On her 98th birthday, oldest District Six land claimant hopes for restitution
Sharifah Khan is one of hundreds of former residents who've been waiting more than 20 years to return to District Six.
CAPE TOWN - One of the oldest District Six land claimants celebrates her 98th birthday today.
Sharifah Khan is one of hundreds of former residents who've been waiting more than 20 years to return to the area.
Litigation has been ongoing between claimants and national government since last year over the issue of restitution.
Khan and her late husband used to own the Bombay Cafe in Hanover Street, a takeaway store that sold delicacies such as samosas and curries.
WATCH: How long will it take for District Six claimants to get restitution?
But they lost their business and their home when apartheid authorities bulldozed them off the land.
Khan says it's still something she thinks about to this day.
“I feel bad about it, because it's been a long time you know. We struggled a long time.”
One of the oldest #DistrictSix land claimants, Sharifah Khan, is celebrating her 98th birthday today. Images: Supplied by the family @MoniqueMortlock pic.twitter.com/3GCwBj5iyN
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 25, 2019
Although her husband passed away a few years after leaving District Six, Khan is hopeful she'll live to see the day she finally gets to return to her old home.
Claimants will square off with the State on 17 May, when the rural development and land reform minister is expected to appear before court.
(Edited by Shimoney Regter)
