By Matthew Hirsch first published on GroundUp
IN SUMMARY:
- Background of Occupation:
- In 2017, housing activists occupied the old Woodstock Hospital to protest the City of Cape Town’s failure to provide housing for working people near the city center. About 900 people now live in the building, renamed Cissie Gool House.
- Involvement of Activist Groups:
- The occupation is led by Reclaim the City and supported by Ndifuna Ukwazi, both housing activist organisations.
- There has been ongoing tension between the City and the activists, with the City labeling the occupation as illegal and accusing it of hindering social housing development.
- City’s Stance and Activist Response:
- Activists argue that the City was not serious about social housing near the city center until the occupations of Woodstock Hospital and Helen Bowden Nurses Home.
- In 2021, the Western Cape High Court allowed the City to survey the hospital’s residents, heightening tensions.
- Potential Breakthrough:
- Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis expressed openness to meeting with residents and discussing possible incremental development at the hospital.
- The City has committed to developing social housing on the site but faces several challenges.
- Activist Reception:
- Reclaim the City supports incremental development without displacing current residents.
- Activists have been trying to engage with the City since 2017, but previous attempts have failed.
- Public Participation and Council Meeting:
- The City is moving forward with public participation to release the site for affordable housing.
- Hill-Lewis described the site as one of Cape Town’s “biggest social housing opportunities.”
- Challenges Highlighted by the Mayor:
- Hill-Lewis proposed temporarily relocating some residents during development, with qualified residents returning as beneficiaries once it’s completed.
- He cautioned that “not everyone in that building qualifies” and noted, “We cannot be pushed into a situation where everyone who is there qualifies because they are there.”
- Activist Group’s Position:
- Bevil Lucas, Reclaim the City leader and Cissie Gool House resident, referenced a 2019 City-commissioned report that recommended incremental development without displacement.
- Lucas expressed hope that the City would honor this commitment and involve the community in the process.
- Recent Developments and Proposals:
- A facilities manager tender was issued, and a heritage impact assessment was conducted.
- Residents collaborated with an architect to design affordable housing for the hospital, presented at a public event.
- Activist Skepticism:
- Lucas remains skeptical of the City’s engagement promises, noting, “At the moment, it’s just a public representation that the City has made and nothing beyond that.”
- Upcoming Public Events:
- A public meet and greet will be held at Cissie Gool House to showcase the ongoing housing struggle, including a tour of the occupation.
- A similar event will take place at Helen Bowden Nurses Home.
- Activists’ Call to Action:
- The events aim to offer the public “a unique opportunity for the public to witness and support the fight for equitable access to housing in Cape Town.”
