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No Land! No House! No Vote! (book)

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No Land! No House! No Vote! Voices from Symphony Way is a book of 45 true stories written by the Symphony Way Pavement Dwellers in Delft, a suburb of Cape Town. It was published in 2011.

The book combines personal accounts with reflections from well-known speakers. Foreword is by Raj Patel and the introduction by Miloon Kothari, a former United Nations housing official.

What happened in the stories
- After Apartheid, many people moved into houses they were promised, only to be told the move was illegal and to leave.
- In response, they occupied Symphony Way, a main road near the housing project. The area grew into a settlement of hundreds of shacks.
- The residents formed the Symphony Way Anti-Eviction Campaign and pledged to stay on the road until they received permanent housing.
- Almost two years later, they were evicted and moved to Blikkiesdorp, a temporary relocation area, where they continued to struggle for land and housing.

Themes and content
- The book focuses on land rights, housing, and the dignity of people as human beings.
- It also covers everyday issues in poor communities, such as relationships, safety on the road, and concerns about the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
- It shows how living on the road helped the community build a strong sense of solidarity.

Reception
- Naomi Klein called the book beautiful.
- Michael Watts described it as a clear call for basic human rights and dignity.
- Martin Legassick urged everyone to read it.
- Red Pepper Magazine praised it as moving and thoughtful.

Overall, the anthology highlights the fight for housing and the resilience of people who built a community on Symphony Way.


This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:52 (CET).