Open letter to President Jacob Zuma from the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Patricia de Lille
(Note to editors: The Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Alderman Patricia de Lille has today, 6 February 2014, written an open letter to President Jacob Zuma requesting his intervention to facilitate the urgent release of two critical land parcels in Cape Town, namely Wingfield (ERF 21204) and Youngsfield (ERF 90477 and 90476), for housing provision in the city. Below is the letter).
The Office of the President
Union Buildings
Private Bag X1000
Pretoria
0001
6 February 2014
Dear Honourable President JG Zuma,
The City of Cape Town respectfully requests your urgent intervention to assist with the provision of low-cost housing in Cape Town.
One of the major challenges currently confronting the City is a shortage of suitable available land for housing.
In this regard there are two land holdings, owned by the National Department of Public Works (NDPW) but currently utilised by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) which, if released for housing purposes, would play a significant role in helping to address the housing backlog in the city.
The land in question is Wingfield (ERF 21204) and Youngsfield (ERF 90477and 90476). The City of Cape Town has over a number of years made repeated approaches to the NDPW and the SANDF, with a view to releasing said land parcels for housing provision. Regrettably, these requests have yet to lead to a positive outcome.
The City of Cape Town is committed to the provision of decent housing and the creation of vibrant, integrated human settlements. The release of over 87 hectares for the express purpose of housing provision would go a long way towards fulfilling this objective, in line with defined national human settlement outcomes. It needs to be further emphasised that these two land parcels are close to transport routes, economic opportunities and a range of other government services such as schools and medical facilities.
This matter is becoming more and more urgent as the City is currently engaging with a variety of community, party political and other organisations, who are growing increasingly impatient with the delay over the finalisation of the future use of these two land parcels. On such occasions we are at pains to emphasise the proactive steps that the City has taken in an attempt to release this land for housing, and have stated that the decision ultimately rests with national government.
Given the urgency of the situation, I would like on behalf of the City of Cape Town to appeal to your good office to try and facilitate the urgent release of these two land parcels in the interests of housing provision.
Thanking you in advance.
Alderman Patricia de Lille
Executive Mayor of Cape Town
Issued by the City of Cape Town, February 6 2014
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