Cape Town - Public Works Minister Patricia De Lille has released 1 144 hectares of land in the Western Cape as part of its human settlements programme.
This was revealed during the Minister’s budget vote speech at the National Council of Provinces this week.
“Under the human settlements programme, the planned 7 100 hectares planned for release are divided as follows: 1 144 hectares in the Western Cape, 532 hectares in the Eastern Cape, 5 160 hectares in KZN, 0.6 hectares in the Northern Cape, 50 hectares in Limpopo, 21 hectares in Mpumalanga and 258 hectares in the Free State.
She added that planned releases are based on what is requested in a specific province and how far the land release process is that will enable the land to be released this year.
Cape Town mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis on Thursday also announced the City had 6 500 social housing units in the overall pipeline across 50 land parcels citywide.
He also approached council for approval for inner city properties set to deliver around 760 social housing units, within mixed-used, mixed market developments, he said.
Chief Josh Samuels from the Knoflokskraal settlement in the Elgin-Grabouw Valley said government priority should be the restitution of land to the Khoi and San. The Public Works site has been occupied since December 2020 and is now home to about 3000 people.
“We have a huge housing crisis in our communities. Our rights as the Khoi and San need to be restored, give us the land and we will take care of our people,” Chief Josh Samuels of Knoflokskraal said.
Reclaim the City housing activist, Bevil Lucas added that while the allocation was welcomed, the biggest challenge is the contestation between national versus provincial and local governments.
“The interest of both parties is not the same. On the one hand, the national government is committed while Province and City are dragging their feet. The fact that we have over 20 occupations in the greater city is how serious and great the need for housing is.”
Cape Times