Door to door Campaign has started

By Anele Siwa
19 May 2008

The Housing and Local government department in the Western Cape in partnership with South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) have started the door to door campaign in Du noon, where they are verifying the ownership of the RDP houses.

“We think that with rising poverty and other issues, issues of asset and people keeping their houses are important things and where there’s a new ownership we record those things,” says MEC for Housing and Local government in the Western Cape, Richard Qubudile Dyantyi.

A preliminary report of the first five - hundred houses will be announced by the end of this week.

“So far people have been cooperating with us, telling us how perhaps somebody has gotten the house,” he added.

“This is the starting point and it emanated from our observation that we see housing delivery, but informal settlements are spreading,” says SANCO Provincial spokesperson, Rose Sonto .

During the campaign Dyantyi found out that a house has been rented out by the owner who resides in Eastern Cape.

“I have been renting this house for a year now and the owner of the house stays in Eastern Cape,” says a foreigner who wanted to remain unknown.

Some residents claim that their RDP houses were sold by street committees before they even recieve them.

“My house was sold and when I went to Millerton they said my house is here, but they did not explain to me,” said an angry resident Ken Kanityi.

Attempts to get comment from Millerton Municipality have failed.