CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — A fierce dispute over Khoi-San identity and indigenous heritage has erupted at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, where an occupation by Wanga Shixuqiquqa Kape has sparked accusations of cultural appropriation and prompted legal action from rival indigenous groups.
The controversy centers on a family of four who claim to be descendants of the Quan people. They have erected a makeshift structure and occupied a section of the Castle precinct, stating their intention to provide tourists and visitors with a permanent, living experience of their heritage. However, their presence has drawn intense pushback from other Khoi-San groups in the city who are challenging the legitimacy of the family’s indigenous claims.
Wanga Shixuqiquqa Kape, the occupier herself, maintains that she followed all proper procedures and received written permission to establish the living structure on the premises. Defending her identity against critics, she pointed to her natural hair texture as definitive proof of her ancestry.
“You may be colonised, but your hair will never change,” Kape stated, arguing that ancient archives and museums locally and internationally show that native Khoi-San people share her specific hair texture, rather than having “silky hair.” She also noted that indigenous skin tones naturally adapt to seasonal environmental changes, becoming lighter in winter and darker in summer. Kape expressed that her primary hope for the occupation is to encourage people to reconnect with their roots, adding that she has faced harassment from opposing groups.
The occupation has been strongly condemned by rival indigenous factions. Paramount Chief Tania Kleinhans-Cedras, founder of the Institute for the Restoration of the Aboriginal South Africa (IRASA), is leading the opposition alongside other prominent leaders.
Kleinhans-Cedras described the family’s actions as “force assimilation,” “cultural appropriation,” and “cultural erasure,” going so far as to label the situation “cultural genocide in its highest form.” She challenged Kape to definitively prove her ancestry from both a matriarchal and patriarchal side, arguing that true indigenous identity cannot be weaponized based solely on physical appearance. Kleinhans-Cedras demanded that Kape produce cultural protocol proving her cultural head approved the enforced occupation.
Highlighting the unified stance of the opposition, Kleinhans-Cedras emphasized the collective authority of recognized leaders. “As long-standing Cultural Leaders, Paramount Chief Greg Autsu Links, Paramount Chief Tania Kleinhans-Cedras and Chief Brennan Marais, representatives of historical //Hui !Gaeb Tribes viz !Ora Nation, Cochoqua Oedasoa tsi Gonnema Tribe and the Hessequa Tribe, do not present ourselves autonomously,” she stated.
She added that tribal leaders recently attempted to question Kape about her specific tribe or clan, but she allegedly could not provide the required cultural lineage. “We are not going to allow that someone claims to be who she is not and a family… taken possession of the Castle,” Kleinhans-Cedras said.
The conflict has now escalated into a multi-front legal battle. IRASA has appointed an attorney and initiated investigations, approaching both the Department of Social Development and the Department of Home Affairs to determine the appropriate course of action.
Meanwhile, the Castle of Good Hope itself has approached the courts to evict the family. The historic site, which falls under the oversight of the Department of Military, is currently bound by a court gag order and cannot comment publicly on the matter.
The legal proceedings are set to continue when the Castle of Good Hope returns to court in the second week of November, specifically on November 10. The upcoming hearing will address the eviction case, as well as specific concerns raised regarding the children currently residing at the occupied heritage site.
