2008-04-06 09:22:11
Source: Voice of the Cape
It was no surprise that the City of Cape Town was unable to deliver on its promises to the evicted people of Delft, Anti-Eviction Campaign Chairperson Ashraf Cassiem told VOC News on Friday. Cassiem was responding to City mayoral committee member for housing, Dan Plato’s announcement that the City was unable to meet its deadline to temporarily relocate the Delft people living on Symphony Way. Plato said suppliers could not provide galvanized iron sheets on time for the construction of the temporary homes, which had surpassed its deadline.
“We believed from the start that the City had no recovery plan to house the evictees or relocate them to another area. The fact that they are using money as an excuse is unacceptable. We have therefore chosen to liaise with the Provincial Department of Local Government and Housing, who we believe is fully capable of resolving this problem. This is much more than what the City can offer us,” Cassiem said.
Assertions by Plato that the AEC had “influenced” the Delft evictees was misunderstood, Cassiem said, reiterating that the organisation had chosen to support the people in a positive manner. “We have been there for these people from the beginning. If we have influenced them, it is because the City’s emergency relief efforts will not go any further than that. The evictees will stay where they are living in poverty and the City will not deliver on its housing promise. It is clear that the City is dealing with the housing issue in a political way and the Delft people have to open their eyes to that.”
Cassiem said negotiations with the Provincial government would have a better impact than discussions with the City of Cape Town. “The vision for the people of Symphony Way is a positive one and our discussions with the Minister of Housing seem fruitful. We know they are capable of delivering housing and we will continue our negotiations with them.” VOC (Tasneem Mohamed)
Stumble It!
