“The only thing we say to city or government or whoever is : listen, if you want to move us, move us in proper houses.”
Is Blikkiesdorp Home? explores the several issues the residents of Blikkiesdorp are facing and their struggle to have access to more information concerning a future relocation.
Blikkiesdorp is a temporary relocation area (TRA) established in 2007. Located 30km away from the city center, and only one kilometer from the landing runway of the International Airport. Its name given by the inhabitants comes from the afrikaans which means ‘Tin Can Town’. This TRA creates a poverty trap for the residents while the noise from the airport expansion imposes serious health concerns.
Being a temporary housing solution, the city built rudimentary accommodations with row-upon-row of tin-like one room structures, but by 2016 people remain there and contestations keep inflating.
The residents of this informal settlement demand to be relocated in safe and healthy accommodations.
This video filmed in 2015 was part of public screenings organized by ODAC (Open Democracy Advice Centre), and was supported by Right2Know, The Development Action Group, The Legal Resources Centre and The Community Law Centre (The Dullah Omar Institute). It reports the issues around this controversial township, and the struggle for its population to have access to information about their future.
Read more :
- 3,000 Blikkiesdorp residents to be relocated
- City of Cape Town plans R333 million for informal settlement upgrades over next 3 years
- Why informal settlement upgrading and partnerships are working : From Nairobi to Cape Town
Media credits :
- (feature image) Justin Sholk