Reclaim the City wants WC govt to use Tafelberg school site for social housing

CAPE TOWN - Reclaim the City is calling on the public to rally the Western Cape government to develop social housing at the Tafelberg school site in Sea Point.   

This week, the Constitutional Court confirmed it would hear Reclaim the City’s appeal against the provincial government's intent to redevelop the land.  

The latest development follows a lengthy court battle between the housing agency and the provincial government, which sold the land in 2015 instead of using it for social housing.

After the sale of the land in 2015, Reclaim the City turned to the courts to halt the sale of the property.

A High Court victory ordered the province to address "the legacy of apartheid spatial planning in Cape Town".

However, in 2023, the provincial government appealed the ruling and was granted their own victory to continue redeveloping the site.

Reclaim the City's legal team, Ndifuna Ukwazi, then approached the Constitutional Court, which has since granted an application to appeal.

Attorney Disha Govender said the court case was a powerful tool to hold the government accountable.

“But we also recognise that it is critically the power of people that holds governments accountable, and in this case the high court's order that set aside the sale was never appealed and the ongoing case is not an impediment to social housing being built on the Tafelberg site."    

The Western Cape government has opted not to comment on the matter at this stage.