Cape Town - The head of a parliamentary delegation that met residents of South Road facing eviction to make way for the MyCiTi route through Plumstead, was moved to tears on Thursday as she heard of their struggle to meet the City of Cape Town about their concerns.
Thabiso Wana, an ANC member on the National Council of Provinces, struggled to control her emotions as she heard from Lilian Nonceba, 79, and Duncan Human, 76, about their fears of being evicted from their homes.
The high-level delegation comprised members of the council representing KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape, making site visits to communities across the country before a special “People’s Parliament” session next month in George.
“We will treat this as a priority,” said Wana, who added that the delegates were gathering information as part of its oversight role. “The constitution does give you protection.”
The delegation confirmed that a meeting with city officials and councillors, as well as mayor Patricia de Lille, needed to take place to deal with the impasse between residents and the municipality.
Most of the 26 South Road residents who were told in October last year that the leases for their council-owned homes would be terminated from the end of January, gathered on an open field yesterday waiting to meet the delegation as well as councillors from the City of Cape Town.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for Transport for Cape Town, did not join the delegation to meet the affected residents, but headed straight to the railway line where he briefed the delegation on the city’s plans to take South Road underneath the railway as part of the MyCiTi route.
The residents, who had waited more than an hour to meet the government officials, particularly Herron, were outraged that he had not met them as well.
Only ANC councillors and NCOP members met the residents.
But Herron later slammed the “shocking conduct of the NCOP members” for being involved in the ambush of city officials.
He said the trip had been intended as an information visit for members of the NCOP about Phase 2 of the MyCiTi project.
“The city did not invite the South Road residents, neither did we inform the media of this site visit. The only conclusion that can be made is that this was the doing of the ANC.”
Herron said it was clear from the outset of the site visit, which started in Khayelitsha, that the officials were only interested in visiting Plumstead.
He said at no stage had the delegation indicated there would be a public meeting with the media present.
“This conduct towards another sphere of government is shocking and an abuse of taxpayers’ funding of their oversight function.”
Herron said he and the mayor would engage with South Road residents “directly and in an appropriate forum”.
ANC councillor Charlotte Heyns, who was at the gathering in South Road on Thursday, said Herron’s no-show proved he did not want to face the residents.
She said the ANC would continue to oppose the Wynberg MyCiTi route, which was being pushed through without consultation.
Clive Muller, of the South Road Families’ Association, told the delegation the impending evictions were “apartheid all over again” for many of the tenants.
“The city has chosen to ignore our plight.”
The association handed over a memorandum to the city earlier this year, asking for the project to be put on hold until there had been proper consultation.
He said the alternative routes needed to be considered.
“They are changing the shape of this community,” he said of the city’s plans.
Nonceba told the delegation she had moved to Plumstead from Gugulethu with her son.
“In October I was told to go, and I was hurt.”
The pensioner broke down in tears, unable to finish her presentation.
Human was so overcome by emotion that he was unable to share his story with the delegation.
As tears streamed down his face, Muller had to take over and explain that Human had been told by city officials that he could move to Blikkiesdorp, near Delft, when his lease was terminated.
Singh Aumsensingh, the KwaZulu-Natal NCOP delegate, said: “We don’t want to make any promises but we are from the provinces, so we can look at this objectively.”
Mergan Chetty, also from KwaZulu-Natal, said: “Government has listened. A meeting with the city, including councillors and officials, must take place. We have heard you, and your city must hear you too.”
Cape Argus