CAPE TOWN - The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said that plans were under way to have a summit in the coming weeks in Cape Town to deal with issues pertaining to backyarders.

This followed protests in eight communities in the Mother City last week to demand that government accelerates the provision of housing opportunities.

The demonstrations were largely peaceful but there were isolated incidents of stone-throwing and burning of rubble and tyres.
The HRC's Chris Nissen: "Let us sit with government officials and find out what the position of the backyarders is, why are some on the waiting list for more than 40 years and not given any opportunity? So we want to call those officials together with the representatives of the backyarders and say please find a process, find a solution to how you're going to deal with the backyarders."

The City of Cape Town said that these demonstrations caused fire damage to road surfaces estimated to be in excess of R1.5 million.

Source: EWN