Media: Deflt families vow not to move

23 12 2008

Aziz Hartley
December 22 2008 at 10:40AM
Source: Cape Times

About 40 Delft families who were given formal houses “by mistake” after their temporary accommodation burnt down say they will defy any efforts to move them. Read the rest of this entry »





Media: Citing solidarity, evicted S. Africans refuse new homes

23 12 2008


Members of a campaign dedicated to securing homes for ousted residents of a Cape Town housing development dance the celebratory “toyi-toyi” — stomping their feet, clapping and singing — after helping one family find their new home in South Africa’s Delft township earlier this month. Five families belonging to the Symphony Way Anti-Eviction Campaign have received new homes, but say they will not move in until the other evicted families are housed.

While they’ve been given a house in Delft 7-9 by the government in Cape Town, Jolene Arendse and her family have decided that they won’t move in until all families living in makeshift homes on Symphony Way receive housing, too.

After months of often violent protests, five families belonging to the Symphony Way Anti-Eviction Campaign (AEC) received keys earlier this month to their new houses in Delft 7-9, a recently constructed residential development on the outskirts of Cape Town.

Accompanied by an entourage of 80 campaign members sporting red T-shirts bearing the slogan “No Land! No House! No Vote!”, the families found their way through a maze of nearly identical and unnumbered one- and two-story buildings.

After several false starts and wrong turns, the crowd soon found each family’s home. With wide smiles and shouts of excitement, each family christened their new home with water and a silent prayer.

“I’m glad that I received a house for the sake of my children,” said Ethel Abbels. “I’ve been on the waiting list for 17 years. I pray that everybody will get a house very soon.”

Roughly 10 months ago, these families were among thousands who illegally occupied unfinished houses belonging to a government-run N2 Gateway housing project in another part of Delft, a township on the edge of Cape Town. Alleging that they had been given permission to occupy the homes by their local councilor, these families also claimed that their actions reflected their desperate need for housing.

Like Abbels, nearly all the families that occupied the new project’s homes had been on the city of Cape Town’s waiting list for housing, many for more than a decade. While they waited, many rented makeshift shacks in the backyards of residents’ properties.

After two months of protests, court cases and mass meetings, Cape Town’s High Court authorized the eviction of the roughly 1,600 unlawful occupants of the N2 Gateway homes. Beginning at dawn on Feb. 19, police and private security moved from door to door, removing each family.

The scene quickly turned violent, as police began shooting into the gathering crowd of residents, pursuing them as they ran for cover and leaving 20 people wounded. Television cameras and news photographers captured the confrontation, with images reminiscent of the battles between police and anti-apartheid activists.

With their belongings confiscated by a police eviction team, residents were left on the sidewalk along Symphony Way, a main thoroughfare. Rather than dispersing, residents constructed housing for themselves and continued to demand that the city meet their housing needs. Protestors even blocked the road to emphasize their demands.

After a particularly cold and wet winter and a prolonged negotiations process, the first group of Symphony Way residents was able to get their keys. Part of the South African government’s “Breaking New Ground” housing policy, each low-income house was built using a government subsidy provided to each qualifying family.

While acknowledging the happiness of the moment, the recipients of the new houses remained critical of the government’s failure to provide homes for all 127 families still living on Symphony Way. Some have even, in a show of solidarity, refused to accept their new houses, citing the agreement they made after their mass eviction to move into their new homes as a community.

“I am very happy, as I have finally received a house,” said Alfred Arnolds. “But on the other hand, for all the time I am waiting, I am not going to stay in this house until everyone on Symphony Way [receives] their houses. This is how I feel due to the mandate we undertook to move together.”

Jolene Ardense isn’t moving in yet, either.

“The reason why I’m not moving into the house is because of the mandate that we took in the beginning of our struggle that everyone will move together,” she said.

The official statement of the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign, the Cape Town-based social movement that has helped to organize the residents of Symphony Way and other squatter camps, echoed these concerns.

“Despite this small victory, each of the five families remain unsatisfied,” the statement reads. “They want their own house, but they do not want their own house if all their brothers and sisters on Symphony Way do not get their own houses as well.

“… As a result, each family has decided that they will not abandon their community on Symphony Way,” the statement continues. “Instead, they have undertaken to hang their keys up in the community office and make a commitment to not leave Symphony Way until every single family on the road is allocated a house.”

Organizers say the sense of solidarity grew out of personal relationships and various community programs developed in the wake of the mass evictions. Residents have had to rely on each other for essentials like building materials, child care and firewood.

While they wait for homes, Symphony Way residents continue to face police harassment. Five officers from the Delft police station last Wednesday threatened a local community organizer and assaulted two visiting Americans, then returned an hour later to arrest a Symphony Way resident for swearing at a police officer and malicious destruction to property.

These assaults fit a pattern of police abuse following the initial mass evictions. Since Feb. 19 of this year, there have been more than 10 such incidents, including the pepper-spraying of this reporter on June 29, 2008.





Media: Families in act of solidarity over homes

13 12 2008

Great article in the Cape Argus on December 11, 2008

See the AEC press statement on this action of solidarity

symphony-families-in-solidarity

symphony-families-in-solidarity





Symphony Way: Still waiting for shelter

9 12 2008

Note: The Anti-Eviction Campaign and Jeanne Hromnik are extremly upset at the headline which was introduced unilaterally by the editor. It implies that the community parties while ignoring their children.  This is a disgusting insult and the editor should apologize for implying that the community neglects its children. In reality, the community of Symphony Way have set up a children’s committee to run the community creche, a netball and soccer team, and always makes sure the children get fed first (before the adults) and go to school.

Source: The Weekender
Homeless people who have not been accommodated in Cape Town’s N2 Gateway housing project party while their children fear eviction, writes JEANNE HROMNIK

AT SYMPHONY Way in Delft, squatters have built shacks on either side of the road alongside the N2 Gateway Project houses they occupied illegally and were evicted from in February last year. Now they are fighting the prospect of eviction from their shacks.

They say if that happens they will set up camp elsewhere and wait for another eviction.

They have already survived the torrential rain of the past winter.

They have vowed never to move to the temporary relocation areas that the government built outside Delft, about 40km from Cape Town. The temporary relocation areas are grim and hazardous places and already accommodate thousands of people with little hope of moving out.

Symphony Way — the newly constructed extension between the N2 highway and the Stellenbosch arterial route — had its grand opening last year, a few months before the pavement dwellers were brutally evicted and left without shelter. Their unwelcome presence on the road forced the city to block off the section of Symphony Way between Silversands and Hindle Road.

Recently 12 of us — an odd group of friends, united by a common interest in getting to know each other — came to Symphony Way for a party.

It’s the South African way of dealing with problems. Toyi- toyiing and singing. Read the rest of this entry »





Five families from Symphony Way get their keys but refuse to move into their house

8 12 2008
Delft Anti-Eviction Campaign Press Release
Monday 8 December, 2008

Today five Symphony Way Anti-Eviction Campaign families received their keys to their new houses in Delft 7-9. When on their way to inspecting their new houses, they were accompanied by about 80 other pavement dwellers who celebrated this exciting day. Each house was christened by friends dousing each family in water and then followed by a silent prayer in each of the five houses.

But despite this small victory, each of the five families remain unsatisfied. They want their own house, but they do not want their own house if all their brothers and sisters on Symphony Way do not get their own houses as well.

As the Symphony Way AEC, we realise that giving houses to only some of the families and not others is an attempt by the government to undermine the 10 month long protest that has included the occupation and blockade of Symphony Way. We demand an explanation as to why the MEC has reneged on a promise to allocate a percentage of houses to Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers who qualify.

As a result, each family has decided that they will not abandon their community on Symphony Way. Instead, they have undertaken to hang their keys up in the community office and make a commitment to not leave Symphony Way until every single family on the road is allocated a house.

For more information, please contact Ashraf at 408 and Jane 302

For more pictures, click here.

For a video of Brother Alfred Arnold’s commitment, click here.

For high quality pictures, email AEC webmaster.

Below are the statements by each family (the fifth family was not present because of a personal emergency but has agreed to hang up their keys as well).

Alfred Arnolds and his family in their new home

Alfred Arnolds and his family in their new home

I am very happy, as from today, 8th of December, I have received a house…but on the other hand, for all the time I am waiting, I am not going to stay in this house until everyone on Symphony Way are receiving their houses. This is how I feel due to the mandate we undertook to move together. I confirm today that I will remain on Symphony Way. Aluta Continua!

- Brother Alfred Arnolds

Ethel Abels and her daugther in front of their new home

Ethel Abels and her daugther in front of their new home

Ek is bly dat ek ń huis gekry, dat my kinders kan imbly. Nadat ek vir 17 jaar rondgebly het. Ek bid vir die ander mense wat nog op die pad bly dat hulle so gou as moontlile ook in hul huise sal wees.

I’m glad that I received a house for the sake of my children, I’ve been on the waiting list for 17 years, I pray that everybody will get a house very soon

- Ethel Abels

Jolene Arendse and her family in front of their new house

Jolene Arendse and family in front of their new house

Die reck hoekom ek nie in die huis gaan trek nie, is omolat ek voel om met almal die anders van die pad af te gaan. Want ons mandate was so gesê van die begin tot die einde.

The reason why I’m not moving into the house is because of the mandate that we took in the beginning of our struggle that everyone will move together.

Amandla!

- Jolene & Lewellyn Arendse

Theresa Boesak in front of her new home

Theresa Boesak in front of her new home

Ek Theresa Boesak besluit om nie uit Symphony uit te trek nie totdat almal van die pad af beweeg. Ek sal my sleutels in die kantoor op haner totdat ows almal huise gaan kry.

I Theresa Boesak undertake not to move out of Symphony Way until everybody move. I will hang up my keys in the office until everybody move.

Amandla!
Forward Comrades.

- Theresa Boesak

Gloria Rudolf in front of her unoccupied house

Gloria Rudolf in front of her unoccupied house

Ek is Dankbaar vir die Huis maar. ek het besluit ek gaan bly hier met almal totdat een en ekeen ook huise gaan kry. Ek sal bid dat hulle vir almal goner huise sal gee

I am very grateful for the house but I have decided that I am going to stay here iwth everyone until each & everyone has received a house. I pray that they will give everyone soon houses.

- Gloria Rudolf





Video: Brother Alfred Arnolds explains why he is refusing to move into his new house

8 12 2008

Brother Alfred Arnolds and his family have refused to move into his new house. He explains that he has made a commitment to everyone on Symphony Way that he will continue to occupy the road with them until the last family has received the keys to their house.

For more information about the families’ refusal to move into the houses, click here





Photos: Five families from Symphony Way get their keys but refuse to move into their house

8 12 2008
(1) Gathering in Symphony Way

(1) Gathering in Symphony Way

(2) Looking for the houses

(2) Looking for the houses

Read the rest of this entry »





Gateway housing project in a shambles

23 11 2008
Bobby Jordan
Published:Nov 23, 2008
Source: The Times

Only five families out of an estimated 20000 shack dwellers from one of South Africa’s poorest settlements have been accommodated at the state’s flagship housing development built on their doorstep.

Meant to showcase the country’s progressive housing policy promoting racially integrated cities, phase one of the N2 Gateway project next to the Joe Slovo shack settlement in Cape Town is instead a monument to a losing battle against the national housing backlog.

ALON SKUY

EMPTY PROMISES: The N2 Gateway project in Cape Town has not delivered what it promised for thousands of shack dwellers Picture: ALON SKUY

More than 1000 families from Joe Slovo have been relocated to make way for the housing project, which to date consists of only 704 state rental apartments costing R600 to R1050 a month and about 3500 free houses 10km away in Delft on the outskirts of the city. This despite the government’s promise of 20000 free state Gateway houses by 2006.

The relocated shack dwellers now live in the new Delft houses or in under-serviced “temporary relocation areas”.

The remaining shack dwellers — about 3000 families — are challenging a High Court ruling ordering them to move to Delft so more free houses can be built where their shacks stand.

Construction of “bond market” houses has already begun for people earning between R3500 to R10000 a month next to Joe Slovo settlement.

Shack dwellers say they are being forced off their land without any guarantee of getting a new house. Read the rest of this entry »





Media: City to forcibly remove adamant squatters

16 09 2008
Aziz Hartley
September 16 2008 at 02:39PM
Source: Cape Times

The City of Cape Town says it is to seek a court order allowing it forcibly to move 141 families who have been squatting beside Symphony Way in Delft since February and refuse to leave.

The families were among hundreds of people who in December invaded N2 Gateway houses from which they were later evicted under a court order.

Most of the people accepted a council offer of accommodation in a nearby temporary residential area, but the Symphony Way squatters, led by the Anti-Eviction Campaign, say they won’t move unless they are given proper homes.

“They are taking up space next to a key secondary road that has been closed to traffic,” mayoral committee member for housing Dan Plato said on Monday.

‘The city’s position is simple - they must get off Symphony Way’

“Our officials talked to them on many occasions. Now a legal process has started.”

It would be up to the court to decide when the families should move, Plato said.

The city’s executive director for housing, Hans Smit, said transport authorities had complained that the road’s closure meant vehicles, particularly public transport vehicles, had to use a longer route along Delft Main Road, adding to traffic flow at peak times.

“You can’t open that road with people living next to it,” Smit said.

“The city’s position is simple - they must get off Symphony Way.

‘They were supposed to be temporary places, but seven and 12 years are in no way temporary’

“We’ve engaged them, but they have a simple attitude - they want houses. We can’t promise houses, but there are options available to them. They have to follow the normal process to get houses.

“A court order is not an option the city wanted to follow, but we don’t accept that they live next to the road. We’re not talking about taking them far away. There is a temporary residential area about 300 metres away.”

Anti-Eviction Campaign leader Ashraf Cassiem said the Symphony Way squatters would remain firm in resisting being moved as they believed the city used temporary residential areas as dumping grounds for homeless people.

“We don’t know of any legal process, but from the start we rejected a temporary residential area. In (such) areas parents can’t raise their children. (These areas) are unhealthy, unsafe and undignified.

“We are not of the impression that if people move to temporary residential areas they will get homes soon.

“At the Tsunami temporary residential area, people have been there for seven years and at Happy Valley, for 12 years. They were supposed to be temporary places, but seven and 12 years are in no way temporary.”





Media: Building connections between the N2 Gateway and the Cornubia development

27 08 2008
Opinion: The social value of land must come first
August 27, 2008 Edition 1
Imraan Buccus

There has been considerable discussion after the announcement that the eThekwini Municipality is considering expropriating land from Tongaat-Hulett to finally move ahead with the long promised Cornubia development.

We all know that in Durban, as in cities around the country, the question of housing is the biggest source of conflict between poor people’s organisations and the state.

There have been thousands of protests since 2005, with many of them resulting in serious police violence. Read the rest of this entry »