The City of Cape Town has over 40 000 rental units administered by its Human Settlements Directorate. It is of utmost importance that there are accurate and current records of tenancy to ensure that those residing in the units meet the criteria set out by the City’s policies.
“As part of the City’s commitment to being a caring and a well-run City, it is essential that those who are most in need benefit from our residential units,” says Councillor Ernest Sonnenberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements.
“In addition, we have a large number of people living in the backyards of our residential units. The survey will eventually assist the City in providing, for those that require it, basic services through the Backyarder Upgrade Project.”
As part of the project, over the next two months assessors appointed by the City of Cape Town will be visiting all the City’s residential units to record the details of the occupants.
The City has appointed a service provider that will be utilising local community members to conduct the survey, thereby creating employment opportunities. They will be provided with the necessary identification and tenants must insist on seeing this.
The survey will encompass the following:
- An assessment of all occupants in order to:
- Obtain names, addresses and contact numbers
- Assess eligibility of current tenants/occupants
- Assist those who can, to register on the housing database
- Help those on the database ascertain relevant details
- Ensure the local Housing Office is aware of any special needs requirements
- Ensure that the relevant policies that guide the tenancies of residential units are communicated to residents
- An income survey of all adult occupants to determine the affordability levels of respective tenants and households:
An income survey will be issued and the last six months employment declared. This will then be checked against the information collected by the survey. - Ascertain the existence of structures, both formal and informal, on the property and the occupancy status:
This will include relevant sections of the survey and establish the numbers and demographics of the backyarder occupants. Those living in backyards will also be provided with housing application forms if they are eligible.
