Housing dilemma tackled
2011-07-28
Lise Beyers
THE housing issue in the Drakenstein once again came under the spotlight last week, when backyard dwellers descended upon the Paarl civic centre, looking for answers. These backyard dwel-lers, of whom some have been waiting for homes for 30 years, demand that the housing lists be re-examined and that their allegations of corruption within the housing department be investigated. The focus is currently especially on the Drommedaris housing project, which should soon be under way. The Drakenstein Municipality has earmarked this site next to the Dal Josaphat traffic department to establish an emergency housing project. Now backyard dwellers want to know whether they will be benefiting from this development, or will it once again be newcomers who will be receiving homes. The Municipality has previously indicated that families from the railway line informal settlements would be relocated there. This led to a call for a meeting with Drakenstein Mayor, Gesie van Deventer and senior council members. A rowdy crowd gathered in front of the civic centre and only a handful of delegates of the backyard dwellers were allowed access to the meeting. The initial mood of the backyard dwellers was hostile, but as van Deventer calmly listened to their grievances, so an atmosphere of co-operation was reached. Questions were also asked about the legality of recipients of houses who simply rent out their homes and again move into informal settlements. They also wanted to know how professionals could be living in these low-cost homes, which are meant for the poorest of the poor. After the closed meeting, van Deventer said that housing was an utmost important issue which she is determined to address. “As the Municipality, we are going to scrutinise all the housing lists carefully and we would also like to have these lists annually made public. “They also allege that corruption has through the years been taking place at the housing office. If they can supply us with evidence to this, then we will thoroughly investigate these complaints.” Furthermore, van Deventer and the representatives agreed that they would establish a committee and a mandate and would soon return to the Municipality for further discussions. According to the spokespersons for the backyarders, Quincy Bongo and Loyiso Sibelekwane, they have proof of many irregularities in housing allocation and other matters in Mbekweni, which they will submit to the Mayor. “It is wrong that people who squat wherever they like, claim to be disadvantaged and get houses before people who have been patiently waiting in line for thirty years. They are jumping up the waiting list. “We will negotiate with anyone who serves us with dignity, but if we are ignored, we will be forced to toi-toi for our rights. “There are old people who spend their lives waiting for houses - their constitutional rights are being infringed by the way houses are allocated in Paarl.”
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