City takes new look at housing options
THE CITY has hinted it will be looking into other housing models to accommodate backyarders.
Mayco member for Human Settlements Malusi Booi said the days of following one model of housing delivery were over.
“We cannot solely rely on Breaking New Ground (BNG) accommodation. We must increasingly look towards affordable rental options, enhanced backyarder services provision and the upgrading of informal settlements,” he said.
This emerged after last week’s Backyarders Summit hosted by the Human Rights Commission (HRC). Backyarders from the Cape Flats expressed their anger last week over the provincial and local governments’ “failure” to provide them with adequate housing. Among some of the issues raised by residents was poor housing infrastructure of rental units, sanitation, evictions and the housing waiting list.
“In line with national legislation and imperatives, the City is looking at larger scale housing delivery, site and service, affordable rental options, among others. The City may only provide services on City-owned land and was the first metro to provide such services.Many backyard services cannot be provided because the yards are too densely populated and often backyarders refuse to move so that services can be installed. It is a community-led/beneficiary-led process so if the community or a particular group of backyarders do not want the service offering, the City does not force them to have it. The City ,however, continues to look at how to enhance service delivery,” Booi said.
Booi said the City was doing what it could but it needed partnerships.
“The city is doing much work on this, but substantial partnerships between all government levels, as well as the private sector are required.
“Urbanisation is not a municipal challenge alone. All tiers of government, the private sector and civic organisations must work together and ensure that we are ahead of the curve with our plans to address rapid urbanisation,” said Booi.