MF Leader Slams Indian Housing Quota
Mrs Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi, MF Leader, stated that she is pleased with the NHNR Project, that guided lists were essential for fairness in allocating houses to people with different needs..
Her concern, however remains the rationale for transversal housing allocation.
Mrs Rajbansi slammed the recent voting in the Ethekwini council,that clearly shows that, the stats are based on National demographics, with respect to the much awaited Cornubia Housing allocation.
Whilst she appreciated the mixed use, multi-earner provisions, but “vulnerable people may win on guidelines, but not on demographic allocations,” she said.
The MF, has always pursued the policy that all government allocations must be based on human needs with local preference.
The recent victory from Land restitution, she welcomed for displaced people due to the Group Areas Act, which saw thousands of people forced to live in townships. Now, townships are over-crowded, and further displacement and not allocation to the nearest Human Settlements development, will result from unfair EThekwini housing policy allocation, she said.
Mrs Rajbansi addressed racial Indian demographics, as per Stats SA, Census 2011 for KZN, whereby housing allocations per 300 houses is 22,2 but according to GIS data for Ethekwini, the Indian population is 16,7% hence the housing allocation per 300 Cornubia houses is 50,1.
However, she stated that, the Ethekwini council voted that only 1 house out of every 300 must go to an Indian. The MF does not support this unfair decision, she said.
Mrs Rajbansi, appealed to the MEC to ensure that lists will be a reality, and there must be uniformity of allocation, as per local demographics.