Construction is continuing at the City of Cape Town’s Maroela South housing project, despite the extreme volatility in the area due to the continued organised unlawful occupation attempts and protest action today in particular. The City has remained committed to keeping work on track. This project includes the construction of 395 state-subsidised Breaking New Ground (BNG) homes and 175 Gap housing units for those who earn between R3 500 and R22 000 a month. Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi, visited the site earlier today to check on the project’s progress. However, the area is currently very unstable due to the attempts to unlawfully occupy land and the demand for services by unlawful occupants on recently occupied pieces of land. While the City respects the right of groups to protest, it absolutely condemns violence, criminality, thuggery and the destruction of public property and disruption to residents trying to go about their daily lives. Such actions move us backward and civic organisations and political parties should not condone or encourage such behaviour.
’I am pleased to see the progress that has made since my last visit. I however encourage all involved to continue to work with the City, so we can complete this project as quickly as possible, especially given the clear and present threat from unlawful occupation in this area.
‘As with all of our projects, we work according to the Housing Allocation Policy and the Housing Needs Register to be sure of a fair and organised approach to the allocation of opportunities, given the immense need. This objective and centralised approach to housing allocations is necessary because how else could it be decided objectively who benefits from an opportunity and who does not?
‘It is important that we complete our projects in the shortest possible timeframe as our housing projects across the metro remain under threat of unlawful occupation. Unlawful land occupation is illegal. It is stealing land and stealing opportunities from those who are lawfully on the Register and from those who are in the process of receiving their affordable housing opportunity.
‘Queue jumping in this manner for housing opportunities and services is unacceptable. The City will do everything in its power to protect its projects and the rightful beneficiaries. Residents and communities are encouraged to work with the City in its efforts to protect beneficiaries, projects and services by alerting us to all attempts to unlawfully occupy land,’ said Councillor Booi.
Beneficiaries are selected in accordance with the City’s Housing Allocation Policy and Housing Needs Register to ensure housing opportunities are made available in a fair and transparent manner that prevents queue jumping and to those who qualify for housing as per the South African legislation.