Report for AbM by Kerry Chance

Cape Town QQ Section Residents March to Demand Relocation

On 15 August, 2007, a hundred residents of the QQ section shack settlement marched through downtown Cape Town to demand immediate relocation. Marchers declared “No house, no land, no vote!” on the steps of the provincial parliament.

They called on Housing MEC Richard Dyantyi to accept a memorandum. He did not appear in person, but sent his spokesperson Vusi Tshose, who signed the memorandum and promised to deliver it to the MEC.

Coordinator Mzonke Poni read the memorandum, which demanded that all QQ residents be moved to suitable land with houses, water and toilets. The marchers stood listening, holding placards that read “1300 homes in QQ section have no toilets,” “We are tired of the mayor’s empty promises,” and “This city is only accountable to the rich.” They shouted “down with pit toilets and shacks, forward with houses and flush toilets.”