Hon. Members, for social cohesion and nation building objectives to be achieved in terms of our National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, progress to upgrade informal settlements due to rigid local regulations requires attention and the ambivalent attitudes towards informal settlements by some parts of government must be addressed

The land grab scenario in Chatsworth is a real concern because it is fanned by certain radical political parties as an election ploy for the 2019 general elections. Similarly, the mushrooming of informal settlements is promoted by other political parties to divide and rule. These devious activities go against the grain of the South African Constitution because everyone has a right to proper housing. The Grootboom case sets precedence for adequate housing and other legislation prohibiting eviction without alternative settlement.

The way forward is: to build a stop-gap measure of a Ponte-like structure; secondly, unlocking “dead capital” to build a productive and peaceful society; thirdly, lobbying government on housing matters; fourthly, facilitating a land and housing indaba; and fifthly, the local Indian demographics must be considered when the quota is applied. Hence the MF motion today.

Thank You

Shameen Thakur- Rajbansi

Minority Front  MPL KZN Legislature