Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Cape Town battling with housing: De Lille

The City of Cape Town is battling to keep up with an increasing demand for housing, says executive mayor Patricia de Lille.

"We do the best we possibly can, but barely shift these numbers before they are replaced by new people waiting for houses," she said in Factreton, outside Cape Town, on Wednesday.

Numbers continued to grow as more people moved to the city to look for job opportunities.

De Lille said the waiting list for houses was about 400,000, but that resources were limited.

The backyarders project -- launched on Wednesday -- was one way the city could determine how it could help with the provision of basic services.

"For too long, people have been forced to make a life for themselves without all the help that they need," she said.

"That help means access to water, sanitation and electricity -- access to services."

Backyarders are people who live informally on council-owned properties.

- SAPA

No comments: