The Democratic Alliance today called for an investigation into the allocation of houses at Cape Town’s N2 Gateway social housing project because luxury cars were seen parked outside some of the units. “Serious questions need to be asked about the process used to allocate houses in the N2 Gateway development, given the number of luxury German cars that appear to belong to the tenants of these units,” Butch Steyn, a MP, said in a statement.
“A DA visit suggests that those in real need of state housing have been pushed out of the queue for N2 Gateway houses by the less needy,” he said. Steyn said the houses were supposed to be allocated to people who could not otherwise afford formal housing with the rental being between R300 and R500 a month.
During a brief on-site visit to the N2 development, the DA found five luxury BMW’s, Audi’s and Mercedes’ parked in bays attached to the units, and other new vehicles. Their research put a new BMW 6 series at between R825 000 and R951 000 and repayments on an Audi at R3370 a month.
“If it proves to be true that people with substantial incomes are benefiting from state housing, then the housing allocation process is obviously being abused and housing lists ignored. It is difficult to see how this could be done without the complicity of government officials,” Steyn said. Steyn called for a thorough investigation into the allocation process.
The party’s Marike Groenewald told reporters that the party did not interact with the owners of the cars and did not establish whether they belonged to residents or visitors. Vusi Tshose, spokesperson for Richard Dyantyi, the Western Cape housing MEC, said tenants in that section of Gateway must have a monthly income of between R2 000 and R7 500.
“People who want to investigate have their democratic right,” he said, adding that the MEC will consider the request if it was brought to his attention. The project is aimed at accommodating squatters and “backyard” dwellers and has three phases according to income levels.
By July 2006 22 000 units were to have been completed but so far just over 700 have been completed. - Sapa
“A DA visit suggests that those in real need of state housing have been pushed out of the queue for N2 Gateway houses by the less needy,” he said. Steyn said the houses were supposed to be allocated to people who could not otherwise afford formal housing with the rental being between R300 and R500 a month.
During a brief on-site visit to the N2 development, the DA found five luxury BMW’s, Audi’s and Mercedes’ parked in bays attached to the units, and other new vehicles. Their research put a new BMW 6 series at between R825 000 and R951 000 and repayments on an Audi at R3370 a month.
“If it proves to be true that people with substantial incomes are benefiting from state housing, then the housing allocation process is obviously being abused and housing lists ignored. It is difficult to see how this could be done without the complicity of government officials,” Steyn said. Steyn called for a thorough investigation into the allocation process.
The party’s Marike Groenewald told reporters that the party did not interact with the owners of the cars and did not establish whether they belonged to residents or visitors. Vusi Tshose, spokesperson for Richard Dyantyi, the Western Cape housing MEC, said tenants in that section of Gateway must have a monthly income of between R2 000 and R7 500.
“People who want to investigate have their democratic right,” he said, adding that the MEC will consider the request if it was brought to his attention. The project is aimed at accommodating squatters and “backyard” dwellers and has three phases according to income levels.
By July 2006 22 000 units were to have been completed but so far just over 700 have been completed. - Sapa
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