GOOD Statement by Chantelle Kyd, GOOD George Councillor:
The GOOD Party has tabled an urgent motion in the George Municipality calling for immediate relief for backyard dwellers who are being threatened with fines, evictions, and homelessness due to unaffordable building plan compliance demands.
Submitted by GOOD Councillor Chantelle Kyd and seconded by Cllr Rosa Louw, the motion highlights the growing crisis facing thousands of residents living in backyard structures such as Wendy houses, many of whom are being pressured to vacate or pay unaffordable costs for architectural plans simply to comply with municipal regulations .Already, several individuals have been rendered homeless, and that number is set to rise
This is not just a housing crisis; it is a humanitarian emergency caused by the Municipality’s failure to provide affordable housing alternatives. According to answers submitted to GOOD Secretary-General by Tertuis Simmers, Western Cape Provincial Minister of Infrastructure, George has 20,914 people on the Western Cape Housing Demand Database.
The motion calls for the following immediate interventions:
- A moratorium on enforcement actions related to building plans for backyard structures, pending a full policy review.
- Urgent engagement with provincial and national housing departments to explore subsidised templates or standardised plans that reduce costs for residents.
- Investigation into the creation of an in-house municipal architect service to assist low-income households.
- A report to be tabled within 30 days outlining short and medium-term solutions, including exemptions, compliance alternatives, and housing pathways.
- Acceleration of housing delivery to address the systemic backlog.
- A recommitment by Council to the constitutional right to housing and an end to punitive approaches that criminalise poverty.
Many of these families are living in backyard structures because the state has failed them. It is unconscionable to now punish them further for being poor.
The GOOD Party urges all councillors to support this motion and take a stand for justice, dignity, and responsible governance. Our Municipality cannot wash its hands of the housing crisis while pushing the poorest residents into even greater insecurity.
The choice before Council is simple, either escalate the crisis through punitive enforcement, or lead with compassion and practical solutions.
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