Mayor Plato condemns organised building hi-jacking at social housing complex

15 March 2021 

‘I am concerned by Communicare’s report that police simply looked on as an organised building hi-jacking took place at a social housing complex in Brooklyn. I share their view that there must be consequences for illegal building hi-jacking attempts, or else there will be no end to this illegality as we’ve seen in Gauteng,’ said Mayor Plato.

The Mayor committed to engaging with both Communicare and SAPS around the complaint that police officers stood by as violent scuffles broke out on the evening of Friday 12 March, with the organised invasion allegedly led by two tenants from another of Communicare’s properties.

In a press release, Communicare report that SAPS have advised them to apply to the courts under the Prevention of Illegal Eviction and Unlawful Occupation (PIE) Act to deal with the illegal occupation of social rental apartments, despite the property being stormed in the presence of police.

‘Disaster regulations currently limit the ability of courts to grant eviction orders. This will add to Communicare’s challenge of dealing with the injustice of this building hi-jacking. I have called on President Ramaphosa to urgently change the regulations for the sake of the rule of law, the greater good of our communities, and development goals of our cities,’ said Mayor Plato.

The City has its own challenges with organised building hi-jackings. For four years, this illegal act has stalled social housing developments at both the City-owned Woodstock Hospital site and the Helen Bowden property near the V&A Waterfront, owned by the Western Cape Government.

Following government’s announcement of social housing plans for these properties, NdifunaUkwazi staged an organised invasion in March 2017 under their ‘Reclaim the City’ campaign banner, with subsequent calls to “sustain and build” the occupation.

‘The toxic legacy of NdifunaUkwazi’s ‘Reclaim the City’ unlawful occupation campaign has become a major obstacle to social housing at two well-located sites in central Cape Town, and the style of organised invasion was very similar to the latest Communicare incident.

‘The occupations were initially claimed to be ‘symbolic’, but have spiralled out of control despite a previous High Court order interdicting and restraining Reclaim the City from inciting persons for the purpose of unlawfully occupying or invading.

‘In contempt of this order, the number of unlawful occupants has increased substantially, along with reports of criminality, rent extortion rackets, violence and mob activity to the detriment of the surrounding community. We are doing everything possible to drive social housing development at Woodstock Hospital by following the correct legal route,’ said Mayor Plato.

The City is currently seeking a court-ordered survey to determine the number of illegal occupants, their identities, monthly income, eligibility for State-subsidised housing, and willingness to vacate the property so that social housing plans are not further delayed. Social housing development at the site cannot begin until all illegal occupants vacate the site.

The survey request is being opposed by legal advisors from NdifunaUkwazi and others on behalf of some of the illegal occupants.

‘Illegal occupations cannot be equated with activism, and cannot be condoned under any circumstances. All role-players must actively discourage attempts to illegally occupy land. We owe this not only to ourselves as residents of a growing city, but also to future generations who will require land for schools, hospitals, housing, transport infrastructure and community facilities,’ said Mayor Plato.

Anonymous tip-offs welcomed:

Residents can give anonymous tip-offs if they are aware of illegal activity that is taking place; that has happened or is still to happen. Please call 112 from a cell phone (toll-free) and 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 for emergencies.

Issued by Greg Wagner, Spokesperson to the Executive Mayor, 15 March 2021