CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — The Western Cape government has faced intense criticism from Parliament after failing to appear before the Portfolio Committee on Human Settlements to account for its response to the Constitutional Court’s landmark Tafelberg ruling on social housing.
During a tense committee meeting on Tuesday, Members of Parliament (MPs) from across the political spectrum united in their condemnation of the provincial government’s handling of the Tafelberg land dispute. At the center of the hearing was the province’s compliance with a recent Constitutional Court judgment, which affirmed that the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government bear a constitutional obligation to provide affordable, well-located housing in and around the city center. However, provincial officials failed to show up to present their plans, offering only an apology that MPs swiftly rejected as unacceptable.
Critics argued that the ongoing Tafelberg saga highlights a broader issue within the DA-run provincial administration. ANC MPs strongly condemned the absence, arguing that the provincial government continues to treat public land as a commercial commodity for sale rather than a constitutional asset that must be leveraged to restore dignity, spatial justice, and equitable housing access for low-income households.
Attempts by Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane to explain the lack of substantial progress were met with sharp criticism from the committee. The committee expressed deep concern over the persistent delays in delivering social housing, leaving thousands of vulnerable citizens waiting. Minister Simelane acknowledged the national housing backlog, noting that the department has identified 212 blocked or stalled housing projects across South Africa. She explained that the national government is working jointly with provinces and has specifically targeted 85 currently funded projects to eradicate the blockages within the next two financial years.
Committee Chairperson Nocks Seabi demanded strict accountability, highlighting the severe backlog of incomplete and poorly constructed houses left behind by contractors across various municipalities. Chairperson Seabi also expressed frustration over missing oversight reports from the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA), stating that the committee would seek a formal legal opinion on how to enforce its oversight powers moving forward. He firmly reminded the Minister that the executive is mandated by the President and elected by citizens to drive the critical program of housing delivery.
While the protracted legal battle over the Tafelberg property continues to unfold in the courts, the committee heard that a severe shortage of well-located land and persistent bureaucratic delays remain major hurdles. These systemic issues continue to stall meaningful progress and leave thousands of low-income families in the Western Cape waiting for their constitutionally guaranteed right to affordable housing.
