Court case stalls R30 million housing development in Durbanville

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Cape Town - A pending court case between the City and the Morningstar Development and Upliftment Initiative (MDUI) has barred beneficiaries from moving in to the City’s R30 million housing project since last year. The houses have been standing vacant for more than a year after the MDUI raised concerns over the allocation of beneficiaries. Chairperson of the MDUI Zain Williams said: “The issue surrounding the development is that there was no public participation process. The majority of the beneficiaries come from outside Morningstar and only a small portion of the residents from the area have been given keys. In an area where the need for housing is so great, the residents of the area should get first preference.” Williams said in December last year, the MDUI met the mayor and mayco member for human settlements on the matter. “We decided to approach the court because we want the court to review the guidelines used for this development,” he said.

In September 2018, the group marched on to the development and prevented the key handover from happening.

The City spent about R34.2m on the Morningstar project, where 166 so-called Breaking New Ground state-subsidised houses were built.

Security officers are patrolling the newly build housing development in Morningstar, Durbanville. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA)

The 166 newly build homes have been standing empty for over a year now. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency(ANA)

The City was granted an urgent interdict against a group of residents who went on the rampage in Morningstar. The court order interdicts MDUI members from entering the Morningstar property.

At the time, Good party secretary-general Brett Herron was the mayco member for transport and urban development. Herron said the situation needed urgent leadership.

“I visited the area a few months ago and was disappointed to see that no progress had been made to resolve the deadlock. It’s not an insurmountable problem since most of the beneficiaries are not in dispute.”

Mayco member for human settlements Malusi Booi said: “The handover has been suspended as a result of the MDUI launching an urgent interdict to prevent the City from handing over the houses pending a review application to set aside the housing allocation process.

The City is opposing the review application.

A court date has yet to be set.

@MarvinCharles17

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Cape Argus