CAPE TOWN, On the 16th of November 2005, communities across Cape Town took action to demand decent houses for all, now!
This year, the Western Cape failed to spend R 76 million of its housing budget. 350 000 families in the province don’t have houses, and only 11 000 houses were built in the whole of the Western Cape last year. Meanwhile, in Cape Town alone, 260 000 families wait for houses and that number grows by 20 000 a year. Shack communities are told they can’t get electricity and get only a few toilets and water because they are ‘temporary’ even if they’ve been living in the same place for years. Meanwhile the government is selling its land to private developers for rich people’s houses, and then turning to the poor and saying there is no land!
Actions included a marches of 400 people each in Lavender Hill and Crossroads (Boys Town) [audio report] with smaller actions in Hanover Park, Khayelitsha and Gugulethu. Memorandums were handed over the officials from the Cape Town City Council (and in Hanover Park the local councillor was given a symbolic funeral) and action was demanded within 7 days, else more mass action will follow!
Participating organisations included Hanover Park Anti-Eviction Campaign (AEC), Hillview Housing Forum, Inthatho Nxaxheba (Crossroads, Boys Town), Intshukumo Yabantu (Gugulethu), Mandela Park AEC, Newfields AEC, QQ section area committee, St Montague Village Women's Hope for the Nation, United Homeless People's Development Association (Cuban Heights) and Vrygrond Action Committee.
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