IN THE TIME OF DISTRICT SIX

In doing research for an assignment, i came across some interesting information about the history of District Six.

I come from a family that grew up in District Six and am now at a University of Technology that was built on the grounds of what once was District Six. Its quite ironic that the same place that my mother was forcibly removed from is now the place that I'm getting further education from. Its like the land was taken away from people who loved it and is now giving a different generation the opportunity to reach their dreams and those of their parents.

In a book called William Street, District Six by Hettie Adams and Hermoine Suttner the process of the forced removal of coloured people in District Six is beautifully described. Adams says, "Sammy used to go to William Street every Saturday for some time, that was when all was empty but not knocked down yet, and he just sat there and looked and cried. Slowly, slowly, everyone went, and Cape Town died."

The houses were in very poor condition, the streets were filled with rubble and rats and the people were so poor that fifteen people lived in one house, but there was a culture that the people that lived there treasured.

That culture will forever live in the hearts of the people of District Six.

The houses and streets of District 6