Residents remain at Hardekraaltjie Caravan Park more than two months after the City of Cape Town instructed occupants to vacate the Bellville property.
The 26 July deadline passed while uncertainty continued over the residents’ future and the City’s plan to transform the longstanding caravan park into a community sporting facility.
No final development plan, heritage impact assessment or start date for construction has been made public.
The latest position deepens the uncertainty reported by TygerBurger in August, when the City confirmed that planning for the property’s redevelopment had started.
The City previously said it had formally designated the land for a sporting facility intended to benefit the surrounding community.
It also said the continued occupation of the property prevented it from proceeding with the development.
Community remains at the park
Resident and caretaker Miranda van Wyk said she had lived at Hardekraaltjie for almost two years.
“We are a very close community. We look after the park and we look after the grounds,” Van Wyk said.
Residents clean the property, tend to its gardens and contribute towards maintenance.
“Everybody’s a bit settled in,” she said.
The passing of the July deadline has left unanswered questions about when residents will have to leave and what will happen to those who have made the park their home.
No heritage assessment yet
The proposed redevelopment has also raised concerns about the site’s history and mature trees.
The City previously confirmed that it had not undertaken a heritage impact assessment. It said it would consider the need for one during the relevant planning and approval processes.
The future of the mature trees also remained uncertain.
A community campaign has called for Hardekraaltjie and its trees to be protected as the City considers the property’s future.
The lack of a publicly announced development programme means residents still do not know when work could begin or how the project would affect the park’s existing landscape.
For those living at Hardekraaltjie, the issue extends beyond the proposed sporting facility. They fear losing their homes, their close-knit community and a longstanding part of Bellville’s history.
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