GOOD Statement by Johan van Schalkwyk, GOOD Drakenstein Municipality Councillor:
The GOOD Party in Drakenstein officially handed over the municipality’s response to a petition to residents of the Bakka informal settlement on Friday, as the landowner agreed to sell the land to Drakenstein for the municipality to provide electricity to residents of the settlement.
GOOD handed over the petition to the Executive Mayor, Mr. Stephen Korabie, on 25 September 2025. After multiple meetings were held with the administration and relevant MMCs to deliberate and explore ways in which the municipality could move in and provide electricity to Bakka, the landowner made a principled decision to agree to sell the land to Drakenstein.
This is a major win for the residents of Bakka and the GOOD Party as it marks the first time in the history of the municipality that an opposition party, on behalf of its constituents, were able to shift the needle in favour of residents of an informal settlement and that land that is privately owned can be purchased to benefit the poor.
As much as this is a major win, we are not out of the water as yet, as the Drakenstein council will now need to vote on the matter and depending on whether council supports this proposed transaction a Land Acquisition Application will need to be submitted to the Western Cape Provincial Government in order to acquire the land.
We are of the view that no political party, no matter its position, will vote against this as delivering services and ensuring communities access their basic rights in terms of services is the primary mandate of not only government, but of political parties in general. Therefore, the GOOD Party believes no party will oppose this item when it serves in council.
Unfortunately, the landowner declined the municipal administration’s request for a servitude rights agreement which would allow Drakenstein temporary rights to provide electricity to the residents in the interim until the proposed internal council vote, Land Acquisition Application and possible future sale of the land is finalised.
Considering where we started at and having arrived where the land can be acquired by our local government it stands to show that when the needs of the poor majority outweighs that of a single landowner, decisions must be made in the interest of those of lesser means and that government plays a vital role in servicing the needs of South Africa’s destitute communities.
GOOD wishes to thank the landowner for making this principled decision in agreeing to sell the land. In addition to thanking Drakenstein’s administrative officials for their assistance and support in achieving this milestone.
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