The Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled the sale of the site for private development was lawful By Tania Broughton The sale of the Tafelberg property in Sea Point for private development is lawful, the Supreme Court of Appeal has ruled. Housing activists wanted the site to be developed for social housing. The court said there was no law which dictated...

Judges question City of Cape Town about eviction of Bromwell Street tenants By Masego Mafata The City of Cape Town appeared before the Constitutional Court on Tuesday in a case concerning the eviction of tenants from Bromwell Street, Woodstock. Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga asked the City whether the planned eviction resembled the forced removals from District Six during apartheid. Ndifuna Ukwazi, on...

City of Cape Town says national government slow to release “well-located” land for affordable housing By Marecia Damons Land and housing legal support organisations Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU) and Reclaim the City (RTC) say the City of Cape Town is moving too slowly on its promises to create affordable housing. In July 2017, the City announced that 11 pieces of public land in the...

Treating occupiers as criminals fails to recognise that the vast majority of people are forced to take land, says Ndifuna Ukwazi By Mary-Anne Gontsana Over 8,000 people have signed a petition to extend the City of Cape Town’s public comment period on a draft by-law. Public comments closed on 31 July. Housing activists believe the by-law will criminalise the occupation of...

Activists welcome possible change of policy By Marecia Damons The City of Cape Town has identified parts of two golf courses as potential sites for housing. The move has been welcomed by housing activists. The public has until Sunday to comment on the City’s spatial development frameworks. Parts of the King David Mowbray Golf Course and Rondebosch Golf Course may be turned...

Counter campaign to City’s appeal launched by activists By Marecia Damons and James Stent Ndifuna Ukwazi has condemned the City of Cape Town for soliciting and encouraging the public to complain about homeless people. The City says it is entitled to request information from all of its citizens in order to assess the effect of “street people”. The call sent out suggested people...