History of Zonnebloem

Province: Western Cape
Coordinates; 33.931°S 18.433°E
Area; 1.42 km2
Municipality; City of Cape Town

Accommodation needed for freed slaves

Zonnebloem is Dutch for sunflower. The area now known as Zonnebloem was a farming estate until the early 1800s, as the city grew so did the need for accommodation. Many of the slaves freed after 1833, labourers, artisans, artists, native Africans and immigrants. and immigrants as well as Malay people, brought to the Cape by the Dutch East India Company, made the area their home. In 1867 the area was named as the sixth municipal district of Cape Town. By the turn of the century, it was a lively community made up of a cosmopolitan mix of people and cultures,

Multiculturalism in District six

. District six was an area where many diverse people settled. This included freed slaves, These people of all colours and cultures lived happily side by side. At the time about one tenth of Cape Town’s population was living here.

Relocation

As the city grew wealthier residents felt that District six was an eyesore and a health hazard. An outbreak of Bubonic plague in 1901 gave officials an excuse to forcibly relocate mostly black and coloured people to areas further away. In spite of this the area retained its character until in 1966 when the area was declared as a “whites only” area by the apartheid government and thousands of people were forcibly removed over the next few years. Most of these people were relocated to areas on the Cape Flats. Many of the buildings in District six were bulldozed with the exception of places of worship. the area became a bit of a derelict dustbowl.

Since 1994 the government has officially recognised the need for restitution and pledged to support rebuilding.

The postal code for Zonneblom is 7925

Things to see and do in Zonnebloem:

The District Six Museum opened in1994 after 5 years of planning. Here not only events and stories of the painful times are recorded, but also records of the times before the removals. There are many interesting pictures and artifacts on display

WEATHER TODAY IN ZONNEBLOM

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Useful Numbers in Zonnebloem

Police: Cape town central: 021 467 8078
Traffic department: Gallows hill traffic department: 021 444 3811
Fire: Central fire station. 021 444 8963
Water: 0860 656 463
Electricity: 0860 656 463
Ambulance: 10177
Post office; Cape town central; 021 4641707
Closest hospital/clinic; District six community health:021 833 5400
Pharmacy
SPCA: Grassy park 021700 4140
Schools
Zonnebloem Nest – 021 461 5308
Harold Cressy High; 021 461 3810
Chapel Street Primary School – 021 465 4107
Zonnebloem boys primary school – 021 465 4260
Zonnebloem Girls Prac. School Cambridge Street – 0214654481
Museum District six museum: 021 466 7200
The City of Cape Town Public Emergency Communication Centre is available 24/7 For all life or property threatening emergencies, call 021 480 7700 from any phone or 107 from a landline or report online at https://bit.ly/3o4Ji3K

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