CAPE TOWN, Western Cape — Ahead of the local government elections, ActionSA mayoral candidate Dereleen James has outlined her party’s strategy to challenge the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) control of the city. While acknowledging Cape Town’s status as one of South Africa’s better-run municipalities, James argues that less affluent residents are being left behind and has pledged to prioritize South Africans in housing and service delivery if elected.
Tackling the Crime and Safety Crisis
Addressing the city’s severe safety challenges, James highlighted that Cape Town remains the country’s murder capital, with 10 of its police stations ranking highest nationally for murder rates. She referenced a recent mass casualty event where 10 people were gunned down and 11 injured at a local shebeen, extending her condolences to the affected families.
James criticized the current administration’s reliance on punitive measures and technology like ShotSpotter and Nalas. Instead, she advocated for a “whole of government” approach centered on social investment, opportunities, and community development to prevent youth from joining gangs. She specifically pointed to townships such as Khayelitsha, Nyanga, Delft, and Mitchell’s Plain as areas requiring urgent social intervention.
When addressing the proliferation of illegal firearms—including concerns raised about weapons potentially crossing the border from Namibia—James pointed to severe logistical and administrative failures within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Drawing on her experience in a legislative oversight committee, she revealed that firearms booked in as evidence are often left at police stations or “walk out” due to a revolving door of poor management. She cited a specific oversight visit to the Mitchell’s Plain police station where seized guns were still sitting on the premises, and noted that severe delays in forensic reporting prevent confiscated weapons from being sent to destruction labs in a timely manner.
Service Delivery and Municipal Inequality
While conceding that Cape Town operates better than most South African municipalities, James described it as one of the most unequal. She argued that the Central Business District (CBD) and affluent suburbs receive prioritized, dignified services—such as streetlights being repaired within 30 minutes in Constantia and waste being collected up to three times a week in certain areas.
Conversely, she painted a grim picture of the city’s outskirts, citing complete infrastructure collapse, broken sewer lines, and communities in Mitchell’s Plain and Delft going up to two weeks without basic electricity.
This inequality is compounded by a severe cost-of-living crisis. James noted that the city has implemented three rate adjustments over the last two years, driving up municipal costs while residents’ salaries remain stagnant. She promised that an ActionSA mandate would include a comprehensive audit of these challenges to better serve all residents.
Housing, Informal Settlements, and Immigration Stance
On the issue of informal settlements and the winter fire risks they pose, James pivoted the conversation toward “spatial apartheid” and the historical context of forced removals. However, she also outlined a strict stance on housing allocation, stating unequivocally that ActionSA will not provide accommodation or services for undocumented foreign nationals.
She claimed that RDP homes and informal shack spaces meant for South African residents are currently being occupied by undocumented foreigners, citing projects in areas like Gugulethu. Furthermore, she criticized corruption in local housing projects, alleging that tenders are repeatedly issued every three years for sites that are unnecessarily broken down and restarted.
James also criticized the DA for returning billions of rands to the national treasury that were specifically allocated for the upgrading of informal settlements and housing. She pledged to conduct a complete audit of the housing situation and retain those funds to prioritize dignified housing for the city’s residents.
The Affordability Crisis
Concluding her policy outline, James addressed the growing sentiment that Cape Town has become entirely unaffordable for ordinary South Africans. She attributed this to the unresolved legacy of spatial apartheid, noting that the unaffordability crisis is now pushing the middle class out of the city, not just the poorest residents.
Illustrating the severity of the property market, James shared an anecdote from a recent door-to-door campaign in Sea Point, where an elderly woman revealed she had to sell two of her properties just to afford a R5 million two-bedroom unit. James asserted that the city is currently being built and prioritized for everyone except its actual residents and people.
