Human Settlements
(1) Whether the Minister or his Department gave any support to assist the Breede Valley Municipality (Worcester) with the evictions of people off land within that area despite the COVID-19 lockdown measures; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) what is the (a) number of people and (b) details of the evictions that took place in the Breede Valley Municipality between March 2020 and July 2021;
(3) whether his Department filed for any legal application to prevent people being kicked off that land because of the heavy rain and intense cold during June and July 2021; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(4) whether any alternative serviced land was made available where evictees could go; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) whether due consideration and special arrangements were made for poor people in distress, such as heavily pregnant women and the elderly; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(6) whether his Department notified other state institutions and stakeholders, such as the courts, the relevant state departments and social institutions, about the evictions; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(7) why was this matter not held in abeyance until after the lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions?
1. The Department did not provide any support to the Municipality as none was requested.
2. According to Breede Valley Municipality (BVM) there are 23 new evictions in this current year 2021. These figures are only based on the evictions where the municipality was cited as a respondent. The Department of Rural Development and Land Reforms should be able to provide accurate numbers regarding ESTA evictions.
3. The Department was not aware of such cases and furthermore, there are gazetted COVID-19 regulations which can be relied on in respect of evictions.
4. BVM has not set aside any land for evictions at this stage. That is envisaged to happen in future in the Transhex housing project. Most evictees are registered (3 years) in the housing database, therefore are included in the current project. The Department can provide assistance to the Municipality in terms of the relevant housing programme, no application was received from the Municipality to assist people facing evictions.
5. No, this is not in line with the Department’s primary mandate.
6. The notification of other stakeholders in respect of eviction is neither the responsibility nor the function of the department and as such is not in a position to comment further.
