The City of Windhoek council has approved the identification of seven houses in the Khomasdal and Katutura residential areas that were built in 1960 as heritage sites from the apartheid era.
The ordinary council meeting held on 31 August 2023 resolved that the nomination and conservation of seven houses that are more than 50 years old be declared as heritage sites telling the social, political and educational icons’ stories of the apartheid era in the 1960s.
According to the meeting minutes issued on Tuesday by City, the council said while the city centre has monuments and statues, there are no official heritage resources in Katutura or Khomasdal.
“Therefore, the houses that will be selected based on the significance of their first occupants and should be transformed as the apartheid-era cultural precinct by developing a trail around the townships of Herero; Damara; Wambo; Donkerhoek; Gemengde; and Khomasdal.”
During apartheid, the South African government implemented a policy of forced removals, which resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people from their homes and the disruption of entire communities. The aim of this policy was to create separate racial and ethnic enclaves, with white residents occupying the most desirable areas of the city, and people of colour confined to the periphery.
This legacy of segregation and exclusion persists in many cities in southern Africa, including Windhoek.
“The main goal of this project is to transform the apartheid-era legacy of the Katutura and Khomasdal townships into vibrant hubs offering employment creation opportunities, as well as experiences for people to immerse themselves in Namibian culture and art,” council indicated.
It noted that the houses will be utilised as historical icon museums, showcasing the people of a specific area, through cultural performances, traditional food, traditional chores, and arts and crafts, including accommodation providing homestay experiences for visitors to stay with local people.
The council further noted that similar projects have been successfully accomplished in other southern African cities, such as Johannesburg, which nominated and preserved the late Nelson Mandela family home in Soweto as a national heritage institution. - Nampa