The housing agent for the N2 Gateway is seeking to bar "rogue" councillor Frank Martin from the Delft site, fearing he could again incite squatters to invade incomplete houses.
Thubelisha Homes said it had instructed its lawyers to investigate the possibility of taking legal steps against the Delft ward councillor in an effort to prevent him from setting foot on the property.
Martin has already landed in a heap of trouble with the City of Cape Town for his involvement in the invasion of the unfinished houses.
He was found guilty of contravening the councillor's code of conduct and now faces disciplinary action.
However, Martin has retained community support amongst the squatters, all of whom were evicted in February, and met with them last week.
But in spite of his calls for calm, many residents told the Cape Argus that they would consider reinvading the houses if it became too cold for the children in their tents.
In a statement on Monday, the developer accused Martin of being a "rogue" councillor who used the "same crude and divisive racial arguments used to incite the December invasion".
This comes after Martin claimed that 138 of the 738 people allocated houses had never been on a waiting list.
"They are all African and that is not a racist remark, it is a fact," he said in Thursday's meeting.
Thubelisha said it already planned to take legal action against Martin for damage caused to the houses while they were occupied by the evictees.
"Thubelisha, which is already pursuing the DA councillor for damages for inciting the Delft home invasion in December, has reason to fear that Martin is intent on inciting another invasion," it said.
"Martin's allegation that the N2 Gateway discriminates in the allocation of housing on the basis of people's race is a deliberate lie intended to inflame racial tensions, and presumably win votes for his political party."
But Martin retaliated on Monday, accusing the housing agent of not being open with the community about the allocation of houses.
"I am the local ward councillor and I have a responsibility to give people truthful information.
"If they (Thubelisha) don't give the people the information, I will," he said. "I will be the eyes and the watchdog for the people to ensure fair distribution of housing in the Western Cape."
Meanwhile, Martin is expected to face a council disciplinary committee hearing in early June.
The chairperson of the council's disciplinary committee Anthea Serritslev said that after considering speaker Dirk Smit's report on the investigation into claims of misconduct by Martin, it had agreed to proceed with a disciplinary process.
Martin is also to appear in the Bellville magistrate's court on charges of inciting violence on April 25, after being pointed out as the key figure behind the illegal occupation of the N2 Gateway houses.
- Cape Argus
Thubelisha Homes said it had instructed its lawyers to investigate the possibility of taking legal steps against the Delft ward councillor in an effort to prevent him from setting foot on the property.
Martin has already landed in a heap of trouble with the City of Cape Town for his involvement in the invasion of the unfinished houses.
He was found guilty of contravening the councillor's code of conduct and now faces disciplinary action.
| 'He was found guilty of contravening the councillor's code of conduct' |
But in spite of his calls for calm, many residents told the Cape Argus that they would consider reinvading the houses if it became too cold for the children in their tents.
In a statement on Monday, the developer accused Martin of being a "rogue" councillor who used the "same crude and divisive racial arguments used to incite the December invasion".
This comes after Martin claimed that 138 of the 738 people allocated houses had never been on a waiting list.
"They are all African and that is not a racist remark, it is a fact," he said in Thursday's meeting.
| 'They are all African and that is not a racist remark, it is a fact' |
"Thubelisha, which is already pursuing the DA councillor for damages for inciting the Delft home invasion in December, has reason to fear that Martin is intent on inciting another invasion," it said.
"Martin's allegation that the N2 Gateway discriminates in the allocation of housing on the basis of people's race is a deliberate lie intended to inflame racial tensions, and presumably win votes for his political party."
But Martin retaliated on Monday, accusing the housing agent of not being open with the community about the allocation of houses.
"I am the local ward councillor and I have a responsibility to give people truthful information.
"If they (Thubelisha) don't give the people the information, I will," he said. "I will be the eyes and the watchdog for the people to ensure fair distribution of housing in the Western Cape."
Meanwhile, Martin is expected to face a council disciplinary committee hearing in early June.
The chairperson of the council's disciplinary committee Anthea Serritslev said that after considering speaker Dirk Smit's report on the investigation into claims of misconduct by Martin, it had agreed to proceed with a disciplinary process.
Martin is also to appear in the Bellville magistrate's court on charges of inciting violence on April 25, after being pointed out as the key figure behind the illegal occupation of the N2 Gateway houses.
- Cape Argus
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