Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area in Delft, Cape Town, better known by its nickname Blikkiesdorp, is a relocation camp made-up of corrugated iron shacks.Blikkiesdorp, which is Afrikaans for “Tin Can Town”, was given its name by residents because of the row-upon-row of tin-like one room structures throughout the settlement. It contains approximately 1,600 one room structures. According to gove
rnment officials, it has cost over 30 million rand to build. The structures have walls and roofs made of thin tin and zinc sheets. They are of 18 square meters in size. Ablution, sanitation, and water facilities are shared between four structures. Blikkiesdorp has become well-known for its high crime rate, its substandard living conditions, and it’s extremely hot or cold, windy and sandy living environment. It has been called an informal settlement by City of Cape Town officials despite its formal structure being built by the government. It has also been compared to a concentration camp by residents and in national and international media. The City of Cape Town has been criticised for its role in creating Blikkiesdorp. Premier Helen Zille and Mayor Dan Plato have come under fire from residents on many occasions. NGOs, international human rights organisations, and the Anti-Eviction Campaign have publicly criticised the conditions in Blikkiesdorp and how they say it is used to reinforce the eviction of poor families especially to make way for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Blikkiesdorp has also been compared with the alien camp called District 9 from the international hit movie on numerous occasions. Blikkiesdorp has been instrumental in relocating residents evicted from elsewhere in the City. Many evicted residents of Salt River and Woodstock have found themselves in the relocation camp almost 30 kilometers away from town. It has been called a dumping ground for unwanted and or homeless people from all over Cape Town. The evicted Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers were moved to Blikkiesdorp in October 2009 after occupying Symphony Way for almost two years.
