http://politics.za.net/articles/2007/03/25/affluent-community-demolishes-low-cost-housing en-us 40 Third world country. First world politics. <p>One of the more controversial plans put forward by the Department of Housing has been the idea to build low cost housing alongside or in more expensive housing areas. Of course the greatest outcry to the plan came from existing (white) property owners and (white) property developers. In Durban however it seems that the outcry has turned to into something more physical:</p> <blockquote> <p>...angry residents &#8230; demolished a matchbox council house being built in the area&#8217;s affluent section&#8230;<br /><br /> Now two people have been arrested and are due to appear in court on charges of malicious damage to property.<br /><br /> The house, which was at roof level when it was destroyed, was part of an eThekwini Municipality project to build low-cost housing in Ward 97&#8230;</p> </blockquote> <p>Existing property owners were vocal about their opposition to further construction of low cost housing:</p> <blockquote> <p>We spoke to the owner, a guy from Umhlanga, and asked him, &#8216;Do you think what you are building will fit in here? Would you be happy if we came to your suburb and started building cheap houses&#8230;</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Why can&#8217;t they build these houses across the road from here, which is an area demarcated for low-cost housing?<br /><br /> We have invested in our homes and you can&#8217;t just come here and do as you please. What will the banks (who have financed these houses) say about this? We are prepared to go to the High Court to fight this if we have to.</p> </blockquote> <p>That&#8217;s pretty harsh words and the destruction of the constructed house shows they&#8217;re willing to act on them.</p> <p>Of course if I had <a href="http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&#38;click_id=13&#38;art_id=vn20070325093205820C420457">linked to the article</a> reporting on this earlier you would have known that the residents who did the demolition were in fact black.</p> <p>Which just goes to show, <acronym title="Not In My Back Yard">NIMBY</acronym>ism crosses all colour lines.</p> Sun, 25 Mar 2007 15:06:00 -0400 urn:uuid:32d29b55-8b09-421f-a3dd-40f85ace94bc Farrel http://politics.za.net/articles/2007/03/25/affluent-community-demolishes-low-cost-housing Local Government KwaZulu-Natal Housing <p>I just love irony.</p> Tue, 27 Mar 2007 12:49:48 -0400 urn:uuid:312c6592-5732-42fa-860d-0b2e9629a6c3 http://politics.za.net/articles/2007/03/25/affluent-community-demolishes-low-cost-housing#comment-805 <p>Classic! Ahh gotta love the new South Africa! ;)</p> Mon, 26 Mar 2007 02:36:01 -0400 urn:uuid:8ad0f604-e3b1-447e-8b8b-5d07f8cbb221 http://politics.za.net/articles/2007/03/25/affluent-community-demolishes-low-cost-housing#comment-803