Victims of forced removals hope for restitution

A call to action has been made to people who were victims of forced removals from their homes in Tokai due to apartheid’s Group Areas Act.

The families from Kirsten Cottages, Raapkraal, Diep River and other areas were kicked out of their homes around 1969 and relocated to areas such as Lavender Hill, Manenberg, Atlantis, Parkwood, Hanover Park and the greater Lotus River areas by the apartheid government.

The Raapkraal Land Claim Committee Trust met last week to discuss the way forward and called on all those from these areas to take part in a class action application to get compensated.

It’s not the first time the group has made efforts to get compensation. Fourteen years ago in 2008 about 350 families came together and assembled all the information and documents they needed to apply for the application. Unfortunately, because of financial constraints and theft by their previous legal representation, the families were unable to continue, according to committee member Jerome Lewin.

“We want to restart the application and strive to get dependable legal representation but before we can do that we need the families to come forward again and help us achieve our goal. We can only do this if we stand together,” said Mr Lewin.

Sandra Moses was six years old when she and her family were removed from Raapkraal. She still has memories of a farm-like life but said she and many others still deal with the trauma of being taken away from their home.

“In the blink of an eye everything was taken away and we couldn’t do anything about it but we will continue fighting until we get back what was taken from us.”

She recalls the pain of seeing her and many other families and friendships being torn apart because they were relocated to different areas.

“My father Johnny Moses who worked for Baas Boetie had to help drive the furniture and possessions of families to where the government threw us. We will never forget what was done to us,” she said.

Claimant Cecelia Solomon, 73, lived at number 9 in the Main Road of Kirsten Cottage and was moved when she was 16. “We were told that there are better houses for us where we were going. My family and I were moved to Ibis Way in Grassy Park and realised that we were lied to and our lives were never the same because we lost connection with our neighbours and friends. I miss those days,” said Ms Solomons.

Asked why she attended the meeting, Ms Solomons said her wish is that the government compensate her and the other families accordingly.

“What was done to us was painful and awful and that needs to be acknowledged and we must be compensated in some way,” said Ms Solomons.

Committee executive member Ricardo Swail encouraged those in attendance to call on others who were forcibly removed from Tokai to attend the trust’s next meeting.

“We have the power to take this application further and to make it a success. We need to do it now before all of the people who once lived in Tokai and the broader community are not here anymore,” he said.

A legal advisor who attended the meeting said the claimants have a strong case and encouraged more families to come forward.

For more information contact Jerome Lewin on 071 409 2923 or Ricardo Swail on 081 860 3390 or attend the next meeting on Thursday September 8 at Retreat Library at 11am.