Outcry over new Slums Bill

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Outcry over new Slums Bill

May 13, 2007 Edition 1

Fred Kockott

PROPOSED new laws aimed at outlawing the rental of shacks and compelling municipalities to implement slums clearance programmes look set to spark debates about homelessness in the province.

Announcing the draft legislation, Department of Housing spokesman Lennox Mabaso said the “Slums Bill” revolutionised the powers of municipalities to act against land invaders and “slum lords”. It also compelled municipal authorities to address housing backlogs.

Mabaso said the government’s current attempt to address the housing backlog was “akin to trying to stop water gushing through the proverbial mud dyke”.

Mabaso said the government’s housing policy had spawned many challenges, including an emerging trend where beneficiaries of low-cost housing immediately sold their houses to other applicants, then moved back to a shack settlement.

He said the building of shacks for the sole purpose of renting them out had also developed a life of its own. Mabaso said the Slums Bill would become “another weapon in our arsenal” to deal with such problems.

In terms of the proposed Bill, no building structure on any land would be used for the accommodation of people in return for money without the approval of the relevant municipality.

Land invaders who defied an order of eviction would be guilty of an offence and would be liable for a fine not exceeding R5 000 or to imprisonment not exceeding six months.

Municipalities would also be required to conduct an audit of all existing slums and submit details of their slums elimination programmes and key performance indicators to the MEC.

Mabaso said it was envisaged to become law by March next year.

The proposed legislation – KZN Elimination and Prevention of Re-Emergence of Slums Bill, 2006 – has been presented to the provincial legislature, which is now conducting public hearings throughout the province.

However, the shackdwellers movement, Abahlali Basemjondolo, questioned the Bill at the first hearing at Durban’s Kennedy Road last week.

“Why start by eliminating instead of providing houses?” asked spokesman David Ntseng. “Why give municipalities more powers instead of delivering houses?”

Mabaso said the laws would accelerate the provision of low-cost housing by compelling municipalities to address housing shortages.