This week, the LLPT received an unusual letter of demand. It came from an activist movement, Samekoms, which called on the Liesbeek Leisure Property Trust (LLPT) and the First Nations Collective to immediately cease their construction activities at the River Club.

Samekoms is a movement to build stronger and vibrant communities through campaigns which highlight the plight of the country’s indigenous people and which enable the implementation of a “restoration” plan that would see indigenous communities “return to the land.”

Samekoms headed their letter to the LLPT and the FNC “Land Invasion” and wrote as follows:

“we write to you as indigenous people living on the cape flats. We note that you continue to claim land, this time through the liesbeek leisure property trust, having total disregard to the alternative views expressed, being it through petitions, marches, reclamation of the land ceremonies, court challenges.

in terms of the colonial anglo-roman-dutch system, you should withhold your yearning for the land until the dispute has been resolved. you over-ruled your courts and then proceeded to invade the land.

we are the indigenous people who lived in harmony with nature and with this land. we now find ourselves displaced in getthoes whilst we are pushed to the outskirts and as foreigners you continue to invade the land.

the land has significant spiritual value for the indigenous people we are on a journey to return to the land. we have developed a 22-point transitional plan, which takes us from colonialism to restoring our African way of living.

this notice serves to inform you of the following:

-          to stop with the construction currently taking place on the land

-          undertake a project to rehabilitate the land

Samekoms concluded by giving notice of a gathering which would work towards a people’s plan for the land.

So, to the extent that the LLPT think that the First Nations Collective, who are the only First Nation supporters of the development, speak for all indigenous groups, it is clear they are wrong because there is widespread and vocal opposition to this development. Here is one of a number of groups speaking with authenticity about what is a First Nations’ priority - and that priority is for the development to stop.  But LLPT just do not want to listen.

Next thing, LLPT will claim that Samekoms are our mouthpiece. That seems to be LLPT’s standard response when anyone else speaks out against the development. Nothing could be further from the truth. Samekoms are an autonomous and fiercely independent activist group focused on building a proud and dignified Manenberg (a socio-economically depressed area of Cape Town with high levels of gang violence). They will not be pushed around by anyone, whether it is the LLPT or FNC or even, for that matter, our campaign. We recognise they have different strategies and we respect them for that. But it is clear that we agree with Samekoms that this development must stop.  Allowing big developers funded by wealthy corporations and backed by the one of the largest global corporates in the world – Amazon - to treat indigenous people with such disdain, puts paid to any claims of legitimacy for this development.

We agree that there needs to be a people’s plan for this area, one that bring harmony to a world beset by inequality and competition; a plan that restores nature and the environment whilst recognising the dignity of First Nation cultures and practices. We look forward to participating in such a process. Not the tick box public participation exercises that have been used thus far to secure development approvals for a corporate enterprise.

Despite the call from Samekoms, you can see from the photo above that the developers are pushing ahead with construction as fast as they can, whilst the legal process takes its course.

So, we do need your financial support - please consider assisting us with the legal fees. You can contribute at our fundraising site or directly via EFT here.

You can also visit our newly launched website and follow the Liesbeek Action Campaign on twitter: @LiesbeekAction.

Now is the time to Make the Liesbeek Matter!