NATIONAL DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME: UPGRADING OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

October 2004
(Final version)

PDF version here.

PART 3: NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMMES:
UPGRADING OF INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

CHAPTER 13:

PART ONE: POLICY 2
13.1 OVERVIEW 2
13.2 POLICY INTENT 2
13.2.1 Objectives of the Programme 2
13.2.2 Principles of the Programme 2
13.3 APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAMME 2
13.3.1 Definition of Informal Settlements 2
13.3.2 Aplication of the programme 2

The following document is extracted from this file, a study by a group based in Oxford on the illegality of slum clearances in Zimbabwe.

ARE THE ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED DURING OPERATION
MURAMBATSVINA CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY WITHIN THE
MEANING OF ARTICLE 7 OF THE ROME STATUTE?

International Law Opinion

Oxford Pro Bono Publico Group

University of Oxford, November 2005

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY........................................................................................................2

The Open Democracy Advice Centre recently asked to eThekwini municipality to provide information still outstanding from Abahlali's request for information in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act - i.e. to take a little more seriously the request to tell people what it was considering doing on housing, and its assessment of its tasks completed so far. These are the documents obtained through that request. More information is still required.

The LRC's defence against the City's attack was successful. Here are the documents from December 12, 2006.

The Legal Resources Centre has gone to bat for Abahlali members evicted from Motala Farm and Juba Place. See the first salvo against the City Manager, Mike Sutcliffe, below.

Yesterday, The Mercury reported that a bill had been introduced to the Provincial Legislature. Today, below, is a copy of that bill, entitled the 2006 KZN Elimination and Prevention of Re-Emergence of Slums Bill.

Since the eThekwini Municipality decided to commit itself to a 'slum clearance programme the City has responded to requests from shack dwellers for information about its plans to the shack settlements with startling authoritarianism and paranoia. For months last year, rumours circulated that the shackdwellers in the Kennedy Road settlement, and other nearby areas in Clare Estate, would be relocated to a R10 billion housing development. Indeed, such rumours were corroborated by the government in English and isiZulu. In that announcement made by Mayor Mlaba at a big media event in November 2005 it was claimed that by the end of 2006, shackdwellers would be moving into their new homes with first priority going to Kennedy Road. No further information came despite promises for extensive consultation. It is now the end of 2006. The shackdwellers have heard not a word.

9 November 2006

Yesterday, Abahlali went to court to prevent the ongoing evictions in Motala Heights. A range of important documents were submitted, including an affidavit on the Founding of Motala Heights.

The judge required further evidence of evictions, and affidavits will be gathered ahead of the court date on Tuesday 14 November.