Cape Town - The Good Party demanded answers from the City after a property in Lansdowne – which the party said was fit for social housing – was alienated.
The party said this occurred without any input from the City’s human settlement department, and it accused the City of selling properties primed for social housing below market prices to private owners and developers.
Councillor Suzette Little questioned whether the land was identified for alienation by the human settlement department and whether the client applied for the land.
She also questioned whether a competitive process was followed and how the property identification and transfer was done.
Little said the property, opposite Lansdowne Station, was on a transport node and would make it suitable for social housing and/or GAP housing.
“We only picked this up at the sub-council when the sub-council had to provide comment, which they did for a shelter. What was not clear was what would happen if the developer does not build the shelter.
“What was more disturbing was that the sub-council was asked for comment but the human settlement directorate had not made any comment, even though this is a lucrative site for housing, right on a transport node,” she said.
Little said it was not clear what would happen if the developer did not build the shelter.
“The City claims that finding suitable land for housing remains a challenge. Yet the DA-ruled Cape Town is the country’s largest landowner behind the national government.
“We’ve known for a while that the City of Cape Town isn’t serious about addressing spatial injustice. How do we confront the backlog for housing when the viable property is alienated without any comment,” she said.
The City said the property had been recommended for use as a night shelter, and all due processes were being followed.