Sivukile Sonele Movement to challenge allocation beneficiaries in Langa

Mbasa Gqokoma

23 September 2015

Sivukile Sonele Movement this morning took to the streets of Langa demanding the City of Cape Town to change allocation beneficiary of the new housing project.

They claim that people from Langa do not benefit on the new housing project and those people who are on the database, were not consulted with the move in, that is taking place today.

The first beneficiaries of the City of Cape Town’s flagship Langa Hostels Transformation Project, happened last week.

The City of Cape Town has never come down to tell us what is happening because they know exactly the housing problem that the community is facing because we had the engagements with him and they never wanted to reach any remarkable agreement with that hence now people are going out to protesting, Sivukile Sonele Movement Spokesperson Vusumzi Mandinda said.

Meanwhile the City of Cape said it is currently busy with hostel transformation programme in Langa.

Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Benedicta van Minnen said it must be noted that engagements about the allocation of units and the project in general have been in-depth, inclusive and thorough over months.

A clear process was agreed upon and is being followed. The 463 units which are being built on the Old Depot Site in Langa form part of the first phase of a project which will ultimately see the construction of more than 1 300 units in the next five years.

Van Minnen says “the community understands that we had various engagements with them and they have welcomed these opportunities. However, there is a very small minority of people who have been protesting because they are not beneficiaries of phase one”.

The City currently is will interdicting them as they have attempted to petrol bomb the building and we will continue to ensure that they do not damage the flats, Van Minnen added.