GOOD Statement by Sandra Dickson,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
03 July 2026
The recent Tafelberg judgment reaffirmed that meaningful public participation is not a box-ticking exercise when decisions are made about public land. Residents must have a real opportunity to be heard before decisions are effectively finalised.
Erf 9702 in Brackenfell is one example of why this matters. Residents have opposed the disposal of this land since 2021 and have repeatedly asked that the site be used in a way that adds value to the environment and benefits the wider Brackenfell community.
Instead, the land has been placed out to tender by the City, despite ongoing community objections. Efforts by residents and ratepayer representatives to obtain information, raise concerns and secure meaningful engagement have been blocked, declined or deferred through official City processes.
This is not an isolated concern. In other areas, residents are also raising objections where blocks of affordable flats are being planned for unsuitable sites, without proper engagement on location, infrastructure, traffic, safety, environmental impact and long-term community fit.
Public land must be used in the public interest. Communities are not opposed to housing. They are opposed to being ignored.
Cape Town needs housing solutions that are lawful, participatory and dignified. Undignified housing solutions, forced onto unsuitable sites without proper community engagement, do not build sustainable communities. They deepen mistrust.
Media Enquiries: media@forgood.org.za