Abahlali baseMjondolo Press Statement
July 22, 2008 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Event: Shackdwellers to challenge city master plan
Location: QQ Section Community Crèche
Date: July 26, 2008
Time: 15h00
Khayelitsha – On Saturday July 26, 2008, Western Cape shackdwellers will converge on QQ Section to challenge Dan Plato and the City of Cape Town’s Master Plan for Informal Settlements.
After failing to pitch up to engage with Abahlali during the launch of AbM Western Cape a couple of weeks ago, Dan Plato has promised to meet with residents this Saturday at 3pm. This will be the first time Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape will speak will have the opportunity to challenge the authoritarian land and housing policies that ruin the lives of their communities.
Residents are angry about a number of issues including:
1. They believe the government has continued to ignore them and refuse to give them access to basic services guaranteed by South Africa’s constitution.
2. They are angry about the top-down approach to development endorsed by the plan. If there is to be any master plan at all, communities must be allowed to draft it themselves rather than let city officials speak for them.
3. They are against forced removals and believe that they have the right to houses close to jobs, transport, and current schools.
They will use this platform as their first attempt to get aloof city officials to listen to them.
For more information, please contact AbM Western Cape at
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