Cape Town proposes selling land beneath Camps Bay Library
In Cape Town, South Africa, the city has proposed selling the plot of land beneath Camps Bay Library, valued at 63.45 million rand. The stated goal is to create opportunities for private development, Daily Maverick reports.
Library closures in South African cities
The publication notes that the situation is not limited to Cape Town. In Durban, Musgrave Library was permanently closed, while the city allocated 22 million rand for statues. In Johannesburg, according to the report, seven libraries remain closed and partially dismantled.
According to Daily Maverick, 43% of South African households have no books at home, while most children still cannot read with comprehension. The publication describes libraries as among the few public institutions working to overcome this problem.
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Residents’ participation
Host Zoë Human stated that the city owns the land and makes decisions concerning it in compliance with the relevant legal procedures and public participation processes. She also stressed that residents can take part in these processes.
Ground Work Collective representative Mbali Ntuli advised residents to find out who represents their electoral ward on the city council, attend council meetings, and obtain library cards. According to her, library resourcing is linked to the intensity of their use, so an active library is more difficult to sell.
