Housing

We want service delivery, say Marikana residents

Garbage is piling up in Marikana informal settlement. Residents, concerned about their health and the squalor in which they are living, are calling on the City of Cape Town to begin providing services.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 13 May 2015

Hangberg residents vow to fight evictions

Some Hangberg residents living in the area known as “Die Sloot” say they will not move out of their homes despite looming threats of eviction.

Barbara Maregele

News | 11 May 2015

Vacant land in Khayelitsha: Old Mutual responds

On 28 April GroundUp reported that land in Thembokwezi, Khayelitsha had not been developed by Old Mutual despite a commitment to do so in 2008. Here is Old Mutual's response.

Old Mutual

News | 6 May 2015

Bedridden 87-year-old and eight siblings share one mud room

The home of the Ndlovu family in Azalea, Pietermaritzburg, was demolished five years ago. This was part of a project by Msunduzi Municipality to replace structures with new houses, but the project has been delayed since 2010. The delay is due to overspending, says ward councilor Msizi Ngcobo.

Ntombi Mbomvu

News | 5 May 2015

Marikana residents try to occupy new land

Residents of the informal settlement in Philippi East (named Marikana by residents, after the massacre in Marikana, the platinum mining town) attempted to erect shacks next to the Stock Road Train Station yesterday, but were prevented from doing so by police. Nevertheless residents have promised to try again.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 23 April 2015

EFF and Denel battle over land

While land occupiers lose their materials and possessions after being evicted, state defence manufacturer Denel accuses the EFF of manipulating the poor when instigating occupations of land it owns.

Nombulelo Damba

News | 17 April 2015

Mbekweni Rasta’s five storey wooden house

A Rastafarian in Mbekweni has spent 20 years building himself a five storey wooden house - and he plans to add two more storeys.

Michael Nkalane

News | 15 April 2015

No running water and toilets for Kayamandi hostel residents

A large grey plastic bucket stands nearby one of several doorways in a derelict hostel in Kayamandi near Stellenbosch where Mhlangabezi Jobela has lived for more than 20 years.

Barbara Maregele

News | 15 April 2015

Land Affairs Director General could face jail

A Land Claims Court judge could opt to jail the Director-General of the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform, Mdu Shabane, for contempt of court. Such a decision, however, may still be too late for Zabalaza Mshengu, who turned 101 in January, and has waited 14 years for his claim to land as a labour tenant to be processed. The case also raises uncomfortable questions about how far government will go to push judicial tolerance in order to avoid implementing constitutional rights.

Donna Hornby

Opinion | 13 April 2015