Public reminded of participation launch to rename Old Granary building after Desmond and Leah Tutu
14 September 2023
Residents are reminded of the official launch of the commenting process on the proposed renaming of the Old Granary building to ‘Desmond and Leah Tutu House’ on Saturday, 16 November 2023. The City of Cape Town’s Public Participation Unit encourages Captonians to attend this event.
'The public participation process starts on 16 September 2023 and the closing date for comments on this proposal is 30 September 2023. I encourage residents to attend the launch, and to participate in this very important process to have your voice heard. For those who cannot make it, there are other ways to submit your comments, and I ask that you please make the time to do so. We are looking forward to receiving your input,' said the City's Deputy Mayor and Chairperson of the Naming Committee, Alderman Eddie Andrews.
Official launch of participation process
· Saturday, 16 September 2023
· From 09:30 to 11:30
· The Old Granary building, 11 Buitenkant Street, Zonnebloem
How to comment:
· Attend the official launch on 16 September 2023
· Send an email to: naming@capetown.gov.za
· Go online: www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay
· By hand: all Subcouncil offices and City libraries
· The closing date for comments is 30 September 2023
The City's Economic Growth Directorate made the proposal to rename the Old Granary building to honour and memorialise the life and work of the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu and his wife, Leah Tutu.
At its meeting on 28 August 2023, the City's Naming Committee endorsed this initiative and subsequently, the City's Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis also gave the City's Public Participation Unit the go-ahead to commence with a participation process to give residents the opportunity to comment on the proposal to rename the City-owned building to: 'Desmond and Leah Tutu House'.
'The proposal to change the name was set in motion by the Economic Growth Directorate which oversees the management of the Old Granary building. Our vision is to carry on the legacy of Desmond and Leah Tutu who have made notable contributions to the political and socio-cultural identity of Cape Town and South Africa, and are global icons for virtue and fortitude of character,' said the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth, Alderman James Vos.
The Old Granary building, situated at 11 Buitenkant Street in Zonnebloem, was originally constructed between 1808 and 1813. Over the past 200 years, it has been used as a bakery, granary, jail for women, customs house, court and police office, and Public Works offices.
In 2015, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation co-funded the refurbishment to allow the foundation to use the space as a peace centre, archive centre, and a museum, and City of Cape Town office space.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
