Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance (DA) said since 2019 it has created nearly 44 000 housing opportunities in the Western Cape, focusing on affordable housing for the “missing middle” income group, however, the People's Movement for Change (PMC) and other parties say they are yet to see those houses as many people don't qualify for the First Home Finance (FLISP).
The DA said it has delivered more than 6 100 FLISP houses, making the Western Cape the highest-performing province.
“In 2022, we launched the only existing rent-to-buy project in South Africa, the Deferred Ownership project (MillPark Development) in Bredasdorp, Cape Agulhas. This programme targets prospective first-time home buyers with a monthly income between R3 501 and R22 000.
“Qualifying applicants rent a home for six to 36 months, during which they pay a monthly rent that includes a portion towards a deposit on the purchase price, improving their credit score and ability to qualify for finance. We plan to expand this programme to other municipalities,” said Tertuis Simmers, DA provincial leader.
He said their commitment extends beyond affordability.
“We aim to deliver housing in safe and well-located areas. Projects like Maitland Mews, Bothasig, Conradie Park, and Goodwood Station developments exemplify this commitment. Conradie Phase 2 and the Goodwood station will yield an additional 1 383 units this year. Under the DA, 4 125 social housing units have been delivered, assisting 12 375 residents.”
Armien Albertyn, PMC's spokesperson, accused the DA of promoting housing projects as a political agenda.
“The DA is aware that many people don't qualify for such housing projects even though they are earning more than R3 000. What is the suggestion that the DA has for people who don't qualify?” asked Albertyn.
Albertyn said the PMC advises a R600 per month rental system so that everyone can live in a house.
“We have Blikkiesdorp, where since 2010, the DA has been promising houses; still nothing to date. They send back funds to the national government that were given to them for housing, and they underspend, but come the elections, they want to look like they are active in building houses.”.
Simmers said the DA government continues to invest in energy to ensure communities living in informal settlements can access basic services and live with dignity.
Speaking about shack dwellers, Simmers said people in informal settlements remained a priority for the government, including backyarders.
Masizole Mnqasela, Alliance of Citizens for Change president, said Cape Town has roughly 150 000 informal dwellings, averaging approximately 800 000 inhabitants living in these informal settlements of about 440 squatter camps, with many living in desperate conditions devoid of human dignity.
He said his party wants to eradicate informal settlements and bring people closer to places of work through integrated housing development on well-located ground in order to reduce the burden of high travel costs to distant work places.
“We will create a diversity of options; one size fits all doesn't work in housing development. We will expropriate land “with reasonable compensation” that will help us deliver quality housing opportunities in strategic land for middle and working-class families as part of reducing homelessness and inequality.”