The heart of it all, District 6

Dylan Burke - IPS

8 March 2008

Hailed as the historical roots of South African Jazz, District 6 is a municipal district shrouded in historical significance, an area set to re-brand itself as the new historical roots of modern redevelopment.

District Six was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town in 1867, it was originally established as a mixed community of freed slaves, merchants, artisans, labourers and immigrants, District Six is a vibrant centre with close links to the city and the harbour.

The area, formerly associated with the removal of over 60 000 of its inhabitants during the 1970s by the apartheid regime, is slowly regaining its once vibrant appeal and preparing its gradual steps to launching into its former glory. This large redevelopment and upliftment is directly influenced by two notable forces, the District Beneficiary Trust and the vested interest in the area by the nation’s developers.

Cape Town’s central business district is expanding at a rapid pace in order to accommodate the ever increasing demand for commercial property in the City Center. Neighboring suburbs including University Estate, Salt River and Woodstock were the immediate choice for redevelopment; market leaders and analysts predicted that District 6 would be sighted as the next big hot spot.

The growing trend these days is for the Cape Town employee to move his/her place of residence closer to the city center, thus alleviating the hassles of negotiating the ever persistent traffic. This movement has sparked a large scale growth in the number of bars, hotels and socially conscious places.

“There has been a large outcry for the area of District 6 to be brought back to its original luster, a call for new and improved services and properties to re-launch its old appeal to the new market, and with this new and improved redevelopment will follow a large insurgence of willing and able investors” says Scott Picken, CEO of International Property Solutions.

The area boasts an impressive array of historical significance, beauty, views and opportunity for growth. Landmarks such as the Castle and the District Six Museum serve as a remembrance to the events of the apartheid era, adds a touch of class and memory for the area, memories that will ensure the district is never forgotten in the minds of all residents and investors.

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