A new City of Cape Town housing development in Elsies River came to a grinding halt after residents prevented builders from turning the sod on a field last Wednesday.
Community members sent the builders packing, saying they’ve been using the field for sports for five decades.
About 50 residents stood in front of a digger, demanding they stop working on the field known as Sleepy Hollow.
Resident Valentino Stander says: “This is the only sports field we have.”
“People were not consulted properly and the municipality is playing with people’s emotions as they know there is a need for housing.”
Stander started a movement on Facebook called #HandsOffSleepyHollow to mobilise people against the building of houses on the field.
“We want police visibility here, jobs for the people and they must stop undermining us,” he says.
He says more than 500 youngsters use the field for sports like netball and soccer and will have nowhere to play sports once it’s gone.
The Chairperson of the Local Football Association Leonardo Peterson says they need the field.
“It must be clear that we are not against people getting houses but we are asking why on that field?” he says.
“There are four other open spaces, some bigger than the sports field, why can they not be used for this housing project?”
Valentino says in addition, the new homes will not even benefit local residents: “The municipality uses a database and we will have people from other areas coming to live here. The field assists the people of our area.”
But not everyone is against the new housing development.
Georgina Felix says she is gatvol of being a backyard dweller.
“I am tired of living in a Wendy house,” she says.
“There are schools with sports fields which can be utilised. People get robbed on that field and houses will stop that.”
AGAINST: Residents say this is the only sports field they have
Ward Councillor Franschesca Walker claims the objection to the housing project is politically motivated.
“We had a meeting and people said they want houses. The people against the development live comfortably in their homes.
“People are living in shacks, what is more important? Their dignity or a sports field?”
Ward Councillor Franchesca Walker
Councillor Malusi Booi, Mayco Member for Human Settlements, says a meeting is scheduled for next week.
“This matter will be discussed at a Project Steering Committee (PSC), which represents stakeholders in the community, within the next week.
“A formal decision on the development will only be taken subsequent to the resolutions by the PSC.”