district was declared a White Group Area. Residents were told they were living illegally in a white area and must make arrangements to remove themselves as soon as possible. The Group Areas Act authorized the relocation of 150000 Capetonians who were sent to various townships based on their ethnicity and race. The break out of the bubonic plague was used as an excuse for the first removal in 1901. Since then, there have been a total of 46 sites of removal. The area was eventually flattened by bulldozers and residents were forcibly relocated to the Cape Flats, barren land located outside of the city. 

While in the museum we talked with Noor, one of the original residents in the district who watched his house being demolished. He was neighbors with Christians, Hindus, Coloreds, Jews - everybody lived in multicultural harmony. He now works in the District Six Museum and has written a book about his experiences. Even though he frequently comes in contact with many celebrities and royalty, he treats them just as he would any other visitor as they are just another human being, just like us. Something he said that particularly resinates with all of us is "there is just one race- the human race".

 For more information go to: www.districtsix.co.za