The Western Cape Department of Human Settlements’ public participation process on proposed housing legislation has come under criticism from housing advocacy organisation Ndifuna Ukwazi. Concerns have been raised that holding only one public hearing in Langa for Cape Town’s 5.15 million residents falls short of legal and constitutional standards for meaningful public participation.
Head of Political Organising and Campaigns at Ndifuna Ukwazi, Buhle Booi, said the proposed amendments could have severe consequences for vulnerable communities and people facing eviction.
Booi explained that the Prevention of Illegal Eviction Act, commonly known as the PIE Act, was designed to protect people from arbitrary evictions and homelessness.
“Now, the PIE Act is a piece of legislation that protects people who are facing evictions, protects them from being arbitrarily evicted into homelessness,” said Booi.
He added that the legislation places a responsibility on municipalities to provide alternative accommodation to evicted individuals.
Booi warned that the proposed amendments risk reversing protections introduced after apartheid-era laws that criminalised land occupation and homelessness.
“What this amendment does is that it criminalizes occupations, it criminalizes unlawful occupation and says that people should be fined over two million rands for inciting occupations or for occupying,” he said.
Ndifuna Ukwazi argues that the current consultation process is inadequate for legislation that could significantly impact housing rights and vulnerable communities across the province.
Listen to the interview below:
VOC News
Photo: Pixabay
