West Coast town in quarantine

NINE years after the last group of District Six claimants returned, another 108 will begin the process of moving into their new homes this week.

With the completion of phase 3 of the District Six housing development, the Land Claims Commission began engaging with the 108 claimants who were successfully allocated homes.

This was after the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Thoko Didiza, announced on Thursday night that the returning of the claimants would take place from June 24 until July 16. This new group would bring the total of claimants to have received housing from the restitution process to 247 since the completion of the first phase in 2004.

Didiza said more housing units would be further developed in phases to accommodate the remaining claimants. The restitution process is expected to be completed by 2024 with an estimated cost of R1.8 billion.

Concerns have been raised about the transparency of the process by the District Six Working Committee.

“We are particularly concerned about the vulnerable and elderly claimants that we have brought to the department’s attention months ago, who have apparently not been selected. Some are in their 80s, 90s and even 100,” said the organisation.

Chairperson of the District Six Civic Association Aisha Salie said while the community welcomed the developments, the slow process was disheartening to claimants.

“It would have been nice if they had published the names of those 108 people because this whole process has lacked transparency,” Salie said.

Despite a no-show to a meeting of the Western Cape Legislature’s standing committee on human settlements on Friday morning to discuss the District Six restitution programme, the committee’s chairperson Matlhodi Maseko said she welcomed the news.

On June 29, the City is expected to hold a virtual public meeting to table a report on the progress made in the spatial vision for District Six.

“The purpose of this spatial plan is to re-establish this once vibrant neighbourhood,” said mayco member for spatial planning and environment Marian Niewoudt.