CAPE TOWN – The elections may have further delayed the legal battle over District Six.
Minister of Rural Development and Land Reform Maite Nkoana-Mashabane was ordered to appear in the Western Cape High Court on 17 May, to give answers on when land claimants will be returned to the area.
But even if the minister does make an appearance, it’s unclear whether she’ll still keep the portfolio after the president announces a new Cabinet.
Although there might be uncertainty around whether Nkoana-Mashabane will still be in the post after 17 May, she has submitted an affidavit to the court explaining her position on the District Six restitution issue.
This comes after the High Court last month ordered the minister to explain what government has done to deliver restitution to the hundreds of land claimants who’ve been waiting over 20 years.
The affidavit submitted last week includes a report by town planners of a redevelopment plan to build more than 5,000 housing units.
Nkoana-Mashabane also details problems she had with legal counsel, citing this as a reason for government’s failure to comply with a November 2018 court ruling to come up with a proper plan.
She said there were no further meetings with the first applicant, in this case, the District Six Working Committee, since February to work on a plan.
Meanwhile, the construction of about 108 units in District Six is underway.
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