The Anti-Eviction Campaign has threatened to encourage poorer communities in the Western Cape to abstain from voting during election time, saying they are not afforded decent service delivery, especially houses.
Incensed at having to vent their frustrations about the shoddy workmanship of their homes in front of an exit to a parking garage at the Civic Centre, representatives from nine communities on Tuesday called on the city to scrap the arrears owed on their houses and demanded all defects at their houses be fixed immediately.
Gary Hartzenberg said the city was being disrespectful by meeting them at the back of the building, away from the main entrances.
More than 2 400 houses were built by the Cape Town Community Housing Company (CTCHC) in 2000, of which the city council is a 50 percent shareholder.
But irate residents complained that rain water streamed through their roofs, the walls of their homes were cracked and they had to use bleach to wash the mould from their walls.
They want CTCHC chief executive Fungai Mudimu to resign and the city council to shut down the company, saying it was "privatising" housing delivery.
Protesters who marched through the city to the Civic Centre warned mayor Helen Zille and Housing MEC Richard Dyantyi that they would not stop protesting until their demands had been met.
Campaign co-ordinator Mncedisi Twalo said the organisation would encourage its sympathisers to boycott government elections.
"No land, no house, no vote," said Twalo.
He said it was not only city shack dwellers who were having a tough time during the rainy season and periods of flooding but also those living in CTCHC houses.
The houses are in Newfields Village, Hanover Park, Luyoloville, Philippi, Heideveld, Westridge, Eastridge and Manenberg.
He said Zille and premier Ebrahim Rasool should visit their areas "without their gumboots" to see the effects of their badly built houses.
Another AEC co-ordinator, Mzonke Poni, said the city had to allow poor people to live in unused buildings in the city centre so that they could be nearer their workplaces.
Mayoral committee member for housing, Dan Plato, received a memorandum questioning their rates charges and monthly rentals on behalf of the city.
"Our doors have always been open to you," said Plato to disapproving shouts from protesters.
They were enraged that no representatives from the CTCHC or the provincial government were present to hear their complaints.
Plato said R35-million had already been earmarked for remedial work on the houses and that he and Dyantyi would continue to meet the affected communities regularly as they had done over the past few months. They are scheduled to meet the community of Eastridge this weekend.
The CTCHC said it had already appointed contractors to fix the defects in the homes of complainants and said repairs would start by the end of the month. - Cape Argus
Incensed at having to vent their frustrations about the shoddy workmanship of their homes in front of an exit to a parking garage at the Civic Centre, representatives from nine communities on Tuesday called on the city to scrap the arrears owed on their houses and demanded all defects at their houses be fixed immediately.
Gary Hartzenberg said the city was being disrespectful by meeting them at the back of the building, away from the main entrances.
| 'Residents complained that rain water streamed through their roofs' |
But irate residents complained that rain water streamed through their roofs, the walls of their homes were cracked and they had to use bleach to wash the mould from their walls.
They want CTCHC chief executive Fungai Mudimu to resign and the city council to shut down the company, saying it was "privatising" housing delivery.
Protesters who marched through the city to the Civic Centre warned mayor Helen Zille and Housing MEC Richard Dyantyi that they would not stop protesting until their demands had been met.
Campaign co-ordinator Mncedisi Twalo said the organisation would encourage its sympathisers to boycott government elections.
| 'They would not stop protesting until their demands had been met' |
He said it was not only city shack dwellers who were having a tough time during the rainy season and periods of flooding but also those living in CTCHC houses.
The houses are in Newfields Village, Hanover Park, Luyoloville, Philippi, Heideveld, Westridge, Eastridge and Manenberg.
He said Zille and premier Ebrahim Rasool should visit their areas "without their gumboots" to see the effects of their badly built houses.
Another AEC co-ordinator, Mzonke Poni, said the city had to allow poor people to live in unused buildings in the city centre so that they could be nearer their workplaces.
Mayoral committee member for housing, Dan Plato, received a memorandum questioning their rates charges and monthly rentals on behalf of the city.
"Our doors have always been open to you," said Plato to disapproving shouts from protesters.
They were enraged that no representatives from the CTCHC or the provincial government were present to hear their complaints.
Plato said R35-million had already been earmarked for remedial work on the houses and that he and Dyantyi would continue to meet the affected communities regularly as they had done over the past few months. They are scheduled to meet the community of Eastridge this weekend.
The CTCHC said it had already appointed contractors to fix the defects in the homes of complainants and said repairs would start by the end of the month. - Cape Argus
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