The City of Cape Town is planning to open 10 new dumping grounds for evicted residents.
And like its flagship temporary relocation area (TRA), Blikkiesdorp, these camps will be on the periphery of the city, further entrenching a culture of poverty, says social movement Ndifuna Ukwazi.
According to court papers, the new TRAs will be spread out across the city, and will be reserved for residents in need of emergency housing.
Close to 18 000 people currently live in overcrowded Blikkiesdorp.
Ndifuna Ukwazi is representing 28 Bromwell Street families facing eviction by property developers The Woodstock Hub.
Residents want the City to find them new homes in or close to Woodstock.
Spokesman Daneel Knoetze says: “In the Bromwell Street matter set down for hearing in the Western Cape High Court on 31 January 2017, the City reveals that Wolwerivier relocation camp, 30km north of the city, is the only destination for families left homeless by evictions in the inner city. Blikkiesdorp is now full.”
In the City’s answering affidavit, acting Executive Director for Human Settlements, Riana Pretorius, lists the sites of existing and planned relocation camps.
Existing sites include Mfuleni, Happy Valley, Blikkiesdorp, Wolwerivier, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Bardale, OR Tambo (Khayelitsha), Hangberg and Masonwabie (Gugulethu).
New sites are planned for Bloekombos Ext 3, Strandfontein East, Pelican Park South, Atlantis South, Macassar, Mfuleni Ext 2, Vlakteplaas, Sweet Home, Aloe Ridge, and Nooiensfontein.
RELOCATION SITES: Outskirts of the city
Earlier this month, Mayor Patricia de Lille said the new organisational development and transformation plan, which led to the reshuffling of her mayoral committee members, will help the City’s efforts “to reverse the legacy of apartheid spatial planning” and improve service delivery.
“A lot more has to be done to improve the living conditions of the poor and to redress the imbalances of the past,” said De Lille.
But Knoetze says to date, the City’s plans focused on cutting transport costs and commuting times into the city for working class black and coloured mense, instead of providing affordable accommodation in the city.
He said at many relocation camps, evictees are now struggling with extreme levels of poverty, unemployment, and are victim to crime and substance abuse.
“Mayor De Lille needs to come clean with the residents of Cape Town on her plans to in fact build new peripheral developments to dump black and coloured people in,” says Knoetze.
Mayco member for Transport and Urban Development, Brett Herron, refused to be drawn into commenting, and says: “(Ndifuna Ukwazi) launched this case whilst the City was busy attempting to assist the families who face eviction from private property they were renting in Bromwell Street.
“They launched court proceedings knowing that the City was attempting to assist the families and now seek to litigate through the media.
“The matter will be argued on Tuesday and we will comment once the court has heard our case.”