Premier’s inadequate housing plans slammed as an ‘insult’

Cape Town - The housing problem in the Western Cape is deemed far from over by activists who have said the government isn’t taking the need seriously, following the announcement of 9 395 housing opportunities planned for this financial year.

With the Western Cape currently having a housing backlog of over 500 000, with many citizens having been on the waiting lists for decades, Premier Alan Winde’s statement has been considered an insult and a deliberate delay to improve the lives of the poor.

Winde made the announcement during this year’s State of the Province Address and people from across the metro said the low numbers showed lack of interest to address the matter. They believe more funds could have been redirected to social housing opportunities.

“For the year ahead, the province has committed to creating 9 395 housing opportunities. Our Help Me Buy a Home initiative is a growing success. We exceeded the programme’s target to deliver 2 000 units this year,” said Winde.

Kashiefa Achmat, a Maitland housing activist, said this was the reason why many people remained on the waiting list for decades.

“It is like they have no interest in getting to the bottom of the housing issue any time soon, because moving only a few at a time makes no impact in our communities.

“For instance, in Maitland alone not many people benefit from the developments for various reasons, like the corruption in the allocation plan, affordability and the spaciousness of the built properties.

“As low as the number is, it will still cater for smaller working class families, leaving the majority still in the dark. The social housing is basically not for the poor.

“We have seen this in the development on the Main Road where the most backyarders who wished and applied for the units were rejected because they didn’t qualify. So if not for the locals, then who are these social houses built for?” Achmat asked.

Nikelwa Maqula, a community activist from Khayelitsha, said for as long government was turning a blind eye to the reality of the importance of providing affordable dignified homes, it would be difficult to fully address most challenges it faces.

“The slow pace in providing homes is the reason there’s a rapid growth of informal settlements and illegal occupations. People relocate for different reasons and families grow every day.

“They can’t be expected to pay rent for their entire lives, hoping for an ignorant government to do the right thing when they know their parents too have been on the waiting lists for as long as they can remember. The premier has, once again, let us down,” added Maqula.

Moses Madizeni said even the Grabouw community was disheartened by the news as the need was dire.

“That is the problem we have: these projects happen far from the poor where we all form part of the province. Clearly this number will target the privileged, in the established areas,” he said.

In response, Ntobeko Mbingeleli, the spokesperson for the MEC of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, explained that the premier’s speech highlighted and addressed various and all aspects of the Western Cape Government’s plans for delivery across the province.

“The province has plans in place to deliver housing opportunities across the Western Cape Province. Plans include delivery of housing opportunities to residents with varying income brackets.

“Details with regard to the dedicated budget for housing opportunities will be incorporated into the budget speech to be delivered by the Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers,” said Mbingeleli.

In response to prioritising the Cape Town region, he said pipelined projects included Pinelands’ Conradie Park Phase 2; Regent Villas Extension 2 in Mitchells Plain; Goodwood Station; and, the Somerset West project.

These projects will add to the six projects that are already under way and are part of the multi-billion rand housing development in the province.

Shaun August, a member of the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, weighed in after the Sopa and said: “The province needs to urgently act against construction mafias who are throttling the lives of 21 000 families desperate for a home.

“I am aware that plans are in place in the housing sector to address this scourge, but we do not have the luxury of time to focus on anything other than these challenges that are costing our citizens their dignity.”

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