Human Settlements Dept appeals to CoCT to apply rule of law when implementing affordable housing programme

CAPE TOWN - The Human Settlement Department is appealing to the City of Cape Town to apply the rule of law when implementing its affordable social housing programme.

Last week, the Constitutional Court ruled on the long-standing Woodstock Bromwell Street evictions of 2016.

In its judgment, the court dismissed the city's housing programme as a thoroughly misguided and ill-conceived project.

It also found that the city was seeking to preserve the central district by keeping poor residents away.

READ: Human Settlements Dept slams CoCT’s approach to housing needs of marginalised people

Bromwell residents have resisted the evictions and challenged the constitutionality of the metro's emergency housing programme.

Human Settlement Department spokesperson, Tsekiso Machike, said they wanted to work with the city and provincial government on providing social housing.

"The minister of human settlements, Ms Thembi Simelane, notes and welcomes the Constitutional Court judgment which declared the implementation of the national housing programme by the City of Cape Town unconstitutional. The department is currently studying the judgment," he said.

At the time of publishing, the City of Cape Town had not responded to a request for comment.