This month, the City of Cape Town’s Public Housing Department issued notices to unlawful occupants in its Community Residential Units (CRU), including residents who are unlawfully occupying City units in Manenberg. On, Saturday 25 June 2022, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Councillor Malusi Booi visited Manenberg and engaged with the affected residents to offer guidance on their available options.

In June, the City’s Public Housing Department issued notices to residents who are unlawfully occupying City residential units. The City identified 52 cases in the Manenberg area where CRUs have been unlawfully occupied.

The City urges residents who have been identified as being in unlawful occupation of a City unit to visit their local housing office with the requested documentation in order for them to be considered for normalisation.

‘We met with the affected residents to provide clarity and guidance to them. To date, our Public Housing Department served 14 notices on unlawful occupants and we carried out 46 visits in the area.

‘Our teams have found that many residents who are unlawfully occupying units are either not registered on the City’s Housing Needs Register or have very recent application dates. We cannot allow queue jumping to take place, as it takes away opportunities from applicants who have followed the correct procedure of registering on the housing database and who are waiting patiently to be assisted.

‘Our teams continue to evaluate cases which have been flagged as unlawful occupation and we will ensure that the rightful occupants are assisted. One hundred and thirty two cases, initially flagged as unlawful occupation, in CRUs in all areas are currently being normalised. These cases were assessed in terms of the reviewed City’s Allocation Policy.

‘The City’s reviewed Allocation Policy also provides for residents with permanent disability and medical conditions to be considered for normalisation as the rightful tenants, subject to them meeting qualifying criteria,’ said, Councillor Malusi Booi.

An unlawful occupant refers to a person who in relation to the City’s rental housing stock, is not a family member listed on the City’s tenant family form and who:

• Has moved into a vacant dwelling without the City’s authorisation;

• Has forced the tenant out of his/her dwelling, or;

• Has been left behind by a vacating tenant or when the tenant died.

Qualifying criteria include:

• Must be registered on the City’s Housing Needs register

• Monthly household income must not exceed R15 000

• The prospective tenant and family must personally occupy the premises

• Neither the prospective tenant nor his/her spouse/partner must be current property owners

(a) Have no proven record of anti-social behaviour; and

(b) Has been living with the tenant for an unbroken period of at least two years prior to the death of the tenant/tenant vacating or relinquishing the tenancy. The proof of stay provided must not be older than five years prior to the death of the tenant/tenant vacating or relinquishing the tenancy

Contact us and make an appointment:

Members of the public may contact the City’s Human Settlements Directorate by phoning the Call Centre on 021 444 0333 or sending a message via WhatsApp to 063 299 9927.

Our housing offices are open on weekdays from 08:00 to 15:00.

Source: City Of Cape Town