The ANC welcomes the intervention by the government during the time the community of Lwandle, next to the N2 highway near Somerset West, was evicted. The national Ministers of both Transport and Human Settlements, and their deputies, visited Lwandle before the Mayor of Cape Town and the City intervened.
The South African National Roads Agency, Sanral, evicted part of the Lwandle Informal Settlement and the City of Cape Town did not make any arrangements for temporary accommodation of the evicted people. When the people of Lwandle needed their Mayor and Premier, they had both abandoned them. The Mayor of Cape Town and the Premier issued public statements that it was not their responsibility, but that of the national government agency, Sanral, and national government. [Interjections.]
Order, hon members! Order!
The people of Lwandle suffered terribly during those cold and rainy days of their eviction. Their shacks were demolished and set alight. Many lost their personal possessions and were left with nothing but the clothes that they were wearing. Through the intervention of the national government, the people of Lwandle are moving out of cold community halls. Emergency housing is being provided on the land they were evicted from as a temporary measure. They will then be integrated into the housing programmes of the City of Cape Town. The Housing Development Agency is leading the intervention of national government.
The national government will in the coming days finalise ... Thank you. [Time expired.]