25 March 2010
Blikkiesdorp Press Release

The City of Cape Town ignores Blikkiesdorp

The community of Blikkiesdorp Phase 2 have been trying since last October to have their grievances about the appalling living conditions in the TRA addressed. Some of the issues that the community have wanted addressed by the City of Cape Town are the following:

1. There are only three toilets each for K, L, M, N, O and Q blocks. This means that there is an average of 3 toilets for 112 structures. As if this is not bad enough, not all of these toilets are even in working order. When this was raised with Mr. Trevor Dennis Mitchell of the City of Cape Town, the community was informed that the City would not be able to help, as fixing the toilets would be a health hazard for his workers. Seemingly, he nor the City of Cape Town seem to care that these toilets are a health hazard for the residents!

2. Road Safety is a massive issue as cars speed down the streets and through fares. Already there have been a number of accidents and children have been killed in some of these. We, therefore, asked Trevor Mitchell and Greg Oxford – also from the City of Cape Town – to help us install robots and speed bumps in the roads. According to them, there is no budget for this. So this seems to translate into a situation whereby these City officials appear not to care about the continuing death of pedestrians.

3. There are empty structures being used by gangs. This too has been brought to the attention of Mr. Mitchell. He, however, claimed that this was impossible because the Blikkiesdorp TRA was full. Clearly, Mr. Mitchell and the City of Cape Town won’t believe us until these gangs murder or rape somebody.

4. As residents we also requested that a crèche must be set up for the children. Added to this, we asked for a skills development centre to be set up next to the crèche. This too has not been addressed or even taken seriously, and we were referred to a Mr. Sukupa about the matter. We have contacted Mr. Sukupa, however, he has never given us feedback about the request.

5. That post going to Blikkiesdorp disappears or is never delivered. The reason for this, we were informed by the Post Office, was due to the fact that Blikkiesdorp was never registered on their map! We always thought we were being forced to live in the middle of no-where, now it has been confirmed.

Throughout this period since last October we have held numerous conversations and meetings with Mr. Mitchell, Mr Oxford and Mr. Sukupa from the City. All they have done has been to shuffle us from pillar to post around these issues. It is clear the City of Cape Town really does not care, and simply wants us to die quietly in the middle of no-where. WE WILL NOT!

We call on all social movement and union members to email the following email addresses about these issues in solidarity with us: hans.smit@capetown.gov.za; Trevordennis.mitchell@capetown.gov.za; Shehaam.Sims@capetown.gov.za; and mayor.mayor@capetown.gov.za;

For more information contact the following persons:

Ally (L Block) 078 485 4974
Badru (M to K Block) 084 334 7464
Cindy (O Block) 073 271 6236
Willy (P Block) 073 144 3619