The City of Cape Town is forging ahead with renaming the Old Granary building to Desmond and Leah Tutu House.

The renaming was approved last week during the last council sitting, and on Monday, the city said it would, in the new year, officially rename the building at a special ceremony. 

The renaming came after a proposal was made by the city's Naming Committee in August.

The proposal underwent public participation in September. 

The Old Granary building, situated at 11 Buitenkant Street in Zonnebloem, was constructed between 1808 and 1813.

Over the past 200 years, it has been used as a bakery, granary, jail for women, customs house, court, police station, and public works department office.

In 2015, the Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation co-funded its refurbishment to allow it to be used as a peace centre, archive centre, museum, and office space.  

The report on the outcome of this process was tabled by the council at its last meeting for the year.

Five comments were received during the public participation process, with the majority in support. 

"We welcome the council's decision, and I want to thank all who participated in this process - from those who made the proposal for the name change to the public participation unit who steered the commenting process, the mayor for his support, and finally, council who endorsed this decision," said Eddie Andrews, the city's deputy mayor and chairperson of the Naming Committee.

Tutu died in December 2021, aged 90. 

In late 2015, he offered to contribute R12-million towards the granary's refurbishment.

Tutu also agreed to take on the lease of the building as a home for the Tutu Foundation Centre.

The city, in turn, contributed a further R30-million towards the restoration, which began in late 2016.

The city's mayoral committee member for economic growth, James Vos, said his department, which oversees the management of the Old Granary building, welcomed the outcome.

"Our vision is to carry on the legacy of Desmond and Leah Tutu, who have not only made notable contributions to the political and sociocultural identity of Cape Town and South Africa but are global icons for virtue and fortitude of character. We will host the official renaming in the new year," he added. 

The chairperson of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu IP Trust, Dr Mamphela Ramphele, told News24 they were thrilled about the city's decision to rename the Old Granary building in honour of the Tutus.

"We will feel an extra sense of pride walking into work at Desmond and Leah Tutu House in the new year.

"Also, an extra sense of responsibility to establish a world-class heritage facility, with our sister organisation, the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation, along the lines of institutions honouring other human touchstones, such as the King Center in Atlanta and the Gandhi Smriti and Darshan in New Delhi," she said.