Sheffield settlers win housing battle
KDM had taken the settlers to court in 2019, seeking eviction notices so the municipality could continue work on a planned 800-house mixed use development on the site.
The line between the haves and have-nots in Sheffield is no longer so finely drawn.
Residents of the illegally-settled Taffeni township in Sheffield won an historic settlement with the KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM), legalising their status and ensuring them continued housing in the area.
The township sits on a tract of municipal-owned land amid one of the most affluent areas on the North Coast and is surrounded by a number of plush developments, some of which are complete and others that are under construction.
It is unclear whether this case will set the tone for other land invasions in KwaDukuza, such as at Umhlali and Shaka’s Head.
“While the judgement to include the 300 odd occupants into the development will provide much needed dignity to people, it does set a precarious precedent going forward.
“Illegal invasion of land, the theft of electricity and other acts of criminality must be condemned in the strongest of terms, instead of being rewarded,” said Ward 22 councillor, Privi Makhan, under whose ward the settlement falls.
“The beneficiary list for the remaining number of dwellings as per the project yield, must be dealt with in a transparent manner, that will ensure deserving recipients are afforded the dignity of housing.”
KDM had taken the settlers to court in 2019, seeking eviction notices so the municipality could continue work on a planned 800-house mixed use development on the site.
At the time, just over 100 households had settled in Taffeni, but that number had reached 310 when the settlement was signed on July 12.
Multiple evictions had taken place since 2017, but the settlement continued to mushroom and the Courier reported a thriving informal landlord trade where plots were sold for as little as R400.
KDM had maintained that the settlers were there illegally when responding to the Courier in 2019, 2020 and 2022, and always cited ongoing court proceedings.
Nevertheless, they have now settled out of court with the residents who were represented by the Socio-economic Rights Institute of South Africa and pro-shack dwellers movement, Abahlali BaseMjondolo.
“I can’t believe it. I still remember the pain and shame we had to endure before this development. We were attacked, saw our homes demolished and stayed here knowing that there are people who hate us for being here. We were always scared that our homes would be destroyed by bulldozers. But now we are happy that we’ll get houses, right here, closer to where most of us work,” said resident Monica Mpunzi.
Despite the victory, Abahlali BaseMjondolo spokesperson Thapelo Mohapi said it should not become a template for future land invasions.
“Let me be clear, we don’t support invading unoccupied land to get free houses. That’s not what we want. But for those living in this informal settlement, they should get the necessary services,” he said.
Although KDM did not respond to multiple requests for comment, settlement documents indicate the current residents will be accommodated in the new development.
The development will include three different levels of housing, namely Community Residential Units (CRUs), the Financed Linked Subsidy Programme (FLISP) and Breaking New Ground Units (BNGs).
BNGs are a newer form of RDP housing and will be prioritised for the current residents of Taffeni.
It is understood that rent will only be charged for households who earn more than R3 000 per month, though this could not be confirmed.
If the residents do not meet the relevant criteria for any of the the three levels then they are to be provided with suitable housing elsewhere.
The housing programme, believed to be called the Asanda Project, appeared to be underway when the Courier visited on Monday.
Residents were in the process of tearing down and rebuilding their shacks to accommodate a new road being built and much of the site had been levelled.
They said they would move around as much as they needed during construction.
Cebo Sibisi, the community liaison officer for the project, said they had warned residents not to disrupt construction, but was confident they would not given their excitement following the settlement victory.
It is unclear when the development, said to cost R200-million in 2019, will be complete.
Follow The North Coast Courier on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & YouTube for breaking news
Telegram Broadcast Service: https://t.me/joinchat/yJULuN8NaCs5OGM0
Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news.
Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here, or if you’re on desktop, scan the QR code below.
