Media statement issued by Mr Itumeleng Kotsoane, DG of the Department of Housing:

6 February 2008

N2 GATEWAY IS FOR ALL IN CAPE TOWN

The extreme urgency of eradicating informal settlements in Cape Town has once again been underscored with the death of four children in shack fires over the last two days.

But instead of getting on with the job of building new communities, the massive N2 Gateway Pilot Project has been held up by the irresponsible actions of a small group of people who invaded new homes under construction in Delft.

On Monday, Sihle Tono, four-years-old, died when flames engulfed the family shack in Samora Machel. Yesterday, Sinekhaya (2), Sinoxolo (7) and Sikelelwa Moyeni (11) died in a blaze in Site B, Khayelitsha.

Last weekend, Joe Slovo shack dwellers managed to avoid serious injury in a fire that razed more than 100 homes. Joe Slovo is another N2 Gateway construction site being held to ransom by a small group of unreasonable people.

Rather than focusing on building, Government has – in the cases of both Delft and Joe Slovo – been forced to seek the High Court’s assistance to carry out its obligations to provide houses, security and comfort to the poor.

The Department of Housing is committed to building integrated human settlements, starting with the N2 Gateway Pilot Project.

The people of Delft know what is right, and they know that invading unfinished houses is wrong. We appeal to them to work with us to accelerate delivery and eradicate informal settlements, instead of following false prophets.

Government cannot tolerate its delivery programmes being delayed by would-be politicians struggling to build careers at the expense of the poor. Their unscrupulous actions carry enormous costs, which will form the subject of a later civil claim.

But the greatest costs are to the psyche of the people. We want to thank long-suffering and law-abiding citizens for their patience, especially those rightfully due to benefit from the Delft Symphony development. Their patience will be rewarded. 

Our commitment to the non-racial, equitable delivery of N2 Gateway homes to the poor according to the agreed 70:30 principle – that is, 70% to former shack dwellers and 30% to former residents of backyard shacks in the vicinity of the development – remains unbowed.

* Judge Deon Van Zyl of the Cape High Court today granted an eviction order giving the Delft home invaders until 17 February to vacate the occupied premises.

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Issued by the Department of Housing. For more information please call Ndivhuwo Mabaya on 083 645 7838.