Gugulethu residents led by the Abemi BaseKapa Grassroot Movement, stormed the Fezeka Municipality offices and held staff hostage in protest of the City of Cape Town’s failure to give them title deeds of the houses they have lived in all their lives.
Abemi BaseKapa represents residents in Gugulethu and advocates for basic human rights.
As staff based at the Fezeka municipality offices were held in the hall of the building on Monday June 25, angry residents expressed their upset over the housing rental policy, which they said takes their homes from them.
The organisation said residents were unhappy that the City’s rental housing policy did not allow for children of the lease holders to automatically take over the rental unit when their parents passed away.
Apparently officials had been in a meeting that came to an abrupt halt when the irate residents came into the building.
Members of Abemi BaseKapa, some of them in wheelchairs or walking with the aid of sticks, demanded that their homes’ title deeds be immediately handed to them.
Abemi BaseKapa chairperson, Mncedisi Twalo, also claimed that old people were being evicted from their houses for no apparent reason. “The City needs to come to fore and work with people of Gugulethu. People have been too patient with the city. We have tried to speak to the city about these challenges but but to date nothing has been done. We will cause havoc if our demands are not met,” he warned.
“These residents are angry because they have no place to call home. Who would not be angry when your home is taken to you and given to a stranger?” said Mr Twalo
Nontobeko Qangule said she wants to own her parents’ house. “I will fight to the bitter end for my parents’ house. Now that they are no more, it is my house,” she said.
Xoliswa Mhlane said as Gugulethu is celebrating 60 years, there should be respect for people of the area. “What is 60 years without houses? These are not municipality houses but our houses. We should celebrate the 60 years in the houses that we own,” she said. The hostage drama ended after officials met with leaders of the group. Abemi BaseKapa told Vukani these officials had agreed to take their concerns to the City Manager
By the time this edition went to print, the City had not responded to Vukani’s request for their comment on the matter.