Statement by GOOD Leader, Patricia de Lille
De Lille welcomes Tafelberg finding
1 September 2020
I have always maintained that government is merely the custodian of public land, and that our public land must be used for the benefit and good of the public.
I thank the Western Cape High Court for acknowledging my vocal support for affordable, well-located housing within the City of Cape Town. In early 2017, whilst I was Mayor of Cape Town, I pledged to support the development of affordable housing at the Tafelberg site in Sea Point.
I welcome the setting aside of this sale. I also agree with the judgement from the Western Cape High Court that “the national Department of Public Works has a key role to play in any future affordable housing development in the City in securing the release of under-utilised state-owned land.”
This is true for national, but also for local and provincial government spheres. The sphere government which happens to now be custodian of the many public properties inherited from our apartheid past is simply an accident of history.
I am concerned that the Court stated that “until now, no property that resorted under the custodianship of the [Western Cape Province’s Department of Transport and Public Works] has been released and used for human settlement development” and that the court indicated that the tender document for this sale “effectively preserves the status quo in Sea Point: apartheid spatial planning would not be disturbed.”
To reverse the legacy of our cruel history, all spheres of government must address the spatial injustices of our towns and cities. To do this, well located land must be released for affordable housing.
I am proud to continue releasing public land for the benefit of the public of South Africa and welcome the court finding in the Tafelberg matter. This outcome should help to ensure that, in future, well located land owned by the public will not merely be sold off to private developers, as was attempted in that case.
The Tafelberg ruling is a victory for all South Africans still waiting for restitution and justice. We must use our public land for the public good, not private profit.
ENDS