It’s time to work together to solve the Masi land dilemma

THE community of Masiphumelele, home to more than 40 000 residents, hit even international headlines when on March 12 the international cycle race in Cape Town had first to be diverted because of protests in the area, before it was cancelled due to strong winds.

Since then, what had started well as a first meeting of 22 Masi leaders with the new mayco member for human settlements, Xanthea Limberg, on February 27, derailed when Limberg came with her delegation on March 13 to speak in the Masi community hall.

Instead of listening carefully to what she had to say, the audience of 1 000 residents – who fairly well represented the community, especially those most affected by repeated disasters – in their clear majority demanded that ward councillor Felicity Purchase should step down as she, as one speaker said, “had broken so many promises the past many years”.

Two points raised by Limberg should be not forgotten:

1) She offered to address the most important land issue around erf 5131 with urgency and an EIA within 6 months (instead of 3 years). Erf 5131 is a piece of land given by SANParks already in 2004 to mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo to develop for housing in Masi, the same area several hundred residents had begun to invade the previous weekend. It is time now not to escalate the conflict, but to agree on a plan of decent development together, instead of soon having another troubled informal settlement.

2) She said there was a matrix for development and basic services for the Masi Wetlands informal settlement which (if understood correctly) replaces the failed promise of the “Masiphumelele Greater Framework Plan”. We had hoped she would bring copies of this matrix for the Masi leadership to study and respond to, but this can still happen.

Crucial is to keep in mind that 85 % of the Masi Wetlands informal settlement (as also erf 5131) are not wetlands (against all “research” the city has paid for), but reed beds (as confirmed by then director SANParks Paddy Gordon) which can be upgraded for safe basic services and access roads to change a ratio of one toilet/water tap from at present 1: 70 families to 1 : 4 families. After the three huge fires in the area since 2014, everybody, even those from the city, will confirm that such a professional upgrading is much cheaper than disaster relief again and again (let alone the human tragedies).

It is high time for Masi leaders and city officials to focus on these important points and meet soon again. Land for Masi is finally possible – in a peaceful and ico-ordinated way which allows development instead of more chaotic informal settlements.

It is disturbing that DA chief whip Mark Wiley, also from the area, is making false statements in interviews to destabilise the potentially dangerous situation. He is lying when he says “Masi leaders have invited people from other townships to invade” the part of erf 5131 together and are “even bused in”. It is also not true that the present land invasions “endanger” the modest phase 4 housing project on the same erf. Not one shack has been erected on the clear demarcated area for phase 4.

Finally, he continues what Purchase did for too long: to divide the leadership in “good” and “bad” leaders and give information only to those they regard as the “good” ones.

It has not worked in the past and will not work now. None of those regarded by them as the “good” leaders spoke out in favour of Purchase when Limberg was there. Do not criminalise those you regard as “bad” leaders before they have done anything wrong, or you provoke action you will condemn later.

Please work together while it is still possible.

There are more and more neighbours around Masi who realise the huge injustices of the past, as manifested in Masi. The horrible fire which happened recently in Houtbay’s Imizamo Yethu can happen any day in Masi. But we can also act now. I have worked almost daily these past 15 years in Masiphumelele and fully support the plight of all Masi leaders for more land and development – now. Dr Lutz van Dijk Founding co-director of the Hokisa Children’s Home in Masiphumelele