The Old Granary building in Cape Town has been renamed ‘Desmond and Leah Tutu House’. The renaming is to honour and memorialise the life and work of the late Archbishop and his wife. The Old Granary building is located in District Six. The official renaming took place on Tuesday 20 February.

The renaming of the Granary building

The renaming of the building was decided on, following a public participation process. This was a joint initiative by the City of Cape Town, Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and Archbishop Tutu Intellectual Property Trust.

“Since its inception in 2011, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation has helped shape our society into a kinder, more tolerant and more compassionate place by speaking out against injustice wherever it occurs, and through ongoing dialogues to help South Africans bridge divides and understand each other better,” says Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.

It has been reported that in 2015, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation co-funded the refurbishment of the building, to allow the foundation to use the space as a peace centre, archive centre, museum and office space.

Background of the Old Granary

Capetonians can find the Old Granary building at 11 Buitenkant Street in Zonnebloem. It was originally constructed between 1808 and 1813. Over the past 2 centuries, it has been used as a bakery, granary, jail for women, customs house, court and police office and Public Works offices.

Hill-Lewis added, “Given all the challenges facing South Africans today, we could all use a reminder of the hope and optimism we’ve come to associate with the Tutu name. A reminder that we must never give up working towards building a free, fair, prosperous and inclusive country and city.”

The City’s Deputy Mayor and Chairperson of the Naming Committee, Alderman Eddie Andrews says the renaming is more than just a name change.

Old Granary is renamed ‘Desmond and Leah Tutu House’

The renaming was timed to coincide with the World Day of Social Justice.

MORE ABOUT: The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation

It reaffirms the commitment to building a society for all, tackling poverty, discrimination, and ensuring everyone thrives. The theme of this year is ‘Global Coalition for Social Justice: Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances’.

“We want to use this building, so rich with South Africa’s history of strife and division, to make visible the compassion and dignity needed by our country – and all the peoples of the world – to make global peace a daily reality,” concluded Andrews.

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