Mfeketo slams Plato comments

‘Utterances are of pre-1994’

HUMAN Settlements Minister Nomaindia Mfeketo slammed mayor Dan Plato’s controversial comments that 90% of migrants to the province cannot fend for themselves.

Mfeketo, the former Cape Town mayor, said she wished to see the city become the first city free of apartheid spatial planning.

She was speaking during the unveiling of a new social housing project in Goodwood yesterday.

“Today, I am kind, and I will not talk of utterances of some people who knew I would be here, and did not come because some of the utterances are of pre-1994 and not post 1994.”

Plato, who was not able to make it to yesterday’s event, got himself into hot water when he was captured in a video saying that 99% of people coming into the province were not able to fend for themselves.

“Lots and lots of our budget goes into them.

“Unfortunately, and that is a challenge,” he said.

The Goodwood Station Social Housing Development project, worth R380 million, is a collaborative effort between the national and provincial Departments of Human Settlements, the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), the city council, as well as Passenger Rail Agency of SA.

The development will provide housing opportunities for previously disadvantaged low-income earners in Goodwood, Ruyterwacht and surrounding areas.

“We need to hold hands, and when we talk about changing the country, we make sure that we do things that will make everybody in South Africa comfortable to go everywhere.

“My wish is that the first post-apartheid city must be here in Cape Town.

“I do not see any other place it can be. It must be here in Cape Town.

“There are District Six claimants, and once you put those together, we can really build this province, which is my province,” she said.

Human Settlements mayco member Malusi Booi came to Plato’s defence saying he was not at the event as he had to chair a mayco session.

“He is committed to one South Africa for all and embraces it fully.

“We are fully in support of an integrated society, and we are extremely excited for this project,” Booi said.

“We must continue working towards reversing the legacy of apartheid spatial planning by promoting transport-oriented development.

“At the same time, we must work towards creating affordable housing on well-located land close to public transport and job opportunities, as is the case with this new project.

“In addition, we must plan and cater for a wide range of income groupings to respond to the increased demands of urbanisation.”