Cape Town - Supporters of Reclaim the City movement have called on mayor Patricia de Lille to investigate allegations of racism against deputy chairman of the Sea Point Fresnaye Bantry Bay Ratepayers and Residents Association, David Polovin.
The complaint comes after Polovin was quoted in the Weekend Argus that the idea of affordable housing on the Tafelberg High School site was not feasible.
He said it was naive to think that government was better at land management than private enterprise.
He also said the site did not meet the criteria for affordable housing and suggested the provincial owned land, where the Old Conradie Hospital is situated, as an alternative.
He said there were a few rental housing stocks in Sea Point and that the area was not, and has never been, suitable for affordable housing.
He was quoted as saying: “No informed person can believe that Sea Point offers a viable opportunity to spend money on affordable housing and we’ve heard no proper reason to gainsay that.
“What we’ve heard instead are political imaginings that take no account of town planning considerations, budgetary constraints and the optimal use of thin resources for competing demands.”
Emma Daitz, a supporter of Reclaim the City, said if action can be taken against Matthew Theunissen for his allegedly racist remarks on Facebook, which is now being investigated by De Lille and the Human Rights Commission, then the same should apply for Polovin.
“I think there is a lot of subtle but quite devastating racism in the city that doesn’t get taken seriously because it is notcommunicated in the language or crude language. But it is a lot more toxic and a lot more destructive.”
Zackie Achmat, who also supports the organisation, supported Daitz, saying the most dangerous forms of racism in this country was the failure to share wealth.
“Our most dangerous racism is the urban land question where large property developers, mainly white, exclude coloured and black working class people. That is far more dangerous to me than someone calling me a name.”
Achmat said they wanted the mayor to condemn the comments and put her weight behind it.
Polovin said that tens of thousands of underprivileged Capetonians would be deprived of the opportunity for housing and other social infrastructure if Reclaim the City got its way with Sea Point.
“If the City plans to spend money on a low-cost housing then there are far better places to do it which will include housing, schooling, work, transport and recreation opportunities for thousands ofpeople, instead of only a few hundred in Sea Point.”
He added the money spent on infrastructure in Sea Point would be wasted compared to spending it on a better, larger site.
“The money, none of this can be achieved by making political statements about Sea Point and calling people 'racist'.
“Reclaim does not represent the interests of the people who are most in need of housing and we will not be intimidated by it.”
The city confirmed the complaint was received by the head of the Inclusive City campaign, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes and confirmed they would take the necessary action.
Cape Argus