Zille calls for new model in developing District Six

PREMIER Helen Zille called for a new development model in District Six to fasttrack the delivery of houses so residents would be able to return to the area.

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform is responsible for developing District Six, but 23 years later the prime land on the mountain slopes overlooking the CBD remains mostly undeveloped.

Zille was speaking on Cape Talk’s John Maytham show on Wednesday. She said the national government’s approach of pilot phases had failed to deliver, and that a development model for the whole site was needed, along the lines of the province’s better living model.

“District Six shows you something very important – the government say they cannot get on with land reform if they don’t expropriate land without compensation – District Six is a classic example of why that is nonsense,” Zille said.

She said it was inconceivable that in 23 years, only 139 units had been handed over, with 108 currently under construction but delayed due to poor workmanship and contractor issues.

“The solution was to develop the site as a whole using the better living model, with commercial units and retail cross-subsidising the land restitution residential units,” Zille said.

Last week, an “agreement” had been reached between the provincial standing committee on human settlements and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to transfer the budget for District Six to the provincial department of Human Settlements.

But the department has backtracked on its plans to transfer the budget for the historic District Six area to the provincial department.

Zille said the province would like to apply the better living model in District Six, and that she was seeking a meeting with her national counterparts to gain clarity on this.

“The transfer of this project makes absolute sense, given the failure of the department. The purported conflict between the various representative groups, is also exacerbating the delays. A speedy resolution, which should include a redevelopment plan, is therefore urgently required.”

The Department of Rural Development and Land Reform has until today to file responding papers on why it failed to provide restitution to District Six claimants since 1998.

A court battle between the District Six working committee and the department has stalled after it emerged that the department had not responded to a court application filed in April. The application was lodged in the Land Claims Court in Johannesburg. The department was initially supposed to respond to the court application in May but failed to do so. – Staff Reporter

THE TRANSFER OF THIS PROJECT MAKES SENSE, GIVEN THE FAILURE OF THE DEPARTMENT