Cape Town - A housing handover ceremony almost turned into a stand-off between ANC and DA supporters in Klapmuts near Stellenbosch on Monday.
Human Settlement MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela visited the area and handed over 12 houses to beneficiaries on Monday, and, while he was there, supporters of his party – the DA – and the ANC exchanged political remarks about leaders of their parties.
The DA supporters sang: “We will never vote for thieves,” while the ANC supporters sang: “Zuma is our president.”
The ANC supporters claimed the DA supporters were not from the area and were transported. They said the DA attended the event only to make the housing handover ceremony look political.
One ANC supporter shouted: “You are traitors who are being fooled by Zille and her cabinet.”
Police kept an eye on the two groups. After the ceremony, a Klapmuts resident, Biki Stemela, confronted that Madikizela and questioned the way beneficiaries were being selected for the houses. He said there were people earning more than than R5 000 but were owners of RDP houses. Madikizela said he would have a meeting where they would discuss their complaints.
The Klapmuts project has an estimated budget of R120 million for 1 051 RDP houses which will be given to the beneficiaries when the project is completed.
New homeowner Tozama Bangani, 34, who received an RDP house on Monday, said she, her four sons and two brothers had been living in a shack for more than 10 years.
“None of us are working and I never thought I will ever get a proper house. Our shack still leaks when there is rain. The only income we receive is from a government social grant. I am grateful of this house. A house is one of the most important things that gives a person dignity,” Bangani said. “I feel like my life is transforming. It feels like I have a new life now. It feels so unreal,” she said.
Another Klapmuts beneficiary, Zonke Loyiso Zez, said: “I lived as a backyard dweller for 16 years. As someone who works as a construction worker, I never thought I would get ownership to a proper house. This means a lot to me, because I used to stay in fear of shack fires and lose all my belongings.”
Madikizela said he was satisfied with the project as many people of the area were farmworkers who could not afford proper houses.
He said his department would ensure that poor people’s living conditions were improved by giving them proper houses.
Monday’s handover followed recent housing handovers in areas such Mfuleni, Pelican Park and Saldanha.
Cape Times