Services plan for backyard dwellers

The City of Cape Town’s plan to provide basic services to backyard residents has been met with mixed reaction.

Mayor Patricia de Lille launched the Backyard Essential Services Improvement Programme on Tuesday.

The pilot stage will start in Factreton next month and entails installing toilets and running water in structures in backyards.

Electricity would also be provided, and backyard residents would get their own wheelie bins. Other areas in the pilot phase are Hanover Park and Langa.

At this stage, services can only be provided to backyard residents living on council-owned land, said De Lille.

Cape Town was the first city in South Africa to launch such a project, she saidf.

”It is a first in the history of South Africa and the first in the chapter of Cape Town.”

But some backyarders were sceptical.

Adiel Bassier, from Cape Metro Backyarders Association in Factreton, questioned how logistically possible it would be to provide the services.

Laylah Ryklief, from the Anti-Eviction Campaign in Grassy Park, said the city did not consult backyard residents.

“They already made their own plans. They are saying this is what we are doing and if you don’t like it, just leave it.”

De Lille said no resident would be forced to agree to the plan. Mholbo Gunguluzi, from the Gugulethu Backyard Dwellers, said the plan showed residents they would never receive formal housing.

“You are going back to site and service. Instead of just telling us that we as backyarders are going to die before we see houses,” Gunguluzi told De Lille.

But Melanie Manuel, from Manenberg, said “backyarders’ prayers had been answered”.

“We realised a long time ago, we were going wait for houses. We are actually making ourselves comfortable. Today is the first time the city sits with us and tells us not to hide.”

Norman Grovers, from Scottsdene, said he had been a backyard resident for 18 years .

“Only a backyarder will understand how it is to live in my current condition …I really welcome the improvement.”

The ANC welcomed De Lille’s vision, but questioned the logistics of the plan. Xolani Sotashe, ANC chief whip in the council, said claims that the plan was the first of its kind in the country, were not true.

He said a similar initiative had already been launched in Soweto.

Sotashe also questioned whether the city’s “ageing” infrastructure would be able to handle the extra load.

“The sewage infrastructure is already not coping. We experience sewage spills across the city and now De Lille wants to expand.”

Meanwhile, shack dwellers’ association Abahlali baseMjondolo criticised De Lille for changing the venue of the meeting, accusing her of running away from the city’s poorest citizens.

The group planned a protest outside the O R Tambo hall in Mew Way, Khayelitsha, on Tuesday where De Lille was scheduled to meet with representatives of backyarders’ organisations. De Lille changed the venue to the city council at the eleventh hour, leaving protesters, many of whom had travelled from Elsies River and Kraaifontein, furious.

Abahlali baseMjondolo spokesman Mzonke Poni said De Lille must have got wind of the planned protest and “quickly changed the venue”. Abahlali was invited, but planned to boycott the gathering as the city made allowances for only three representatives per organisation to attend.

“To invite three people per organisation undermines the right of ordinary people to speak for themselves and find solutions to the problems,” said Poni. “De Lille should be ashamed of herself for running away from the poorest of the poor. It is an insult.”

Some 100 backyarders from Khayelitsha, Mitchells Plain, Elsies River, Delft and Kraaifontein gathered outside the Abahlali offices during lunchtime on Tuesday before marching to the O R Tambo Hall, where the meeting was scheduled to have taken place at 2pm.

Slu Mzimkulu, chairman of the Mandela Park backyarders’ association, said:“All we want is a meeting, where all backyarders can express themselves.”

Mitchells Plain backyarders’ association chairman Charles Adams said: “De Lille has disrespected us.”

Solly Malatsi, De Lille’s spokesman, said the city had “become aware of possible disruptions” and the city was not willing to risk postponing such an important meeting.

All organisations who had confirmed attendance were notified of the change as soon as possible, he said.

- Cape Argus

Youth Meeting

The Hanover Park Backyard-dwellers Organisation held a successful youth meeting on the 22 August 2011 to discuss the ongoing shooting in Hanover Park and also the concerns of the youth to the Minister of Community Safety Mr. Dan Plato.

for more information contact the PRO Ladele Quimpo

Cell: 0823839551

Housing meeting

The Hanover Park Backyard-dwellers Organisation will be having a public meeting in January 2011. All members please attend this important meeting at the Hanover Park Community Centre @19:00pm.

Thanks

For more information contact Ricardo Sedres 0729856836

Housing meeting

The Hanover Park Backyard-dwellers Organisation will be having there month end meeting on the 29 January 2011. All members must attend important meeting at the Hanover Park Community Centre @ 19h00pm.

For more information contact Ricardo Sedres Director 0729856836

HOUSING EXPO AND HOUSING MEETING

The Hanover Park Backyard-dwellers Organisation will be hosting a Housing Expo with various government departments, private sectors, NGO's etc. We would like to invite all other organisations who deals with housing to have a table up at the Expo.

Date: 19 November 2010
Venue: Hanover Park Community Centre
Time: 10:00-16:00

Kind Regards


Ricardo Sedres
Director HPBDO
Cell: 0729856836

re-image Hanover Park 2020 Competition

The Hanover Park Backyard-dwellers Organisation will be hosting re-image Hanover Park 2020 Competition. Details of the event will be posted on the later date.

for more information contact Ricardo Sedres
Cell: 0729856836 or email: Hparkbackdwellersorg@gmail.com

MEC tackles Hanover Park gangs

Increased gang violence in Hanover Park, where he grew up, has led to Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz’s call for a meeting with gangs.

“Gangs are part of the problem and must be part of the solution. We must get them to sit around a table and address the problem,” Fritz said on Sunday during a visit.

He said people in Hanover Park knew the township had a strong civic movement and community activism.

“When that declines, crime and gangs take over. There is nothing for our youth to do. We need to get our community organisations back,” he said.

Four people were shot dead and five others, including a two-year-old boy, were wounded during gang violence at the weekend. Police apprehended four suspects and seized a firearm.

Last weekend, three people were killed and five wounded in gang violence, according to a Community Policing Forum member.

Social Development MEC Patricia de Lille, who accompanied Fritz, said the Hanover Park community was clearly traumatised. A huge concern was that young children were recruited into gangs.

“We need a holistic approach. We all need to sit down together to address the issues – including talking to police,” she said.

While Hanover Park Day Hospital staff told Fritz about “another black weekend” and said they had tried their best to cope, Haniff Loonat, head of the Nyanga cluster Community-Police Forum Board, urged residents to alert police about gang violence.

A man had called him on Friday and told him that there would be violence at the weekend, Loonat said.

“He had us baffled and gave us wrong work and cellphone numbers. We did not know whether to believe him or not, but everything he said would happen, happened. I urge him to contact us. We guarantee he will be protected,” he said and added that a community meeting and an anti-crime march were planned.

- Cape Times