By Ella Smook
Metro Writer
Controversial DA councillor Frank Martin has raised the ire of his opposition colleagues by suggesting that the city should "not feed" the thousands of people who migrate here annually because doing so compromises housing delivery to locals.
"We can't stop migration to the city, but we can stop feeding them," Martin said during a debate of the planning and environment portfolio committee yesterday, after the city's housing backlog challenges were highlighted.
Researchers have estimated annual migration figures into the city of Cape Town at between 16 000 and 18 000 people annually.
Many of the migrants who come from other parts of South Africa and other African countries are attracted by the quality of health and education services in the city, they say.
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But Martin said that the city was "promoting migration" and that "real beneficiaries" were negatively affected as a result.
"Every time a migrant gets a (housing) opportunity it puts real beneficiaries 10 years back," he said.
Committee chairman Brian Watkyns hastily attempted to salvage the situation, by saying Martin had to either explain or withdraw the comment, as it could be misconstrued.
"You meant they should not go to the top of the housing list," he prompted, to which Martin replied in the affirmative.
Martin caused an outcry two years ago when he encouraged the illegal occupation of N2 Gateway homes in Delft by nearby residents.
Those who followed his prompting and were later evicted, last week moved to Blikkiesdorp in Delft after living on the pavement along Symphony Way following their eviction.
But despite Watkyns's attempt yesterday to smooth over Martin's comment, the ANC's Koos Bredenhand lashed out at Martin, saying people should "stop using that word" - referring to migration.
"In South Africa we are not migrating anymore," he said, adding that migrants were also not animals who needed to be fed.
"It was very bad the way he said that," Bredenhand said.
Bredenhand said everyone in the country who was previously denied housing was entitled to receive it now, regardless of whether they were from Mthatha or Joburg.
"They also spent decades waiting for homes," he said.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Argus on November 04, 2009
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