Shelly Road residents in Salt River who faced eviction by the City of Cape Town, will now instead become homeowners after decades of renting.
On June 26, several households received a letter from the City, informing them that their tenancy and leases might be terminated due to the City’s intention to sell the properties.
At the time, the City said the properties were market-related rentals, distinct from Council rental stock and were no longer required for municipal purposes.
The tenants said they had nowhere else to go and that renting anywhere else would be unaffordable, while their lives and livelihoods were rooted in the community.
A Shelley Road Anti-Eviction Committee was established and residents also sought assistance from land and housing non-profit organisation, Ndifuna Ukwazi (NU).
Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre attorney Dr Jonty Cogger said the organisation was providing legal assistance to ensure the City follows through on cancelling eviction plans and transferring property ownership to the residents.
"We will also request that leases be temporarily transferred to individuals who have lost secure tenancy due to a family member’s death. Unfortunately, no specific time frames have been given to the tenants, which is a concern.”
The residents have been been assisted by the City’s Human Settlements and Economic Growth directorates for the process of home ownership.
Following the assessments, the City said all nine residences provisionally meet the criteria for housing subsidies and that the occupants have agreed to submit subsidy applications.
The dwellings fall within the mandate of the Economic Growth Directorate but plans are in place to transfer them to the Human Settlements Directorate.
“I take this very personally as a generational beneficiary of City home ownership transfer myself, and I am committed to seeing our residents become homeowners,” said Mayco member for Human Settlements Councillor Carl Pophaim.
One of the tenants, Jade-lee Geland said they were grateful and everyone is feeling at ease now.
Ward councillor Yusuf Mohamed said the tenants would be official home owners in about a year.