Ndifuna Ukwazi calls on CoCT to ensure social housing available to poorer families

CAPE TOWN - Housing activist, Ndifuna Ukwazi, has called on the City of Cape Town to ensure social housing is available to poorer families.

The City of Cape Town has promised to develop 12,000 affordable housing units targeted at households earning up to R32,000 a month.

Ndifuna Ukwazi said it was concerned that the city would be targeting households on the upper end of the threshold.

Ndifuna Ukwazi spokesperson, Zacharia Mashele, said that recent data indicated that at least 75% of households in Cape Town earned less than R18,000 per month.

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"The city must ensure that affordable housing does not only cater for the upper end of the threshold. Another concern is that the city's open market affordable housing model may end up benefiting single young professionals more than families."

Mayco member for human settlements, Carl Pophaim, said the city's provision of social housing was focused on all categories within the household income thresholds.

"Starting at R1,850 gross household income per month, which means all income levels are always accommodated in our affordable housing developments."

Mashele said affordability must reflect the lived realities of the majority and not just what the market allowed.