De Lille 'the Grinch who stole Christmas' after SAPS safe house rent increases: DA

DA has lambasted minister of public works and infrastructure Patricia De Lille for a rent increase at police safe houses in Cape Town, calling her the “Grinch who stole Christmas”.

Families of Cape Town cops living in state safe houses picketed outside Western Cape police headquarters on Thursday against an excessive rent increase.

TimesLIVE reported the families face a rent increase imposed by the SA Police Service and the department of public works.

The DA said the increase was not the right way for the department to start taking its role as government landlord seriously and demonstrating a more financially sound approach to business.

"It seems that this year the Grinch can step aside as minister De Lille takes 'grinchness' to a whole new level," said DA MP Samantha Graham-Maré.

“Housing provided to SAPS members whose lives are under threat from gangsters can never be valued using the same methodology as that for an ordinary citizen on the open market.” 

The increase could see police officials moving back to a dangerous environment or paying more in rent than they earn.

“These properties are for the sole use of SAPS for official housing. They are not available on the open market and should not be treated as such. Families of police officers are going to face threats to their lives or financial ruin because minister De Lille’s department has suddenly embraced the idea of capitalism.

“Minister De Lille needs to urgently address the lack of a coherent policy on leasing with her department to prevent this type of tone-deaf and ill-conceived administrative bungling. The department of public works and infrastructure must serve the citizens of this country,  not just client departments.”

NGO Ndifuna Ukwazi and trade union SA Police and Allied Workers Union (Sapawu) said the increase is inflated.

Officers have been given until December 31 to pay market-related rent or vacate their homes.

Some police officers who previously paid between R900 and R1,500 monthly are now required to fork out about R11,000.

“The families of several SAPS members serving in Cape Town face the threat of eviction from official housing and safe houses as SAPS and the national department of public works and infrastructure, who owns the housing, have imposed excessive rent increases on members living in these well-located areas.

“Those who aren’t able to pay these inflated rental amounts must urgently find alternative housing or face homelessness.

“These members are being sacrificed at the altar of market-related rentals and profits by virtue of serving (and living) in well-located areas.

“This exorbitant rental increase will be detrimental to the livelihood of SAPS members in lower income brackets, especially when the official housing is meant for lower ranks (lower than the rank of lt col).”