Hanover Park residents threaten rent boycott over Cape Town's property auction

A Sanco-affiliated civic organisation in Hanover Park has threatened a rent boycott and the occupation of vacant municipal units, linking the planned action to the City of Cape Town’s decision to auction about 50 City-owned properties across the metro, including the Good Hope Centre.

Gary Hartzenberg of the Hanover Park Civic Organisation said long-term municipal tenants believe they should have been granted ownership of their homes after decades of paying rent.

“We are of the impression that the City of Cape Town’s rental housing stock is paid up because beneficiaries have paid rent for 50 years and more, and we believe the houses should have been transferred into their names a long time ago,” Hartzenberg said.

He said the organisation had resolved to embark on a rent boycott and to occupy what it described as “derelict” and barricaded units in the area.

“In view of the fact that the City is going to auction buildings like the Good Hope Centre, we have decided to occupy all derelict buildings, especially the abandoned houses that are barricaded within Hanover Park, and mobilise communities across the Cape Flats to follow suit,” he said.

The City has rejected the threatened action.

“Any boycott of rental is against the terms of the legal rental agreement and constitutes a breach of contract. The City sets out strict consequences for not paying rent in terms of the contracts,” the City said in response to queries.

It added that any unlawful occupation “not sanctioned by the City, is deemed illegal and will be dealt with in terms of the full extent of the law.”

The City confirmed that it manages 3 296 municipal rental units in Hanover Park.

Regarding ownership, the City said its rental units remain City-owned property and are allocated in terms of applicable housing policies and legislation. It said certain properties specifically cottages and row houses on individual subdivided erven may qualify for transfer to legal tenants under its No Cost Transfer Programme, subject to eligibility criteria.

Legal tenants residing in qualifying units are encouraged to approach their local housing office to determine whether they qualify, the City said.

On the issue of vacant or barricaded units, the City said where properties are in disrepair and vacant, there are plans to upgrade and repair them. It added that such conditions are often linked to previous unlawful occupation or invasions by individuals who are not the legal tenants.

The threatened boycott comes ahead of the City’s scheduled auction on February 26. The auction will include approximately 50 properties across residential, commercial and industrial categories in areas such as Kraaifontein, Westridge, Atlantis, Durbanville, Goodwood, Eerste River, Coniston Park, Bridgetown, Athlone, Maitland, Vredehoek, Mitchells Plain, Montague Gardens, Parow, Blue Downs, Century City, Bellville, Belhar, Epping, Khayelitsha and Kuils River.

In total, the City plans to release about 282,000m² of land through the process. The properties have been assessed and confirmed as not required for municipal purposes, according to the City.

At the centre of the auction is the Good Hope Centre precinct on the Foreshore, a landmark dome structure. The City has described its release as a strategic move aimed at unlocking economic potential and attracting private-sector investment for redevelopment. The property is zoned Mixed Use Subzone 2 (MU2) and Transport 2, with confirmed development rights and gross building area specifications made available for investor due diligence.

The City said the auction will take place both online and in person and revenue generated from the sale or lease of the properties will be reinvested into service delivery.

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