Former District Six residents wish to return to place of birth

Scores of former District Six residents joined hundreds of other demonstrators in a march for land, housing and school safety held in Cape Town on Wednesday.

CAPE TOWN - A group of elderly Capetonians who left District Six during the apartheid era's forced removals say that their dying wish is to move back to their place of birth.

Scores of former District Six residents joined hundreds of other demonstrators in a march for land, housing and school safety held in Cape Town on Wednesday.

Several Civil Society groups including Equal Education, the Social Justice Coalition and Reclaim the City were part of the demonstration.

Preparing to embark on the march from Kaizergracht Street to the city council building, a 63-year-old Athlone resident stood with a poster hanging around his neck which read: "D-6 Western Cape, we are tired of waiting on false promises... we want our land back".

A man born in District Six in the early 1950s says that he had been forced to move to Athlone along with his family during the apartheid regime's forced removals in the early 1970's.

He says that younger generations who are less deserving of moving into District Six are getting accommodation there.

“People are dying. We were born and bred in District Six and we’re not getting a place. It makes you feel frustrated. It builds up some sort of hate in you, to wait and wait, because your days are near to the end of your life.”

Demonstrators say it's sad that 24 years into democracy, they're still fighting for their rights to land, adequate housing and equality.

_WATCH: Activists march for land in CT _