protesters in Joe Slovo Informal Settlement
10 September 2007
The Department of Housing regrets the disruptive and violent actions of
protesting residents of the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Cape Town
today.
The Joe Slovo settlement is one of the construction sites for the N2 Gateway
Pilot Project, the national housing experiment set up to test the efficacy of
governmentâs integrated housing policy.
The protestors today rejected the integration of fully subsidised homes with
rental and bonded units, and demanded the construction of one-size-fits-all
Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) housing.
In addition, they rejected their temporary relocation to Delft to allow the
development of Joe Slovo to proceed, and demanded the in situ upgrade of Joe
Slovo.
Their violent protest followed exhaustive consultations with the community
by, among others, Parliament's Portfolio Committee on Housing, MEC Richard
Dyantyi, councillors and project developers, Thubelisha.
The purpose of the community consultation was precisely to explain to
residents the processes that must be followed in order to qualify for housing,
and that they would have to relocate to temporary accommodation in Delft in
order for Joe Slovo to be developed.
It was explained that an in situ upgrade of Joe Slovo was impossible because
the land required extensive rehabilitation after being used for decades as a
dump site.
Some residents of temporary accommodation in Delft would move back to Joe
Slovo after its development, while others would be allocated completed homes in
Delft.
The violence that erupted today was therefore unwarranted, intolerable and
avoidable. Government cannot allow Cape Town's housing crisis to be manipulated
by opportunistic individuals and/or politicians.
The N2 Gateway Pilot Project cannot afford further delays.
In order to avoid a repetition of today's lawlessness the following measures
are being put in place:
1. The police and National Prosecuting Authority have been encouraged to
maintain law and order by bringing charges against the perpetrators.
2. Government will use all legal instruments at its disposal to ensure the
development of Joe Slovo proceeds without further hindrance.
3. The names of identified perpetrators of violence will be removed from
housing waiting lists.
Enquiries:
Mr Monwabisi MacLean
Cell: 082 882 2962
Issued by: Department of Housing
10 September 2007
