Reclaim the City disputes claims it invaded the Tafelberg site over the weekend

CAPE TOWN - Land rights advocacy group, Reclaim the City, has disputed claims that it invaded the highly contested Tafelberg site, in Cape Town, over the weekend.

This comes after the group led a march to the site on Saturday, in partnership with provincial African National Congress (ANC) leader, Khalid Sayed, and the Good Party's Brett Herron.

Western Cape Infrastructure MEC, Tertius Simmers, has accused the group of illegally invading property and breaching security.

Reclaim the City said that the Tafelberg site in Sea Point had become a powerful symbol in the fight for justice regarding land injustices in Cape Town's economic zones.

According to the NGO's leader, Karen Hendricks, both the Western Cape government and the City of Cape Town had ignored multiple invitations for engagement on this critical land issue over the past decade.

Hendricks said there was a need for dialogue and action to address these longstanding injustices in the community.

"We seek accountability from the Western Cape government and ensuring that the public land is used for the social good or public good, particularly for people who are affected by a housing affordability crisis."

Meanwhile, Simmers said that the demonstration involving political leaders was disappointing.

"Public protest is a democratic right, unlawful occupation is illegal and impedes our attempts to deliver much-needed affordable housing in the city. The actions of Reclaim the City and their political parties are in complete bad faith given our plans for the site."

Activists have been challenging the sale of the Tafelberg site, a former remedial school in Sea Point, since 2015.