Parkfields community to march on 11 August to city council to demand a forensic audit of housing in their area

The Parkfields community is to march on the 11th August 2010 to the City Council to highlight their demands for a forensic audit on housing and community projects in the area. The City council has now indicated their willingness to meet with community representatives but the past track record of government makes the community determined to still go ahead with their march.

2010 is not only infamous for the over R100 bn plunder of the working class (the Fifa world cup) but also marks 10 years of the existence of the Newfields village (and other similar housing projects around the city). These housing projects were plagued from the beginning with large scale structural faults that required massive refurbishment, and this only after many years of protests by the respective communities. Some houses have no erf numbers while others are on land that was designated for school grounds. The government housing programmes raise the fundamental question: Is the government ‘housing’ departments there to take steps to end the housing crisis, or are they there to make sure that the housing crisis always remains?

Now the Parkfields Community (incorporating Newfields village) has discovered that millions of Rands that were destined for projects in the area was channelled since at least 2000 through the Community Police Forum. This is a problem as it gives the police a legitimacy in the area that it does not deserve; further the community has no control or say over any aspect of these projects.

The community of Parkfields demands a 10 year forensic audit on all aspects of housing and projects in the area; they are planning a march to the city council to further their demands.

Down with capitalist housing! Forward to decent, low rental housing for all! Forward to direct community control over all development projects!

for further details contact:
Parkfields Community Representative committee:

Gary Hartzenberg: ph 0723925859