Cape Town - A group of about 70 people are up in arms over plots in the Fairdale area in Blue Downs that they purchased from the City in June last year – which have still not been handed over to them.
The purchasers live in Mfuleni, Khayelitsha, Kuils River and other areas but were looking to improve their families’ lives by buying plots from the City in the Fairdale area.
However, they believe they were taken advantage of after numerous delays in the handing over process.
The delays were attributed to cleaning/clearing the plots and a change in project mangers after the initial managers were removed from the project. The purchasers also feared the area may be invaded due to the long delay.
Zola Moyikwa, a purchaser from Philippi area, said: “We were initially to receive our plots on August 1. However, the City postponed the handover to August 12. When we arrived on that day, the plots were dirty and the roads were blocked with garbage and other rubble.”
Moyikwa said the City promised to get a company to clear the area and get the plots ready, along with electricity and water facilities.
Purchaser Temba Klaas said: “Most of us took loans to get these plots as we were only given a month to pay, or our names would be removed from the list. People are now stuck paying loans, with increased interest rates, while the promised land has still not been handed over.”
Another purchaser, Eddie Ntontela, said: “As individuals who have legally purchased land; we feel that there is a lack of communication, disrespect, betrayal and injustice due to the deceiving information provided,” Ntontela said.
“We all come from underprivileged socio-economic backgrounds and so trusted that the City would provide us with a better state of living,” Ntontela said.
However, human settlements Mayco member Malusi Booi said there was no debacle between the City and the purchasers and that the (handover) process was under way.
“The City is following due process and has held regular engagements with the beneficiaries to update them on the project’s progress,” Booi said.
