Cape Town - The last remaining speaker of the N|uu language of the San people, Ouma Katriena Esau, has given her support to the River Club development, although her son disputes her support.
Under the wing of the Western Cape First Nations Collective, Queen Ouma Esau said she had been coerced into signing affidavits without first reading them by Tauriq Jenkins, an opponent of the development.
Ouma Esau is the matriarch and Royal House of Nllnge leader and is recognised as the custodian of the N|uu language.
The First Nations Collective has been in a tug-of-war with the Liesbeek Action Campaign headed by Jenkins among others, over the R4.5 billion development by the Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT).
LLPT has gained the support of the First Nations Collective, which will see a heritage precinct established within the development at the River Club, Observatory.
Queen Esau’s son, Prince Jacobus Titus, said that after having received his mother’s statement in which she supports the development, he called her and others who had been present at the meeting with Jenkins.
He said his mother was unaware of the First Nations Collective statement published in her name. Titus said Jenkins had been warmly received by the family, and treated as a son.
“It's not the truth. I called my mom. My mom knows nothing about this. No, that is not the truth.
“I must protect my mother. She is old, and can’t read and write (English) and they said these things to her, which is not the truth.”
Prince Titus said his mother had been told to support the development by his brother.
Prince Titus had previously supported the development but later removed his support, claiming the developers were not forthcoming.
“They promise things but can’t deliver," he said.
Titus said the Western Cape First Nations Collective was not representative of all Khoi and San, and merely consisted of a few Khoi.
Jenkins said he would not comment on the ongoing smear campaign.