Open housing waiting list to public scrutiny

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WITH reference to the sad story titled "Planks, boxes, plastic their only shelter for 28 years” (May 22), for housing beneficiaries to know their house application status, there needs to be one transparent waiting list that is open for public scrutiny at all times.

In Cape Town, the DA has merged all municipal and provincial housing lists into one list. It is open for public scrutiny and the order of allocating housing to beneficiaries has been conducted in a fair manner.

Part of this process has been to allocate housing to those folk who have been waiting the longest, and this is done without fear or favour and without political interference. Furthermore, included in this list are the backyard shack dwellers.

The sooner this province and indeed the metro implements a similar transparent public housing list the fewer will be the problems and plight of unfortunate "victims of the system” as has been the case with the elderly Mcacisi and Methusi families. I have at provincial legislature level and will continue to drive the issue for one consolidated housing list for the province.

All waiting beneficiaries on waiting lists who have become victims of political manipulation in the past must be treated with fairness in this process.