Cape Town - Tenants of a southern suburbs housing estate have accused the provincial government of trying to make money by pushing them out of their homes so they could charge market-related prices.
Naruna Estate in Plumstead, which is owned by the Department of Human Settlements, is home to 156 families, some of whom have lived in the rental homes for nearly 50 years.
Many are elderly, some are disabled and a number are families with special needs children.
People are required to pay 25 percent of their income to live in the houses, which are close to schools, day hospitals and transport.
A long-standing resident, Jean Pretorius, has a lifetime of memories packed into her modest home. She and her two sons have been living there for 42 years and she said she never expected that at the age of 79 she would be forced out.
But last year tenants of Naruna Estate received hand-delivered letters from the Department of Human Settlements, saying those earning up to R3 500 had an option to become home-owners at Pelican Park. However, in August, when officials arranged one-on-one meetings with residents, they told them only those earning between R3 500 and R15 000 could stay.
Pretorius went to look at Pelican Park, but said she didn’t like it. “We wouldn’t be near shops and we would have to take a taxi to Wynberg and the day hospital.”
Karen Saligee, chairwoman of the Naruna Estate Residents’ Association, said officials told them the changes were part of the department’s new Rental Housing Policy, but it was unclear what this document said.
The association has applied in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to see the document.
In November, officials arrived at the estate with new three-year leases for people to sign and again had one-on-one meetings with residents, which created a climate of fear and distrust.
Late last year, residents met Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela, who committed to a public participation process, although he has yet to set a date.
Saligee said they hoped to start the process on Monday with a series of weekly meetings.
Zalisile Mbali, the spokesman for Madikizela, said the MEC was still committed to a public participation process with the tenants. “However, the date of the meeting with the tenants will be communicated with the committee in due course.”
Saligee said that in 1993/94, officials from the department had told residents they would eventually own their homes so people invested in their homes.
“They put in built-in cupboards, added showers and extended walls - now they want us to move.”
Saligee conceded there were people in arrears, but said she did not know where Madikizela got the figure of R2.4 million he claimed is owed. Residents said they were scared to move to Pelican Park because of a lack of infrastructure and increasing crime.
The Cape Argus reported last year that gangs and shebeens were operating at the R700m development in Pelican Park.
Philip Bam, chairman of the Greater Cape Town Civic Alliance, said it was again the issue of the poor being pushed out.
Tenants of the De Waal Drive Flats, on prime property, have also been targeted. Bam said in a statement last year that it was a sad indictment on all in authority that beautiful Cape Town was becoming more unaffordable to ordinary Capetonians.
He also expressed concern that a stable community such as those in De Waal Drive and Naruna were being broken up and moved to a crime-ridden area such as Pelican Park.
Beverley Strong had been so desperate to get a house in Naruna Estate, after being on the waiting list for 29 years, that she chained herself to the gate of the house she now lives in - but may lose.
Cancer survivor Jenny Kotze needs to visit Mediclinic Constantiaberg every month for check-ups, but said it would be costly to travel there from Pelican Park.
Mbali said the homes in De Waal Drive and Naruna Estate would remain permanent rental stock for those who qualified for assistance with accommodation.
For those interested in home ownership, Pelican Park was one of the options.
Mbali said the department’s intention was to ensure the rental stock was self-sustainable. He said part of the intervention was to assist tenants who could not afford to pay rent with alternative accommodation, such as Pelican Park.
Tenants at De Waal Drive and in Plumstead allegedly owes about R3.3m.
Cape Argus