Housing activists Ndifuna Ukwazi are urging the government to prioritise repairs to the derelict Irene Grootboom building in Cape Town, rather than evicting the 40 families who have called it home for years.
The Western Cape High Court this week reserved judgement after the Department of Public Works (DPWI) sought urgent eviction orders, citing safety concerns around the deteriorating property. The department argued that structural risks made the site unsafe, but housing advocates insist that the building requires only minor repairs to ensure it remains habitable.
Speaking to VOC News, Ndifuna Ukwazi’s political organiser, Lorenzo Johnson, criticised the department for neglecting the building for more than a decade.
“The Department of Public Works, in partnership with the City of Cape Town, put in an urgent eviction application for these 40-plus families due to the building’s condition, which they’ve neglected for the past 10 years, knowing that only minor repairs were needed,” Johnson said.
He explained that both an independent inspector and the department’s own engineer found that the issues were not severe.
“The danger that was created by the department for these families was probably self-created. We are quite happy to hear that the judge has asked why they don’t simply take the time to repair these minor issues,” Johnson added.
Johnson also raised concerns about the temporary relocation options offered.
“The shelters are temporary, and there’s no clear plan as to what comes next from the City of Cape Town. Our position was that they should find something more permanent or temporarily move the families and then allow them to return once repairs are completed,” he said.
Ndifuna Ukwazi maintains that dignified, safe housing should take precedence over eviction, especially in a city where affordable housing remains scarce.
Listen to the full interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
