Media Statement - 09 May 2012

Residents of JoeSlovo squatter camp at Langa T­­ownship in Cape Town will soon be moving into their 40m² double storey houses currently being built at a cost of R480 million by July this year.

Joe Slovo Phase Three is situated in a prime land just 12km outside the Cape Town CBD and is well located with easy access to transport, educational facilities and economic opportunities.

Phase Three of the project, which was initiated in January last year, will see 2 639 units being built over the next three years for the people who currently reside in the squatter camp along the N2 highway.

The development has not been without challenges. The community challenged government over plans to relocate them to Delft when plans to clear the site for construction were first mooted.

Residents feared that some of them would be prejudiced as there was a likelihood that they would not all have access to newly built houses in the area.

Following a successful application by government before the Western Cape High Court, the community appealed this decision to the Constitutional Court which found in the residents' favour.

The ruling of the Constitutional Court in June 2009 meant that the number of units to be built in the area had to be increased to accommodate everyone.

"We had to go high rise," says Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale. "There was no other way and that is really the future because of the scarcity of prime well located land for housing."

He says government had to make sure that the lives of residents of the informal settlement were not disrupted.

Premier Helen Zille expressed satisfaction with what had been achieved to date saying, "this housing project is a wonderful example of 'delivery as redress' where government service delivery simultaneously helps communities attain greater dignity and progressively improves our society to overcome the legacy of our past. Where meaningful partnerships are implemented effectively as with this project, we see that housing delivery is better together."

Member of the Mayoral Committee for Human Settlements in the City of Cape Town Ernest Sonnenberg says the city was pleased that construction in the area was progressing well.

"The new spirit of co-operationbetween the three spheres of government in this project is encouraging. The completed project will be fully integrated with community facilities that contribute to building a caring and inclusive city," says Sonnenberg.

The project is jointly funded and managed by the Department of Human Settlements, the Western Cape Provincial Government, the City of Cape Town and the Housing Development Agency.

For more information please call:

  • XolaniXundu at 083 788 5747
  • Zak Mbhele (Spokesperson for Premier Helen Zille) at 083 600 2349
  • Nathan Adriaanse at0832631720
  • Bruce Omm (Spokesperson for MEC BonginkosiMadikizela) at 072465 5177
Press Release Date: 
Wednesday, May 9, 2012