Hermanus housing list comes under scrutiny
Premier Zille awaiting further information after second visit postponed
A BATTLE is being waged in the Overstrand communities in Hermanus over perceived corruption in the management of the housing demand beneficiary list.
Premier Helen Zille was set to visit Hermanus communities again yesterday after she held talks with aggrieved community members on Saturday at the municipal headquarters. However, her meeting was moved to next year at a date to be announced, at the request of the community leadership.
Masizole Mnqasela, chairperson of the standing committee on local government, said communities made the request upon realising that they were not ready with the information the premier requires in order to visit homes alleged to have been awarded on an irregular or fraudulent basis.
Zille was set to investigate at the insistence of people who have not moved into their homes despite having an allocated subsidy and being part of the approved beneficiary list.
Mnqasela said there had been reports that these allegations were due, in part, to corrupt practices. “This is to get to the bottom of the corruption allegations in the housing allocation system at the municipality.”
The meeting comes 12 days after 2 000 people embarked on a march from Zwelihle to the Hermanus municipality, protesting over service delivery in the area.
Overstrand Unite spokesperson Vanessa Swanepoel said it was a peaceful protest, while some said there was unrest because of the march.
Swanepoel said there had been no flare-ups of violence in Hermanus as stated in some reports and by other residents. “There was an isolated incident of vandalism on Thursday evening,” Swanepoel said.
“Please note that due to threats by the business community to fire people or withhold annual bonuses, you will find that many workers ascribe their absence from work to intimidation in order to keep their jobs.”
Swanepoel said Hermanus and the Overstrand were safe for visitors.
Whale Coast Business and Community Forum committee member Victor Sabbe said there were some businesses and residents who were affected by the march.
Sabbe said they had invited everyone affected and intimidated by the “destructive events and criminal activities over the last 10 months, connected to illegal riots and strike action” to open a case and make an affidavit at the Sandbaai Hall.
According to the minutes of the meeting held on Saturday, Zille will further seek a legal opinion on the validity of the contract of the municipal manager, as amended in 2017 by the council, and investigate the monitoring and evaluation systems put in place by the municipality on the performance management of the directors of the municipality.