Rocklands Community Hall, built by the City of Cape Town Council in 1981, was the venue ofan historic gathering on 20th August 1983 which saw the establishment of the UnitedDemocratic Front (UDF) and signified a turning point in the struggle against Apartheid.The UDF was formed to unite people and organisations across South Africa despite racial,social and religious differences, and called for a united non-racial, non-sexist democraticSouth Africa. The gathering was attended by over 500 organisations from youth/studentorganisations, trade unions, church groups, civic, and women organisations, in response tothe social economic and political changes that had been taking place since the 1976 YouthUprisings. This included, and was in fact, spearheaded by, the introduction of the TricameralParliamentary system, a government system along racial lines which excluded the majority(Black) South Africans.The gathering at Rocklands heralded a new phase in the Liberation Struggle as the UDFplaced itself at the forefront of intensified and sustained mass protests that took place acrossSouth Africa between 1984 and 1986. The UDF demonstrated that a diverse coalition ofgroups and individuals could stand together, even in the most difficult times of suppression,despite differences in ideologies, to successfully put pressure on the Apartheid regime.Socially, Rocklands Community Hall was built as a multi-amenities facility to provide for thesocial and recreational needs of the Mitchell’s Plains community (many of whom wereforcefully removed from District 6), a “people’s place”. Rocklands continues to be such a“people’s place” to the residents of Mitchell’s Plain, providing various social and recreationalneeds such as issuing of social grants, sports clubs, church services, library, creche andsenior citizens meeting place.Architecturally, Rocklands Hall was one of eight halls built by the City of Cape Town in theCape Flats between 1970s and 1980s, based on the design by Graham Parker. Parker wasawarded the Architectural Award of Merit by the Cape Provincial Institute of Architects for thedesign. This led to the design being used for several community halls across South Africa.
ScheduleThe demarcation of the site, inclusive of the Rocklands Community Hall (both minor and mainhalls), the UDF Memorial and Memorial Square, Community Health Care Centre and theLibrary situated is as follows:
Site Name
Erf No / Farm
Province
NearestTown
Municipality
SurveyDiagram
RocklandsCommunity Hall
Erf 11553, Mitchell’sPlain
Western Cape
Cape Town
City of CapeTown
47/81
