Bo-Kaap residents protest development near historic Auwal Mosque

Bo-Kaap residents demonstrated on Friday against an approved "apart-hotel" development in Buitengracht Street, with further protests anticipated in the weeks ahead. Concerns were expressed about the proposed development's impact on the area's heritage and character, with gentrification and increased congestion cited as additional issues by community members, as reported by Voice of the Cape Radio.

The proposed site, located at 150 Buitengracht Street, is situated near the historic Auwal Masjid and the boundary between Bo-Kaap and the Cape Town CBD. The Auwal Masjid committee announced that residents would stage a weekly demonstration outside the development site every Friday following Jumuah prayers, urging the community to join their cause.

The City granted permission for a revised six-story hotel development at the location last year, after a comprehensive planning process. The plans underwent revisions following objections over the size of the project and its potential effects on the surrounding heritage area. Bo-Kaap gained additional heritage protection in 2019 when the City designated the area as a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone, mandating the consideration of heritage aspects in development applications within the zone.

The Auwal Masjid, founded in 1794, is recognized as South Africa's oldest mosque, and its proximity to the proposed development has been a source of concern for the mosque's committee. The mosque's committee has vowed to maintain the weekly protests every Friday after Jumuah prayers.