Heckling, call to ‘grow up’, drowning out mark heated Bo-Kaap election debate

Party positions on the Israel-Hamas war and community development in Bo-Kaap were top of the mind among residents of the country’s oldest Muslim settlement during a heated election debate on Tuesday, 21 May. 

The debate, hosted by the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association at the Schotsche Kloof Primary School hall, became so heated at one point that Rise Mzansi leader Songezo Zibi told fellow panellist Nazier Paulsen from the EFF to “grow up”. 

Throughout the debate, the Israel-Hamas war was a key feature, through questions, the visible keffiyeh scarves and signs saying “Free Palestine” – which is not surprising in Bo-Kaap, an area known for not only its large Muslim population but its well-documented activism, most recently in 2019 over issues of gentrification. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Bo-Kaap must have heritage status, say residents of the country’s oldest Muslim settlement

Questions were asked about Rise Mzansi’s funding, from Rebecca Oppenheimer, of about R15-million. He was asked whether this affected his party’s position on the war. Zibi replied that “our position on Palestine is clear”, and when pushed by the audience and by Paulsen on whether what was happening in Gaza was genocide, he said: “First of all, it is a genocide.” 

Even while Zibi was addressing the question, Paulsen kept making remarks, at which point Zibi told Paulsen to “grow up”. Zibi went further, saying “this is the kind of politics that turn people away from politics”. 

It was then the DA’s chance to answer whether, as a party, it thought the war was a genocide. In response, Riad Davids, a City of Cape Town councillor, had to repeat several times, even on WhatsApp: “I say stop the genocide.” However, he was heckled as the audience wanted to know his party’s stance on the issue. As Davids tried to explain further, he was heckled to the point that he became inaudible. 

As Daily Maverick reported in 2023, the Israel-Hamas war has become a hot-button election issue and there are fears, especially in the Western Cape, that the DA’s stance on the issue could affect voting patterns. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: How the Israel-Hamas war is stirring up Western Cape politics

During the debate, GOOD’s representative, Shahin van Nelson, asked the audience how they could believe what Davids was saying, adding that “our people must stop believing lies”. 

Several people in the audience praised the ANC’s support for the Palestinians. One woman told ANC representative Muhammad Khalid Sayed that while the party’s policies were “brilliant” the implementation was lacking. 

Another person asked which parties would support a boycott bill, to which independent candidate Zackie Achmat said he would support a boycott and divestment bill, and that Sayed should take the message to ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa to get one going immediately. 

In the last election the ANC gained the most support at the voting station, receiving 731 votes, compared with the DA’s 431 and 264 for Al Jama-ah. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: ANC is keen to win in Cape Town’s historic Bo-Kaap, says Duarte

Also in the audience was Ward 77 (Oranjezicht, Tamboerskloof and Bo-Kaap) councillor Francine Higham (DA) and Western Cape member of the legislature Aishah Cassiem (EFF), Rise Mzansi Western Cape premier candidate Axolile Notywala as well representatives from other parties. 

But the debate wasn’t all about the war. 

The audience was asked about housing and social integration – and the responses were mixed. When asked about how Bo-Kaap, an area rich in tourist spots, could have job creation, Davids was heckled when he claimed its residents were “lucky” that they did not suffer forced removals, which elicited a roaring response. At one point someone shouted at him: “It’s because of the DA we’re sitting with gentrification.” 

Read more in Daily Maverick: 2024 elections

Other candidates pushed for the cutting of red tape to allow for more small businesses, while others such as Al Jama-ah’s Shameemah Dollie Salie called for trade zones within Bo-Kaap where only locally manufactured goods such as clothing could be sold. 

The elections will be held next week, on Wednesday, 29 May. DM