Page 161 - Bulletin 21

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1925 Wolfsohn had plans passed for the conversion of what had been a stable. Council was

far more aware of health issues and an inspection shortly afterwards found that the stable had
been converted illegally into accommodation occupied by 8 people. (Fig. 4.46.)

Further plans were passed in 1925 to convert the building properly and put in proper

drainage. It was declared a slum in 1936 when 18 people lived there and was demolished as
part of the Flats project. (Fig. 4.47.)

With Boyes Drive nearing completion in 1930, Wolfsohn wrote to Council with a bold plan

to demolish all 14 of what he called the ‘temporary’ (they had been there nearly 30 years)
fishermen’s cottages on which he collected rent. In their place he submitted plans for 10

proper brick houses to be occupied by whites. There is no mention of what would happen to
the dozens of people who would have nowhere to go. Fortunately, Councillor Dr. A

Abdurahman was there to make a strong plea and Council dropped the plan.

Wolfsohn appeared before the Slums Clearance Committee in 1936 and surprise was
expressed when only two of his properties were declared slums. Uniquely, among all the

property owners, his representative said ‘We do not attach the same stigma to the premises
being declared a slum as other people do’.

Someone who took a very different view to Wolfsohn at the Slum Clearance Committee

hearing in 1936 was Gerhard van Blerk who had instructed a powerful legal team of Dr. T E
‘Eben’ Donges (later elected State President) and J du Toit of the law firm Jan S de Villiers.

Their client was ‘surprised’ that some of his properties had been declared slums as he had

‘never had any complaints’. These statements were a clearly a ploy as 11 of his ‘cottages’
had been condemned as unfit for human habitation by Council in 1915 – 21 years before. The

1915 MOH report did say there was confidence that van Blerk would ‘continue on with the
work required slowly, but nevertheless, surely’. (Fig. 4.48.)