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State vehicles in central Cape Town occupy space that could be used for housing

29 Apr 2024

There is no reason to use highly desirable land in the middle of the city to store government vehicles when the same land could be used to genuinely serve the people of Cape Town.

As we navigate the delicate balance between progress and tradition, we find ourselves at a juncture that calls for a profound reassessment of our urban priorities and the legacy of our spatial decisions.

The “Land for People, Not for Parking,” is a visionary campaign that addresses a pivotal moment in Cape Town’s evolution.

Our inner city’s landscapes have long been dominated by a lot of parking spaces for cars rather than housing for people. This sad reality presents us with an opportunity to make a bold statement about our societal values and aspirations.

Last week, hundreds of land and housing activists from across Cape Town gathered near Parliament to put forward a new, transformative vision for four pieces of extremely well-located public land in Cape Town. These four properties are near each other and are used to store government vehicles.

We have to ask: does it make sense to prioritise storing cars instead of providing homes, especially in a city like Cape Town which is arguably the most segregated major urban centre on Earth and has 365,000 people on the housing waiting list?

The four properties are the Parliament parking lot on Roeland Street owned by the national government; Top Yard and Government Garages 1 and 2, all located on Buitenkant Street and all owned by the Western Cape provincial government.

The Parliament parking site is used by people who visit Parliament, while Top Yard and the two Government Garage sites are used to store vehicles owned by the provincial government.

In our view, there is no reason to use highly desirable land in the middle of the city to store government vehicles when the same land could be used to genuinely serve the people of Cape Town.

Recognising that storing vehicles at Top Yard and the Government Garage sites was irrational, the province spent R73-million on a new vehicle storage facility in Maitland so that these sites could be freed for development.

After endless delays, the Maitland facility was completed in October 2022, and yet the cars stored in the middle of the city have not been moved.

Leaving large parcels of public land underutilised and undeveloped sends a worrying signal about just how serious our politicians are when it comes to addressing the legacy of spatial apartheid and building a city that serves the needs of its people.

‘Land for People, Not for Parking’

It is for this reason that we have launched the “Land for People, Not for Parking” campaign.

Imagine the transformation of our vast parking lots into thriving neighbourhoods where families can establish their homes. Consider the Parliament parking lot, an emblem of authority and governance, which could be repurposed to accommodate about 500 homes, laying the foundation for a community that embodies inclusivity and fairness while keeping the same amount of parking for Parliament.

While acknowledging the importance of parking within our urban infrastructure, we must also question a status quo that favours vehicles over people.

Through the adoption of densification and mixed-use development strategies, we can achieve a harmonious balance that caters to both transportation and residential needs.

The South African Parliament, as the heart of our nation’s transformative ethos, should set the precedent. Our legislators have a duty to show that the demands for quality housing – for neighbourhoods where children can safely play and for environments that promote social unity – outweigh the convenience of car storage.

This campaign is a call to action: to repurpose our public land for the living, to elevate the social utility of our spaces, and to recognise the potential each square metre holds for positively impacting lives and fortifying our community’s bonds across class and racial divides.

We must build with an eye toward the future, ensuring that our choices serve as building blocks for a fairer, more compassionate and sustainable city.

We challenge Parliament to seize the opportunity to transform the face of Cape Town, a city which has long been characterised by its violent history of spatial injustice.

Places like Parliament’s own parking lot must become fertile ground for transformative change, where the remnants of our history give way to the promise of a brighter future.

It’s time to prioritise homes over parking spaces and communities over vehicles.

Let Cape Town’s land serve its people.

We trust that our legislators in Parliament will be the first to heed the call and make a decision that mirrors the progressive and revolutionary spirit that defines national cohesion by replacing their parking lot with homes. DM

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‘Land for People, Not for Parking’