Page 131 - KBHA BULLETIN 5

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The decision to close the school was taken by what we call a “vestry meeting” at which only

17 people were present. It appears that these were all white people. A point was made that
schools were available in Steenberg and Simon’s Town for the affected pupils. Some of the

proceeds from the sale were used towards the cost of constructing a new church hall. It is
significant that they were not used directly for the benefit of the people in whose welfare the

church had had such a stake for such a long time. So what had arguably been an immense
contribution of the church to Kalk Bay ceased without being replaced. It is exciting to see

what is happening at St. James (RC) School where a new classroom is to be officially opened

on Friday, and to witness the continuation of great commitment to this work of education
among the poorer people of the locality.

The Church Hall was used to a large extent by the Holy Trinity Club, and the members of this
Club were very supportive in the building and maintenance of the Hall. In their Constitution

of 1967 it is stated that where functions are held in the hall “No discrimination shall be made
on grounds of colour alone, in the matter of admittance to such functions, provided that such

admittance is not in direct contravention with the laws of the Republic of South Africa.” The
functions referred to were concerts, plays, and the like.

But membership of the Club was not open to all. In 1979 the Church Council asked the Club
“to consider taking steps to progressively open their Club to all members irrespective of

race”. The Club did not respond favourably to this. One reason was an unwillingness to rock
the boat in their own membership, and to challenge the laws of the land. Another was a desire

not to draw attention to Kalk Bay where the position of Coloured people under the Group
Areas Act was due to be reviewed in 3 years time. The upshot was that the Church and the

Club parted company, and there are members of the Coloured community who still carry hurt

at being excluded.

I would like to record some personal reflections of my own which reveal the dilemmas of

these years. Firstly, in 1986 Bishop Desmond Tutu was elected Archbishop of Cape Town.
The news of this was received with great disapproval by some people in the leadership of the

Church and by some parishioners; there were some who left. Secondly, there were occasions
when we prayed for Nelson Mandela in Church, and this aroused much anger in many

people. Thirdly, about this time permission was given for the End Conscription Campaign to
hold a meeting in the Church Hall. The night before the meeting two teargas cannisters were

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