Sunday, 30 June 2013
Unemployed People’s Movement Press Statement

Meeting with the Department of Human Settlements at Extension Ten on Monday at Ten

As we have explained there is a growing crisis around the housing project in Extension Ten in Grahamstown. The main issue is that people have been taken off the housing list without any explanation and that members of the ruling party are being given houses. This is blatant patronage in the interests of the ruling party and not development based on people’s needs.

On Friday the UPM led around 400 people to the construction site and we stopped the work. We explained to the workers on site that construction must stop until the people’s grievances have been heard.

The Department of Human Settlements have contacted us and proposed a meeting on the site for tomorrow at 10:00.

We will discuss the Extension Ten crisis with the Department as well as other issues relating to housing in Grahamstown including the unfinished houses, the houses that were damaged by the tornado in 2008 and never repaired and so on. We are hoping that there will be an open and honest discussion at this meeting and that an open and fair process to allocate houses can be decided on. We are encouraging the media to attend this meeting.

We are also currently busy with the iRhini Festival of Resistance. This is a Festival that is against the elitism of the National Arts Festival and against the celebration of 200 years of colonial history.

Ayanda Kota 078 625 6462

Xola Mali 072 299 5253