De Lille now holds the key to tackling spatial housing injustice

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille can unlock opportunities for low-cost housing in the Western Cape said the DA. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille can unlock opportunities for low-cost housing in the Western Cape said the DA. Picture: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency

Published May 31, 2019

Share

Cape Town - The issue of public land across the Western Cape and how it is used will be one of the most urgent issues newly appointed Public Works and

Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille must tackle.

According to the DA, there are five mega-properties in the Western Cape owned by the national government at Culemborg, Ysterplaat, Wingfield, Youngsfield and Denel that could yield up to 100 000 housing units, which would be enough to meet half of the affordable housing demand in the Cape Town database.

Other urgent public land matters include the stalemate between CPUT and various government departments over the transfer of land needed

to accommodate District Six land claimants.

Reacting to the unexpected appointment of the leader of the Good Party, Premier Alan Winde said: “I am also looking forward to discussions with... Patricia de Lille on transferring the large tracts of land owned by the national government, to be used for housing.”

Winde said: “When (De Lille) was mayor of Cape Town, she led the call for national land to be freed up for housing, and we trust now that she is minister she will immediately start the transfer process.”

At the Good Party manifesto launch in February this year, De Lille said: “The country is sitting in a

situation where there is loads of public land in all three spheres of government, and that public land must be used for public good.

“We must use spaces more effectively by building density like in all major cities around the world, and in that way bring lots of people together in the same space. Build communities, don’t just build houses. So the apartheid spatial planning has not been dealt with effectively and therefore we will go out and do land audits, find this land and start building and stop talking about it,”

From her own party, Brett Herron, the lone Good party member in the provincial legislature said: “The portfolio she leads is strategic to us as it deals with the issue of spatial justice, which is one of our party’s priorities.

“Through her portfolio she is the keeper of public assets such as land, and this will give us (the Good party) an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment that public land must be used for public good.”

Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said: “I believe De Lille has now been presented with a golden opportunity to fulfil her long-time wish for the National Department of Public Works to transfer state-owned land to the City of Cape Town for housing development.

“When she was mayor, she made numerous requests in this regard to the national government which fell on deaf ears. Now that she holds the keys, we believe she will unlock the doors she fought so hard to be opened so we can work together to eradicate the legacy of apartheid spatial planning in Cape Town.”

@MwangiGithahu

[email protected]

Cape Argus

Related Topics: