SACP condemns DA’s message of ‘no more free houses’

THE South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape condemns the reckless and unconstitutional statement recently uttered by the provincial MEC of Human Settlements, Bonginkosi Madikizela.

Addressing the Institute of Estate Agents of South Africa on Wednesday, August 10, Madikezela said: “Free housing as a response to housing need is financially unsustainable and the focus must change to those who can contribute financially towards their own housing.”

The clear message the MEC put across was: “No more free houses.”

Housing backlogs in the Western Cape are currently standing at 500 000, whilst many people are destitute and waiting for clarity on where they stand on the so-called database.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Madikezela has single-handedly crushed the dreams of those yearning to own a house.

Since 1994, the ANC-led government has built more than 4 million free houses for the poor.

In the Western Cape, between 2004 to 2009, the ANC built 80 000 houses.

Albeit this is the threshold which was set by the ANC; the DA government has failed abysmally to match this delivery record.

Over the past few years, the provincial Human Settlements Department has been returning unspent funds to the national treasurer.

The housing question cannot now be turned into a narrative of privilege.

This critical right to shelter is confirmed in our Freedom Charter: “There shall be Houses, Security, and Comfort!

“All people shall have the right to live where they choose, be decently housed, and to bring up their families in comfort and security.”

Furthermore, Section 26 of the South African Constitution states:

1) Everyone has the right to have access to adequate housing.

2) The state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of this right.

The failure of the DA in prioritising housing in the Western Cape has been a deliberate attempt to further marginalise society in the province, given the fact that the beneficiaries are not the DA’s core constituency.

Thus, the DA’s MEC Bonginkosi Madikezela has been unable to justify his dismal failures.

It is against this background that the SACP will never allow the gains that millions of South Africans have fought for to be undermined by a racially divisive organisation.

Thus, as the SACP, we reiterate our call on the national Human Settlements Ministry to strip both the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape Department of their housing licence and to take direct control over the construction of housing for our communities.