During an hour-long protest backyard dwellers from Khayelitsha's Mandela Park yesterday accused Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela of breaking promises made in 2010.
Gathering outside the MEC's office on Wale Street, the backyard dwellers had in their possession a letter dated November, 12, 2010 in which Madikizela promised the backyard dwellers that his department had identified 80 empty erven that were available for allocation to "deserving individuals in Mandela Park".
The letter stated that the process of allocating the empty erven, screening and subsequent approval of qualifying individuals would start "immediately" and the subsidies for qualifying applicants would be released for the construction of top structures within the 2011/2012 financial year.
But since the 2011/12 financial year had ended, the backyard dwellers were upset that nothing had yet been done.
About 13 backyard dwellers, who said they were mandated to represent the nearly 800 backyard dwellers in Mandela Park, marched from St Georges Cathedral to number 27 Wale Street where they chanted songs denouncing Madikizela.
Placards held aloft read; "Where are your promises now about housing; we don't need your capitalist agenda; demand service delivery not broken promises."
Community Leader Khaya Xintolo said the backyard dwellers had been communicating with Madikizela through emails, seeking information regarding progress on his promises but Madikizela had only replied that the "matter is receiving urgent attention and a response will come in due course".
"We want to put more pressure on him so that he can know we are more serious on this issue," said Xintolo, a father of two children who have stayed in a backyard shack since 1990.
He said the Human Settlements Department had two housing projects in Mandela Park which were completed in 2009 but no backyard dwellers benefited from the projects.
Secretary of the Mandela Park Backyarders, Luvo Vanyaza, said they had repeatedly asked Madikizela why backyarders did not benefit from housing projects in Mandela Park.
"The Western Cape Housing Policy says when a new (housing) project is being built in a new area 50 percent of the beneficiaries should come from within that area. There has been two projects and we didn't benefit from them," said Vanyaza, adding that backyard dwellers have been sidelined.
Xintolo said they wanted to know when the backyarders would benefit from housing projecs undertaken by the department.
On the backyard dwellers list of demands which they wanted response to in seven working days, were:
They demanded full accountability from Madikizela regarding his 2010 undertakings;
That some empty spaces in Mandela Park be rezoned for housing development for back yard dwellers who earned less than R3500.
Madikizela Head of Department Daniel Pienaar received the demands and admitted he was aware of Madikizela's 2010 letter.
Pienaar said Madikizela would have to study the demands before responding and if possible "we will respond with the requested time frame".
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