Cape Town - Bo-Kaap residents have expressed strong opposition to a liquor licence application sought by Dorp Hotel, situated in the predominantly Muslim and senior community.
Last week, several residents gathered at the hotel, situated on 273 Longmarket Street and Schotsche Kloof, to share their concerns with the hotel management.
Concerns that the community’s rich and celebrated heritage were being exploited for financial gain, while the community’s values and principles were being disregarded were also made known.
In a statement, the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association (BKCRA) called on the public to assist in protecting against the threats of gentrification as well as to threats to its living heritage by property developers.
“At this moment, we in Bo-Kaap are facing one of our greatest threats, gentrification through hotels built on land sold and other existing hotels applying for liquor licences, thereby threatening our living heritage and way of life.
“The oldest esteemed mosque, the Auwal Masjid, is also under threat with a hotel planned that will impact on the Athaan and other Mosque activities.
“Our living heritage reflects the history, traditions, and identity of our residents.
“We call on Muslims and people of every faith to join us in protecting our living heritage from people only interested in profits and bringing foreign values to Bo-Kaap.
“We firmly believe that the preservation of our cultural heritage should take precedence, particularly in a community that is both historically and culturally significant not just to Cape Town but to South Africa.”
The association also called on the public to join them in rejecting the application and for assistance in terms of offering legal aid as they pursue the matter further.
“We call on all religious leaders, the clergy, to actively support our cause for the protection of our cultural and religious heritage, and to reject these liquor licence applications.”
The Dorp Hotel was contacted but told the Cape Argus that no one was present or available but would revert back. They did not return the request for comment by the time of print.
According to the association, the Dorp Hotel does not have a liquor licence, but have applied for it and they have objected to this.
Cape Argus