Alex De Bruin’s complaints about the V&A Waterfront, foreign tourists and the Oranjezicht City Farm Market cannot go unanswered (“Online shopping mishaps beat real-world retail woes”, January 19). First, tourists make a huge contribution to the economy of Cape Town and the Western Cape. They flock to the V&A Waterfront because it has a lot to offer apart from just a shopping mall — it has restaurants, hotels, markets and a working harbour.
How does De Bruin know that tourists visit only the mall and not other places such as Table Mountain, Robben Island and various beaches? To say that he “fended of a German” and to refer to “just too many elderly, loud Americans” is not funny; it is xenophobic. Second, the Oranjezicht urban farm and market were created by founders who worked — and continue to do so — long hours to make it succeed.
It is untrue to say their primary purpose is “selling overpriced, homegrown, organic vegetables to City Bowl citizens with an excess of financial resources and nothing better to do on Saturday mornings”. The vision of the founders was to show how fresh food can be grown in urban centres, and to encourage city dwellers to learn where their food comes from and how it is grown. We (very much from the middle class) have been shopping for food at the Oranjezicht market just about every Saturday for more than 15 years — the food is always fresh, tasty, and reasonably priced.
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Has De Bruin tasted the tomatoes? He should compare them to the tasteless stuff you buy at the usual retailers. Through blood, sweat and tears the founders of the market have created a world-class outlet visited by thousands of locals and foreigners.
We should be proud of what they have achieved, not disparage them. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: Send us an email with your comments toletters@businessday.co.za. Letters of more than 200 words may be edited for length.
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