This is the Delft-Symphony ‘Temporary Relocation Area’ (TRA). It has an estimated 1,000+ structures and has been nicknamed ‘Blikkiesdorp’ (Block Town) by residents who see the structures as no better than their own shacks. Building TRAs is a new government fad supported by both the DA and the ANC. They look like refugee camps and are used to house shackdwellers who have been forcibly removed by the government.
At the end of the camp, construction trucks are building more ‘blikkies’ (tin shack structures). The residents of Symphony Way ask why the government is evicting people from well-located shacks and building new shacks far way from work. Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers want land and houses not shacks inside barbed wire camps.
Police and Apartheid era riot vehicles are are stationed (permanently) at the only entrance to the Symphony Way TRA. They are used to regulate entry into the TRA, control residents, and impose curfews when necessary. Police also use the location to conduct raids of intimidation against Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers who have refused to move into the TRAs. Residents within the TRAs have also claimed that members of the SAPS and the city’s Land Invasions Unit are selling shacks in the TRAs to new residents.
This picture is of the roof of one of the TRA shacks. It has been duct taped by residents to prevent wind and rain from entering. The government cannot even build shacks to generally acceptable standards.
The back of a TRA structure that houses two families. If you were evicted from a 4 bedroom shack in Joe Slovo, you still get only one room in the government TRAs
The TRA toilets are shared amongst residents. Some toilets include water taps on the side
Ask yourself, is this the kind of place you would like to raise your children? Do you still wonder why shackdwellers all over the country (and including the Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers) are refusing to move into these Blikkies? No Evictions! No Blikkies! No Transit Camps! We are not cattle!
Stumble It!
[...] Symphony Way TRA (Delft, Cape Town), aka Blikkiesdorp [...]
[...] Symphony Way TRA (Delft, Cape Town), aka Blikkiesdorp [...]
[...] At Delft in Cape Town, the transit camp is encircled with barbed wire fencing. [...]
[...] on this major road the entire time. Residents have nowhere else to go and refused to go to Blikkiesdorp TRA which they see as a refugee camp. This may be the longest and most difficult protest undertaken [...]
[...] 04 2009 AEC Note: Yet another example of why the residents of Symphony Way refused to move to the Blikkiesdorp government-built slum. 3 April 2009, 11:02 By Ziyanda Sidumo and Fouzia van der Fort Source: Cape [...]
[...] some well-located open and serviced land where they can build their own houses (not TRAs like blikkiesdorp which are worse than informal settlements ). But the government would rather sell off its land to [...]
[...] City wants to put us in Blikkiesdorp but we refuse to move there. In Blikkiesdorp our children will not be safe. There are too many [...]
It was promised by the housing minister that squater camp will be completely eradicated but the City want to erect a BLIKKIESDORP/ SQUATTER CAMPS/UNFIT FOR HUMAN DWELLING ETC
Have the City of Cape Town got no feeling for our people ?
Perhaps the Mayor or The Premier would like to live in one of those inhuman living dwelling. I am going to the Human Rights Commission on this matter. To think that want to impose on Atlantis that already have a insurmountable task in catering to the needs of our people. High uemployment, insufficient schooling, poor service delivery, health systems that has been struggling and failing greatly in providing basic health care to our people.
We want the City’s help YES ! But we DON’T want more health and social issues. Please PROVIDE PROPER HOUSING !! Say No to Shacks…Yes to decent homes !
Reminds one of the Nazi concentration camps, and our own Bantustans, Barbed wire and all. With Policing!
[...] einem einzigen Raum leben müssen. Das Wellblech lässt sich locker mit einer Schere aufschneiden (zu den Fotos der Anti-Eviction-Campaign …). Die Hütten stehen auf einer weiten staubigen. Jeweils vier Bewohner müssen sich [...]
[...] the new stadium, 150 poor residents were evicted without any alternative. Maybe they will end up in Blikkiesdorp where the City is trying to dump all of Cape Town’s [...]
[...] the new stadium, 150 poor residents were evicted without any alternative. Maybe they will end up in Blikkiesdorp where the City is trying to dump all of Cape Town’s [...]
[...] housing" for about 650 people who had been illegally occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after column of one-room shacks, each spraypainted with a designated code number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, last [...]
[...] housing” for about 650 people who had been illegally occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after column of one-room shacks, each spraypainted with a designated code number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, last [...]
[...] housing” for most 650 grouping who had been illicitly occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after article of one-room shacks, apiece spraypainted with a designated cipher number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, [...]
[...] housing” for about 650 people who had been illegally occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after column of one-room shacks, each spraypainted with a designated code number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, last [...]
[...] housing” for about 650 people who had been illegally occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after column of one-room shacks, each spraypainted with a designated code number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, last [...]
[...] housing” for about 650 people who had been illegally occupying buildings. To visitors, the column after column of one-room shacks, each spraypainted with a designated code number, are disturbingly reminiscent of District 9, last [...]
[...] temporaire pour le maire du Cap ou camp de concentration pour ses habitants, vous êtes à Blikkiesdorp ! Ses habitants disent avoir été expulsés de force de leurs anciens logements et installés ici [...]
[...] Περισσότερεσ φωτογραφίες: ‘Blikkiesdorp’, the Symphony Way TRA [...]
[...] Prima di guardare la partita di stasera, magari prima date un occhiata anche a dove vivono queste persone. [...]
[...] more, visit the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign, an organization that hosted the “Poor People’s World Cup” — a series of [...]
[...] em consideração o destino de milhares de famílias pobres que foram desalojadas na África do Sul para a realização da última Copa do Mundo, as [...]
Despicable. They are still there, about 18000 people, approx 7000 of which are children. It is in serious disrepair. Kids play in filth. Gangs have taken over and there is now a drug war going on. Already children are being caught in the crossfire and being killed in revenge murders. Governments lack of action is inexcusable and should be viewed in the same light as crimes against humanity.
[...] Either way, I truly hope that the WDC 2014 bid or event won’t follow in the footsteps of the Football World Cup and perpetuate the kind of “sanitization” of the central city that so cheerfully contributed to horrors like Blikkiesdorp. [...]
[...] Either way, I truly hope that the WDC 2014 bid or event won’t follow in the footsteps of the Football World Cup and perpetuate the kind of “sanitization” of the central city that so cheerfully contributed to horrors like Blikkiesdorp. [...]
[...] (TRA) associated with the project. The DA managed Symphonthy Way TRA ( better know as Blikkiesdorp) greeted its new residents with government built corrugated iron shacks, barbed wired fencing, access [...]
[...] (TRA) associated with the project. The DA managed Symphonthy Way TRA ( better know as Blikkiesdorp) greeted its new residents with government built corrugated iron shacks, barbed wired fencing, access [...]