Peter Martin, Retreat
In response to deputy mayor Eddie Andrews ("Don't give your rights away," Southern Mail, September 25), it is true that any landowner can submit a land-use application for the development of rental flats on their property if the current zoning does not allow it. Still, residents in single residential areas have the right to object to the building of flats in their areas, which is often the case.
Yes, it is true that currently the Municipal Planning By-law (MPBL) treats residents living in residential areas equally and does not exclude or discriminate between residents living in these areas. However, the proposed MPBL amendment will take the right to object to the building of rental flats away from only residents living in 194 identified residential areas by rezoning these areas.
These 194 identified group areas were engineered under the system of apartheid for people of colour. This means that people of colour will automatically lose their right to object to the building of rental flats in their areas.
This while residents living in areas previously advantaged by the system of apartheid will retain the right to object to the building of rental flats in their backyards.
Based on this, the proposed MPBL amendment excludes previously advantaged areas from densification. This is despite the fact that these areas are adequately and sufficiently resourced for densification purposes in terms of schools, day hospitals, policing services, roads and water infrastructure and open space. And the fact that the 194 identified group areas do not have the necessary resources, services and infrastructure.
Mr Andrews is silent on this.
If the City of Cape Town is really serious and genuine about meeting the demands and needs of people settling in Cape Town, why doesn't it rezone the whole metro for densification purposes?
In this manner no residential area will be excluded from the MPBL amendment, and densification can take place in all areas in the city. This will contribute towards a more inclusive, integrated and equal city.