Bo-Kaap

Above the Cape

It is the oldest surviving residential neighborhood in Cape Town

Bo-Kaap means above the Cape in Afrikaans. It lies on the slopes of Signal Hill above the city center, and it was formerly known as the Malay Quarter. It has the largest concentration of architecture from before 1850 in South Africa and is the oldest surviving residential neighborhood in Cape Town. From 1763 Jan de Waal built small rental houses here, which he leased to his slaves.

The mosques

The Auwal Mosque opened in 1794 on Dorp Street

Slaves were brought to the Cape from Malaysia, Indonesia and different parts of Africa, which gave the quarter its name Malay. Most of the new residents were Muslim, and several mosques were built. The first was the Auwal Mosque on Dorp Street in 1794. The Tana Baru Cemetery was established in 1804, and the Nurul Islam Mosque in 1844. Political exiles from Java and Ceylon arrived around 1820.

The colors

The bright colors may not be as old as people think

The bright colors of the facades are attributed to an expression of freedom by the new homeowners after emancipation in 1834, because all the houses were painted white while they were leased. But it appears that the tradition of brightly colored houses began in the late 20th century, not earlier.

Heritage

Nineteen sites became National Heritage sites in 2019

Preservation began in 1943, when 15 houses were restored. A part of the area was made a National Monument in 1966, and the city began restoring houses and streets in 1971. In May 2019, 19 sites in the area were declared National Heritage sites. Property here has become very sought after, and the community has debated over-tourism and gentrification.

19sites declared National Heritage sites in May 2019

Apartheid

Non-Malay residents were forced out under the Group Areas Act

Until the Group Areas Act under apartheid, the area also had residents of other backgrounds, including Indians, Filipinos, Africans, Portuguese and Italians. Unlike nearby District Six, the area was not bulldozed. But non-Malay residents were forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act, in an effort by a government official to preserve the Malay character of the area.