{"id":44417,"date":"2023-02-02T06:06:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-02T04:06:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/cityvision\/invasions-disrupt-progress-of-housing-projects-says-cape-towns-mayor-20230202\/"},"modified":"2025-03-20T01:31:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T23:31:30","slug":"invasions-disrupt-progress-of-housing-projects-says-cape-towns-mayor-20230202","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/cityvision\/invasions-disrupt-progress-of-housing-projects-says-cape-towns-mayor-20230202\/","title":{"rendered":"Invasions disrupt progress of housing projects, says Cape Town’s mayor"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The City of Cape Town is pulling all the stops to halt threats of extortion, unlawful occupation and forceful community disruption of its housing units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis recently revealed that 12 of the City\u2019s housing projects have been affected by the problem, with around 4 500 State-subsidised housing beneficiaries affected. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They include areas such as Gugulethu, Bardale 4C in Mfuleni, Sheffield Road in Philippi, Delft Eindhoven, Sir Lowry\u2019s Pass Village, Valhalla Park and Beacon Valley in Mitchell\u2019s Plain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Thursday 26 January, the City approved a R15 million \u201ctop up budget\u201d for additional security for housing construction sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During a briefing of the provincial Parliament\u2019s Standing Committee on Human Settlements on Friday 27 January, Hill-Lewis also called for law enforcement agencies to clampdown on extortionists blocking City housing construction projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hill-Lewis called on the South African Police Services (Saps), contractors, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the public to assist in bringing perpetrators to book. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTogether we can clamp down on this practice by ensuring criminal charges are laid each time, that evidence is carefully gathered, and those responsible are brought to book. On Thursday, 26 January, the City approved a R15 million top up budget for additional security for housing construction sites,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere completed units are invaded, the City will not hesitate to initiate eviction proceedings to reverse this injustice and theft from the rightful beneficiaries.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hill-Lewis said extortion threats take various forms and local \u2018business forums\u2019 were behind these threats, especially in Philippi and Mfuleni.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said in other instances, attempts by local subcontractors to muscle in on project work were behind disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIntimidation tactics have become extremely violent in some cases, with four construction staff members shot and incidents of petrol bombing leading to the cancellation of two civil contracts worth R140 million at the City\u2019s Beacon Valley project. The community threats pertaining to ongoing work or housing units, and invasion attempts have been the main disruption in the case of the following projects: Morningstar; Rusthof in Strand; Belhar-Pentech and Mau Mau in Nyanga,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hill-Lewis said the City is exploring several ways to enhance on-site security at construction projects, including approaching the courts for interdicts, more stringent security specifications for construction contracts, and the use of municipal law enforcement resources in addition to private security. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the past financial year, the City spent more than 97% of its funding on human settlements. \u201cCriminality and gangsterism are among the biggest impediments to complete spends, as we can see with the impact of the cancellation of contracts already,\u201d said Hill-Lewis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some R2,8 billion in total has been allocated for human settlements over the next three years and \u201cwe will continue to do all in our power to safeguard the projects and protect our rightful beneficiaries\u201d said the City\u2019s Mayco Member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ward 108 councillor Nkosiphendule Lombi called for the arrest of those responsible for causing mayhem in the City\u2019s housing development. \u201cPeople need developments in their areas and anyone stopping development impacts the same communities badly. It is not acceptable to stop or disturbs developments,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lombi said the delaying development in the area was a \u201crevived project\u201d that had problems for years, and to date had no specific timelines. He said there was work taking place to check underground infrastructure in the project and check other damage to continue with it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n