The Sustainable Bo-Kaap Association which started a community garden on endowment land last year has been locked out of the property.
Founder Soraya Booley says trouble started after they cleaned up the overgrown plot and successfully ran the garden which was meant to feed the less fortunate in the area.
Two big boards have now been hung on the locked gate which read: “This property is held by the Darul Falaah Study Group for the specific purpose of developing Islamic educational institutions on the land.”
Booley says the problem is different people have come forward claiming to be the trustees of the Darul Falaah Study Group which holds the title deed to the land.
“We launched the garden in September and in October people came and told us that we were on their property,” she explains.
“Then a fence and a gate were put up, and then eventually all the gates were closed in December and we could no longer go in and water the plants.”
She says they received an eviction letter but says no one lives on the property, while all the plants are in mobile containers as per agreement with the trust.
“We couldn’t understand why we had to move now, we asked if we could stay until closer to the time the Madrassa was built,” says Soraya.
However, the Darul Falaah Study Group (DFSG) released a statement this week which said: “DFSG is not the party responsible for locking the pedestrian gate at the property.
“The DFSG had always resolved to deal with this matter legally, hence the involvement of our attorneys, who served a notice to vacate on the Sustainable Bo-Kaap Association (Suboka).”
Soraya said they understand DFSG to be the ones responsible for the garden being locked and have therefore taken out a spoliation order against the organisation.
The matter will be heard at the Western Cape High Court on 16 March.
“We are still hoping that the matter can be settled before it goes to court,” adds Soraya.
DFSG spokesperson Koebra Najjaar refused to comment on Monday.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za