This past Saturday, a group of young black people decided to occupy Clifton 4th beach in Cape Town. According to the poster, the gathering was organised for “black people to reconnect with their land, by occupying parts of the city that were designed to exclude and keep them out of sight”. We spoke to a few who attended to get their insights about the occupation.
Katt Daddy (24)
“These type of events are necessary because, historically, black people were not allowed on certain beaches. And until this day there are beaches like Muizenberg where white people complain about black people flocking there come December time. I feel, in 2017, these spaces should be equal.”
Manolo Matt (24)
“For me this event is not political, it’s actually encouraging black people to go to places that they don’t usually go to, especially in Cape Town. It’s for encouraging black and white people to build relationships with each other and share spaces in order to combat racism.”
Khensani Canca (20)
“White people always exclude us from spaces that are essentially ours, and I’m tired of that. I sometimes avoid spaces like this one because I feel like they are white spaces, until I sit back and think, ‘Actually, no, this is my land, and it’s my right to be here. I am here, and I’m not going anywhere.’”
Thandile Tom (24)
“It’s my first time here. I always drive past because this place is hidden. It’s so sad that for one to have fun at a place like this you have to travel so far, from places like Khayelitsha. So we’re here to fuck up this space because, as it stands, it’s not ours. It doesn’t represent us. We want to take back what is ours.”
More pictures from #BlackOutClifton…
https://twitter.com/KumkaniSiwisa/status/825417849854361600
Photography: Onele Liwani
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