Category Archives: delft

Transitory Citizens: Contentious Housing Practices in Contemporary South Africa

Kerry Chance, Social Analysis

This article examines the informal housing practices that the urban poor use to construct, transform, and access citizenship in contemporary South Africa. Following the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, the provision of formalized housing for the urban poor has become a key metric for ‘non-racial’ political inclusion and the desegregation of apartheid cities. Yet, shack settlements—commemorated in liberation histories as apartheid-era battlegrounds—have been reclassified as ‘slums’, zones that are earmarked for clearance or development. Evictions from shack settlements to government emergency camps have been justified under the liberal logic of expanding housing rights tied to citizenship. I argue that the informal housing practices make visible the methods of managing ‘slum’ populations, as well as an emerging living politics in South African cities.

Attachments

Transitory Citizens

Abahlali rises up to stop corruption and forced removals in Langa TRA

Abahlali baseLanga TRA – 5 July 2012
Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape Press Statement

Abahlali rises up to stop corruption and forced removals in Langa TRA

Yesterday, Abahlali baseMjondolo youth took physical action to block the Housing Development Agency from moving residents of Joe Slovo Informal Settlement into Langa Temporary Relocation Area calling the process corrupt and at the expense of current residents of the TRA.

The SANCO aligned TRA committee is selling TRA structures and houses with the tacit support of the HDA. Many of the current residents of the TRA have also been pushed off the housing lists and large-extended families are being counted as single families and therefore slated for eviction from the TRA once their relatives are allocated homes.

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With or Without a Permit our March Goes Ahead

27 July 2011
Abahlali baseMjondolo of the Western Cape

With or Without a Permit our March Goes Ahead

Today the Mitchell’s Plain backyarders, supported by Abahlali baseMjondolo Western Cape, Communities for Social Change, Western Cape Anti Eviction Campaign, Mandela Park backyarders, and many other community based organizations will appear in front of Cape Town High Court to oppose the interdict from the City of Cape Town, which follows occupation of unused piece of Land by M/ Plain backyarders 2 days before 2011 local government election (May).

17 members of ABM WC from Langa Temporal Relocation Area will also appear in front of Magistrate Court at Bellville follow their illegal arrest by police during occupation of empty RDP houses at DELFT Last month.

Last month more than 100 ABM members occupied empty bond houses at DELFT, after they were thrown out of houses by police just few hours after the occupation, The following day they went straight to occupy empty RDP houses and 17 members were arrested and charged with public violence, and all 17 were refused free bail, R500 bail was granted to each person, as a results of that 5 members had to spent 3 nights at Pollsmore because they did not have money for bail.

For comment and full details on on these matters please call Cindy, the spokeslady for Langa TRA’s @ 076 086 6690

As an organization we condemn police repression into our activists, just few days back serious charges against our members at Durban were withdrawn due to a lack of sufficient evidence against them.

We understand that there’s is no charges against our members, and we are so disappointed to see that not all criminal charges are not treated the same, especially those that falls under schedule 1 of criminal offence. All of our members were first offenders in terms of law, they did not have any pending cases, all provided the court with valid home address and personal details and they did not pose any danger to anyone and all remain committed to the struggle for land and housing.

And we must say it we are very surprising to see people who participated on a peaceful occupation of houses without intimidating anyone, without burning any tyres but still being charged for public violence, and still the court becomes blind at interpreting these charges in terms of law, this raises many question about independence of our juridicial system.

In solidarity
Mzonke
073 2562 036
follow on twitter @mzonkep

“The struggle continues”

For the march that goes to City of Cape Town tomorrow, please call Charles at 074 689 5980.

And please note we are not going to ban our route. We are going to stick on our route as indicated on the application form which was sent to the city. We are not going to be intimidated by city of Cape Town by their cheap tactics that they are applying to illegally ban our march. As long as we submitted application form in advance, and as long as no valid reason given by the city of Cape Town in writing our event will continue as planned.

If it means we must also be arrested, and charged let it be and we are prepared to pay the price if being poor in South Africa that’s what it means.
But one thing for sure, we are going to remain united in our struggle for land and housing and if it means we must expose state tactics and abuse of power we will always do so, being in court or at street. We will remain strong and united.

Aluta

Insurgent Planning: Situating Radical Planning in the Global South

Insurgent Planning: Situating Radical Planning in the Global South

by Faranak Miraftab, Planning Theory, 2009

Abstact

This article revisits the notion of radical planning from the
standpoint of the global South. Emerging struggles for citizenship in the
global South, seasoned by the complexities of state–citizen relations
within colonial and post-colonial regimes, offer an historicized view
indispensable to counter-hegemonic planning practices. The article articulates
the notion of insurgent planning as radical planning practices that
respond to neoliberal specifics of dominance through inclusion – that is,
inclusive governance. It characterizes the guiding principles for insurgent
planning practices as counter-hegemonic, transgressive and imaginative.
The article contributes to two current conversations within planning
scholarship: on the implication of grassroots insurgent citizenship for
planning, and on (de)colonization of planning theory.

Daily Voice: Gritty Cape Flats attracts fans

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=2822&art_id=nw20100521103952428C774943&set_id=

Gritty Cape Flats attracts fans

May 21 2010

By Mnadilakhe Tshwete

World Cup tourists are turning their noses up at posh city hotels to stay in the shacks of Blikkiesdorp.

The impoverished shack land has already welcomed a number of foreign visitors and now soccer-crazy fans have indicated they also want the gritty Cape Flats experience.

Jane Roberts, 53, has opened her shack for free to anyone who wishes to get a feel of the area dubbed Cape Town’s dumping ground – her only rule is that visitors must bring their own food.

Netherlands student Rosalie de Bruijn is her current guest and the 22-year-old says she read about Blikkiesdorp on the Internet last year.

“I saw the articles about the Temporary Relocation Area and wanted to come stay for a while,” she explains.

“Then two weeks ago, I got an opportunity to visit Cape Town and met Auntie Jane who said I could come and stay in her shack.”

Rosalie says the pictures she saw in her comfortable home in Holland don’t do justice to the horrible reality of Blikkiesdorp.

“It’s inhumane how people are brought to such a place but I see some are comfortable living here because they didn’t have any form of roof over their heads before relocating here,” she says.
Struggle

The Urban Studies student says she has had to adjust from the comfortable life she has back in the Netherlands to the pace of Blikkiesdorp where everything from fetching water and going to the toilet is a struggle.

Rosalie tells the Daily Voice washing in a plastic bucket is the most difficult challenge.

“I have to boil the water then put the basin on the floor, then I use a cup to pour water on my hair,” she says.

“It’s difficult but it’s an experience that I got to enjoy as I got used to it.

“But sharing a toilet with three other families is not right. I have to think twice before I go… I don’t go at night.”

The Dutch woman says she has also had a taste of Flats food.
“I’ve eaten a gatsby, curry, hot chips and also braai,” she says.

“I am also learning to cook the food.”

Rosalie has spent the past week visiting a Blikkiesdorp crèche and helped look after the toddlers.

“I even prepared lunch for them,” she says.

Jane, who lives alone, enjoys having Rosalie in her tiny tin shack home.

“We talk all night and we do things together,” says Jane.

“She watches while I prepare food for us and Rosalie also goes with me when I go help the community with problems.”

Jane says she is impressed with Rosalie’s down to earth attitude.

“She doesn’t act like a Dutch Queen, she even helps with house chores,” she says.

Jane says as the World Cup fast approaches, she has been inundated with requests from tourists who want to spend time in her shack.

“Since 2010 kicked in, people email through the Anti-Eviction Campaign and ask if I will let them come and see where we have been dumped,” she says.

“It’s been a blissful experience to have visitors come to my home.

“I’ve already had two ladies from England and others from France and Italy.”

The busy Delft woman is now expecting 20 foreigners next month.

“I won’t have enough space, my friends will have to accommodate them,” she says.

Jane is one of the original people evicted from the N2 Gateway houses in 2008.

She then moved to the pavement in Symphony Way for over a year before finally moving to Blikkiesdorp.

“The foreigners love being here with poor people,” she says.
Rosalie says the men seem keen to date her.

“I have been asked out by many men,” she says.

“A weird request was when a man asked to smell my hair.” – Daily Voice