The City of Cape Town’s Naming Committee recommended to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis that the Old Granary building be renamed Desmond and Leah Tutu House to honour and memorialise the life and work of the late Archbishop and his wife.
Also read: Archbishop Desmond Tutu passes away at the age of 90
The Old Granary building, originally constructed between 1808 and 1813, is situated at 11 Buitenkant Street in Zonnebloem.
Over the past 200 years, it has been used as a bakery, granary, jail for women, customs house, a court, a police office and public works department offices.
In 2015, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation co-funded the refurbishment that allowed the space to be used as a peace centre, archive centre, museum and office space for the City of Cape Town.
The deputy mayor and chairperson of the Naming Committee, Eddie Andrews, expressed that the suggested name change is befitting of how the foundation utilises the heritage site in educating visitors and promoting the values of leadership and peace.
‘We fully support this initiative, and we have proposed to the mayor that we rename the City-owned building to “Desmond and Leah Tutu House”, and that the City’s Public Participation Unit (PPU) commences with a participation process to give residents and interested and affected parties the opportunity to comment on this proposal,’ added Andrews.
‘Our vision is to carry on the legacy of Desmond and Leah Tutu who have not only made notable contributions to the political and socio-cultural identity of Cape Town and South Africa but are global icons for virtue and fortitude of character,’ said City’s MMC for economic growth, James Vos.
Once the mayor has accepted the Naming Committee’s recommendation, the PPU will commence the participation process.
‘We will let the public know once the proposal is open for comment and how and where to participate. I want to encourage residents in advance to make use of this opportunity to be involved in this very important process,’ said Andrews.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu passed away at the age of 90 in December 2021.
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Picture: City of Cape Town / The Old Granary