GOOD Statement by Jonathan Cupido,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
7 August 2024
Yet another resident in Cape Town has been targeted by the City with a letter of intent to sell their home right from under their feet.
Similar to the letters sent to families in Shelley Road, a resident in Tancred Road, Athlone received the same notice that the City ‘intends to sell’ their house and that they ‘might be terminating the lease agreement’.
The ongoing Shelley Road cases have exposed the DA administration of the City of Cape Town for what it is: uncaring and greedy.
And while the City is still trying to counter this image with a dishonest version of what transpired, it is already busy with the same tricks somewhere else.
The family of Mrs Levy has called the house in Athlone their home for the past 70 years.
Now suddenly their tenancy and lease might be terminated due to the City’s intention to sell the properties, without any meaningful engagement with the tenants.
It does not take much to see the true intention of the City.
In the matter relating to Shelley Road, there are major developments linked to the Voortrekker Road Corridor Development Programme, which would benefit from buying properties close to Salt River.
Furthermore, the Old Energy Towers in Langa and the Athlone CBD form part of five projects identified for development by the City. Tancred Road is within the same kilometre radius of such future developments as the Shelley Road houses.
GOOD has again written to the Executive Directors for Housing and Economic Development to request that the same processes be followed as previously identified for Shelley Road. The letter must be retracted and there needs to be assurance that no one will be evicted.
The homes must either be transferred to those who qualify or offered to them at reduced market rates.
A full investigation must also be undertaken within the department and all formal housing used for residential purposes must be transferred to the Human Settlement Department.
Media Enquiries:
Janke Tolmay, GOOD Media Manager
Cell: 073 367 1223
Email: janke@forgood.org.za
Jonathan Cupido, GOOD: City of Cape Town Councillor
Cell: 084 865 8122
Email: jonathanc@forgood.org.za