Hangberg youth activist Roscoe Jacobs has been given assurances from the presidency that it is committed to finding a “sustainable, integrated solution” to the housing needs of all the people of Hout Bay.
In July, Mr Jacobs went on a seven-day hunger strike to get President Cyril Ramaphosa to help the Hangberg community find land for decent housing (“Hangberg youth activist on hunger strike,” Sentinel, July 6).
He stopped his strike on Saturday July 7 after representatives of the presidency addressed his concerns.
Roshene Singh, deputy director general in the office of the president, said: “We have engaged the Department of Human Settlements, through the Housing Development Agency (HDA), to develop a plan to address the most pressing needs of both the Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg communities. The HDA will engage with all departments and entities in all spheres, and with the affected communities in Hout Bay. The presidency stands ready to assist them where they may encounter difficulties. Please be assured of the presidency’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable, integrated solution to the housing needs of all the people of Hout Bay.”
Mr Jacobs thanked Mr Ramaphosa for heeding his call, and said he was engaging with all stakeholders to plan the way forward.
“We will be conducting a market survey to determine the type of housing wanted by the residents in both Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg,” Mr Jacobs said.
“Furthermore, after the Imizamo Yethu fire last year there was a drive in identifying land for housing in Hout Bay, Constantia and Camps Bay. We are wanting to find out what the outcomes were.
“We have also put in a request that the process for land transfers for housing be put on hold so that applications can match the information of the HDA. We want this to happen so that nobody speaks with a different voice.”
