Row over housing
2007-06-28
A HOUSING dispute is brewing between people living in White City, Paarl, and ward councillors, Drakenstein municipal officials and the Local Negotiation Committee (LNG) involved in the allocation of houses in the area.
This is according to spokesmen for the aggrieved residents, Loyiso Sibelekwane and Eric Dampies.
According to Sibelekwane people have received notice from the Drakenstein Municipality to vacate their houses in White City so that other people, “friends of the councillor”, can live there.
The houses in question are former hostels which have been subdivided into housing units.
These units were allocated to the tenants who had lived there the longest, for the purpose of rental and service payment, while a number of families remained, sharing the units with them.
Subsequently, some of these tenants have become beneficiaries in new housing developments like Project 2, but the houses have not yet been built.
According to Sibelekwane, Andile Mtsondwa of House 279D was evicted on 24 May after the Municipality had given the assurance that no-one would be evicted until alternative housing was available for them.
Allegedly, the house has been allocated to a councillor.
Another resident, Zibonele Singama of House 254A, has sent the Municipality a lawyer’s letter objecting to pressure on him to move to a new RDP house.
According to Singama he has been living at 254B for twenty years.
The house was constructed by Langeberg and he lived there as a Langeberg employee when the tenancy was allocated to him by the Municipality.
He is now retired and has no municipal arrears, pays all accounts related to the house and insists on becoming the official owner of the home he has so long occupied.
“After my retirement I find it very strange to hear from a new committee led by Mr Johnson Zwinye that I must go to a new house to make space for a person who has never even stayed with us in that house.”
He has threatened to lay criminal charges against the Municipality for illegal eviction.
A third resident, Nofikile Gatyeni of 298B, complained that she had also been intimidated by an LNG member, while another female resident, NE Feke of 269A, has also complained of sexual harrassment by a member of the commitee, who has allegedly allocated the unit to "his friends".
Sibelekwana added that due to the delays with housing projects, rental homes are overpopulated and problems arise, like disputes over who is responsible for the municipal account.
In a letter addressed to the Drakenstein municipal manager Dr Sidima Kabanyane, Sibelekwane demanded a public meeting to resolve the matter.
“We need community involvement. In White City we are in a situation of divide and rule that is created by ward councillor Lungile Magala, the LNG and housing officials.
"Residents are being evicted without court orders or mayoral decisions,” Sibelekwana said.
According to Kabanyane an investigation is under way.
More
News
|
