Housing activists set up CBD camp on eve of Tafelberg School decision

21 March 2017 - 14:14 By Aphiwe Deklerk
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Image: Masixole Feni/GroundUp

Activists demanding affordable housing set up camp in the Cape Town city centre on Tuesday.

Members of the NGO Reclaim the City occupied the Red House in Long Street‚ just outside Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s office‚ ahead of her cabinet’s decision on whether or not to sell the Tafelberg School site in Sea Point.

The site became a bone of contention when it was sold to a developer by the provincial government. After a legal battle‚ the government agreed to reopen a public participation process on whether to sell the property or use it for affordable housing.

  • Tafelberg study a breakthrough‚ say activistsAccording to the Western Cape government‚ 270 residential rental units for households earning under R7‚500 a month could be built on the old Tafelberg school site.

Zille’s cabinet is expected to make the final decision on Wednesday‚ and Reclaim the City’s Ntombi Sambu said they were planning to camp outside the premier’s office until then.

  • Property giant plans ‘iconic building’ on Foreshore‚ but NPO says land should be used for affordable housingCape Town city centre's will get a new landmark building after an R86.5-million land auction‚ say the new owners.

“By selling Tafelberg‚ our government will continue a legacy of apartheid spatial planning and a track record of buckling under to private investors who have designs on our prime public land‚” she said.

If the cabinet decided to build affordable housing on the site‚ it would establish a precedent of integration “in our city and areas formerly reserved for whites only”.

Throughout their campaign‚ Reclaim the City have suggested domestic workers as the intended occupants of the housing.

Rentals for one-bedroom flats in Sea Point can reach R16‚ 000 a month.

TMG Digital/TimesLIVE

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