Ms Carin Brynard, councillor of ward 102, and the local planning department of the City of Cape Town have been pro-active in identifying this land, in addition to the land that was identified in 2007, in order to address the growing need for housing in the area.

“Due to the lack of available funding for housing, it is envisaged that the land will be used for private and social housing, as well as a mixture of social and subsidised housing opportunities,” said Brynard.

“A special task team, consisting of officials and local councillors will be established to implement these projects, and a report dealing with an implementation model will be submitted to council in due course.”

Brynard, however, warns residents not to be taken in by the blatant lies of individuals, forums or organisations who have not been involved in any of these housing initiatives, that might create expectations under residents in terms of having input, influence or control over the housing list, or claims to have reached certain agreements with the municipality.

“Opportunists, doing it for personal and/or political gain, were the cause of a great number of people in other areas of the city, where housing opportunities also exists, to have lost hope, as well as their hard earned money.”

Brynard pleaded that residents not pay any money – in the form of membership fees or deposits – to people or organisations implying that they have the ability to ensure anyone of getting a house.

“No individual, outsider, forum, or even the ward councillor, have any say in terms of who will be qualifying for a home and who not. Set procedures and guidelines will be followed by the municipality in order to ensure a fair process in this regard.”

Brynard said she and city officials will hold report-back meetings to inform residents on progress.

She requested residents to be patient as the process of making the land available for housing – with the inclusion of rezoning of land and environmental impact studies that need to be done in certain instances – will take some time.

“No such initiatives were driven in any of these areas in the past.

“It is already a giant step in the right direction in ensuring residents who qualify to have a home of their own home when the time is here.”