Why inequality prevails in Cape Town

By David McDonald

I have been conducting research on the city of Cape Town for the past 15 years. My work has focused primarily on inequality in the city, particularly with regards to basic municipal services such as water, sanitation and electricity.

By some indicators, inequality in Cape Town has improved. There are more people with access to houses, water, healthcare, education and other important amenities - even with a rapidly growing population.

But the story is far from rosy, with Cape Town having one of the worst urban Gini coefficients in the world (a measure that compares income differentials of the richest and poorest).

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20080804052336273C520212

Gugulethu backyard dwellers who tried to occupy unfinished flats in Langa at the weekend, on Sunday told of the "horror" they experienced when people armed with knobkieries and bricks launched a violent attack on them.

Saturday's occupation, led by the Anti-Eviction Campaign (AEC,) was meant to be peaceful and to protest against the long wait for housing, but yesterday a number of its supporters told how the vicious attack left them with bruised limbs, fractured ribs and head injuries.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=124&art_id=vn20080620131821228C330156

Congolese refugees agree to move

June 20 2008 at 01:20PM

Congolese refugees living at the Soetwater camp, near Kommetjie, agreed last night to move to the Blue Waters camp, near Strandfontein.

Mayor Helen Zille's spokesperson Robert MacDonald said between 300 and 500 refugees would be taken by bus to Blue Waters starting on Friday.

The Ethiopian and Somali refugees wanted to discuss the matter further, according to Helen Zille's spokesperson Robert MacDonald.

Only complete reform of economy can defuse tensions

Cape Times May 28, 2008 Edition 1

Drucilla Cornell, Mahmood Mamdaniand Sampie Terreblanche

We believe that the violence that South Africa has experienced over the last week is systemic in nature and will not end until the underlying causes of economic distress have been dealt with thoroughly.

South Africa is in a state of emergency because of the failure to address desperate poverty and is in urgent need of a mechanism to begin public discussion on how to ensure dignity for all those who live here.

Even by conservative estimates, over 50% of the South African population experiences dire poverty.

http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4259562

Judge orders metro to buy land for squatters
Cape Times
February 18, 2008 Edition 1

Anna Louw

JOHANNESBURG: In a landmark judgment, a high court judge has ruled in favour of a group of landless people living in an informal settlement near Buhle Park, Germiston.

The court ordered the Ekurhuleni Metro to buy the land that the people had occupied illegally for the past seven years and to provide them with basic services - immediately.

Delft invaders await ruling

4 February 2008, 07:43

Hundreds of families who invaded unfinished houses in Delft, are anxiously awaiting this week's Cape High Court judgment on whether they should be evicted.

While security guards deployed at some entry points to the government's housing project near Symphony Way kept a close watch on who entered the area and what they brought in, residents said they were feeling stressed, but were confident the court would rule in their favour.

The state housing agency Thubelisha Homes has asked the court for permission to evict backyard dwellers from Delft and surrounding areas who had occupied houses in December.

Cape Times 23 April 2007

Forced removal: Some of the District Six in Cape Town resident hold a rally in the area to protest against their pending eviction. Photo: Andrew Ingram, Cape Times

Some of the last residents of District Six in Cape Town held a rally in the area on Sunday to protest against their pending eviction.

The deadline for tenants to move out of 17 historic District Six cottages was on February 28 but nothing has happened to date.

The cottages situated between Pontac, Nelson and Aspeling streets are owned by Omargee Mohamed Omar.

The land was initially inherited by Omargee Omar and his seven brothers under their father Essop Mohammed Omar's Will Trust. Omargee was the only brother to become a trustee.

This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Times on November 03, 2006

Water crisis forces council to move squatters

November 03 2006 at 10:50AM

By Anel Powell

The City of Cape Town says "it is acting" on the health and environmental hazards at Imizamo Yethu, where tests have found "potentially fatal" levels of contamination in storm water running through the settlement.

Some people in Hout Bay have threatened to take the council to court for failing to provide adequate sanitation facilities.

"We need to relocate people to thin out the settlement," said mayor Helen Zille's spokesperson Robert MacDonald.

This article was originally published on page 4 of Cape Times on January 30, 2006

Cape Times

30 Jan 2006

Hall dwellers say Cape council 'insensitive' Babalo Ndenze
January 30 2006 at 10:10AM

Few home comforts: Lucinda Lorie does her school work on her family's bed in the crowded and run-down Belhar community hall that has become her temporary home. Photo: Lulama Zenzile, Cape Times
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As living conditions worsen in the community hall that has housed 118 Belhar backyard dwellers for the past seven months, they accuse the city council of being "insensitive" for failing to meet them for months.