I RECENTLY wrote to the municipal manager of Drakenstein bringing to his attention that my wife and I are currently homeless and living on the street.
We did apply for housing, but must still be put on the waiting list. We are Muslim and our church would like to help us by means of donating a Wendy house, but we have nowhere to put it up. We both have health conditions and are under treatment at TC Newman Hospital.
We don’t work and I get a government grant. I cannot afford to rent a house or flat.
We asked for his assistance and Dr Kabanyane found us land in an informal settlement near the mosque in Paarl East.
We received a letter from the Municipality on 15 December confirming that the y had identified a site for us in an informal area. The letter was signed by S Benjamin, assistant manager of housing administration.
However, when we wanted to have the Wendy house delivered at the end of March, we were told that we had taken too long, and had lost the land. What happened, Dr Kabanyane?
May Carolissen, municipal spokesperson, responds: Mr Simons was taken to Loverslane informal settlement and was happy to stay there. However, he never occupied the land that was shown to him and never came back to our offices.
At the end of March when Mr Simons came to the office and demanded the land that was shown to him in December, he was informed that the land in Loverslane is no longer available as there is currently electrification taking place. A number of people living there also have to be relocated.
Mr Simons will have to wait while we investigate where he can be located to.
