Dear Editor
While we note and welcome the announcement of the ANC in the provincial legislature to engage municipalities across the province regarding their available land for housing opportunities, it is critical that the exact location of these land parcels are not made public. We have seen in the past, when properties owned by spheres of government are identified and published, land invasions take place.
In the last 18 months, the provincial government spent more than R437 million on protecting land parcels in partnership with municipalities. Only R82 million has been recovered from municipalities for the 2020/21 financial year, meaning that the department had to divert R355 million to protect land – money which should have been spent on building new housing opportunities and supporting residents in purchasing their first homes.
When the location of land identified for housing opportunities is made public, such as in the case of the Helen Bowden Nursing Home, these properties are invaded in the hopes of jumping the queue and in essence stealing opportunities from beneficiaries who have been patiently waiting on the Housing Demand Database.
No government in the country will be able to provide housing for every person on the Beneficiary Housing Demand Database. Currently, it is estimated that R100 billion is needed to meet the demand in the Western Cape – that is more than the entire provincial government’s budget. I call on all stakeholder from the private sector to work in partnership with all spheres of government to bring about solutions to the high demand on housing in our country.
The DA remains committed to creating dignified and safe communities which reflect the diverse society that we have. While there are no quick fixes to the current housing crisis, all stakeholders must play their part in protecting the opportunities of deserving beneficiaries.
Regards
Matlhodi Maseko, MPP
DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Human Settlements
Cape Town Lens: Morro Bay 2006 06 16 03