How to fund shack dwellers

THE CITY of Cape Town wants, among other things, to be a caring city. A good starting point would be to read the UN’s Habitat lll, paper 22 of 31, into our Integrated Development Plan. In that way the City will have a clear plan of action that meets international criteria.

On August 11, the executive mayor, addressing the newly constituted council, limited the City to “continue to provide sanitation and basic services to informal settlements”. That is not enough by any stretch of imagination.

What is lacking is physical planning. This should be an apex requirement.

People in informal settlements are vulnerable because they lack security of tenure and physical planning support. Such settlements are usually in areas that are geographically and environmentally hazardous. That the residents are usually poor exacerbates the situation. Consequently, acute socio-spatial exclusion and marginalisation occurs. Quality of life is non-existent.

I appeal to the executive mayor to establish a special trust to help generate funds to support informal settlements. Our stadiums and beaches should be used for summer festivals and events in order to generate millions of rand to help dwellers. Let Cape Town be a truly caring city.