Councillor quits over disposal of housing plan

Accuses DA of empty promises to communities desperate for low-cost homes

BEFORE Brett Herron became the latest high-ranking DA councillor to ditch the party, he laid into the party for its refusal to support the building of affordable housing close to or in the inner city.

Herron, who before his resignation yesterday was the mayco member for transport and urban development, was upset over the DA caucus refusing to support the social housing development planned for Salt River.

“On Wednesday, I met with the City’s housing officials and representatives from Communicare, one of the City’s non-profit social housing partners, to discuss the implications of the DA caucus not supporting the disposal of the Salt River market for the development of affordable housing.

Initially the City had proposed that social housing giant Communicare buy the land from the City well below its market price. The 1.7 hectares of land is valued at R144 million, but the City was willing to sell it for R1.8m to build a R715m high-rise building.

In exchange, 300 of the 850 housing units in Salt River would be allocated to social housing – reserved for households with a monthly income of between R1 500 and R15 000.

However, this was blocked at a council meeting on Thursday last week.

“This decision is yet another ridiculous tactic that has been playing out over the last few months… I must express my disgust in the refusal of the DA caucus to support the disposal of the Salt River market site,” he said.

Herron said that a cabal of “white DA councillors” blocked the project. “Over the past few weeks, I had been hearing that the ward councillor Dave Bryant was lobbying for the project to be blocked. I have been in public meetings with him where residents of Woodstock were pleading for affordable housing in the area. The abandonment of this site is symbolic of their empty promises made to voters, and I refuse to allow my voice to be used to mask the lies being released,” he said.

Former mayco member Suzette Little said it was evident that the party was greatly divided. “There has been a sustained campaign to oppose attempts to reverse apartheid spatial planning and provide housing in good parts of the City for our people.

“I was disgusted that the disposal of the Salt River Market site that was promised to be released for the development of housing for hundreds of lower-income families that desperately need it, was blocked in this week’s DA caucus meeting by a cabal of white DA councillors,” Little said.

She said the Salt River development would have been a beacon and flagship example of integrated community development, “but it is clear that white DA councillors say one thing in public but do another thing behind closed doors”.

Woodstock ward councillor Bryant said: “The decision was made by a full council and there were a number of requests for additional information. By no means did we block this.”

Social justice advocacy group Ndifuna Ukwazi said: “After 10 years of delays, the Salt River Market project is now Ground Zero for transformation. If dense social housing can be maximised, the model will shape our City for decades to come. It relies on public land being sold at 10% of market value. We suspect this is why it is being opposed on spurious technical grounds at the 11th hour… this will thoroughly disrupt business as usual,” said co-director Jared Rossouw.

Anthea Houston, chief executive of Communicare, said: “Despite this departure… we look forward to continue working with the City.” Acting mayor Ian Neilson said the claims made by Herron were skewed and that the market remained an agenda item.