A grandfather from Nyanga, who has been living in a backyard dwelling with his wife and grandson, moved into his Breaking New Ground (BNG) house in The Downs in Manenberg this morning, 19 December 2017.
The City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Area Central, Councillor Siyabulela Mamkeli, and officials from the Transport and Urban Development Authority assisted the Banjatwa family from Nyanga with the move to their new house as Mr Victor Banjatwa (66) is in a wheelchair. Mr Banjatwa and his wife, Ntombokwenzani, will live in a new two-bedroom BNG house which is situated just off Govan Mbeki Road in Manenberg.
‘I never thought that I would live to see the day when I will have my own house. We have been living in somebody else’s backyard in Khikhi for five years. I was so excited last night that I could not sleep. I cannot thank the City enough for my new house. I am at peace now, knowing that we will be okay,’ said Mr Banjatwa.
‘Given that he is in a wheelchair, Mr Banjatwa spent most of his days in the informal dwelling which they were renting in Khikhi. He could not get in and out of the structure without help. They also did not have a bed because the dwelling was too small for furniture. I felt immense pride and happiness this morning when I took Mr Banjatwa to his new house that we have adapted to suit his special needs. This is one example of how the City is changing people’s lives for the better,’ said Councillor Mamkeli.
The Banjatwa household is among the 84 families who have moved into their BNG houses in The Downs, Manenberg, over the past few days.
‘Some 62 households moved in last Christmas already, but the 84 families who moved in recently wanted to wait for the electricity to be switched on – this happened on 16 December. We are celebrating this momentous occasion with these families, the majority of whom are from Manenberg. They are now entering a new chapter in their lives. They can transform the brick houses into real homes. Here they can be at peace and share joyful moments with their loved ones. I am also grateful to our housing officials who worked night and day to make this happen in time for the festive season,’ said Councillor Mamkeli.
The Downs project is located on five different sites in Manenberg. Once completed, it will consist of 555 BNG houses.
‘The total cost of the 555 BNG houses amounts to R77 million, and to date we have finished 146 units. All five sites are close to Govan Mbeki Road which is a major transport route to and from Cape Town and the southern suburbs. I stated earlier this year that where people live matters. The Downs housing project is a clear example of our intention to develop new housing opportunities on well-located land where lower-income families have easy access to public transport,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Brett Herron.
Apart from being close to a library, schools, community halls and places of worship, The Downs development is surrounded by open spaces where the families can enjoy the outdoors.
‘The City’s Organisational Development and Transformation Plan prioritises transit-oriented development (TOD) which is the strategy we adopted in 2016 to transform Cape Town’s spatial form. TOD is, in a nutshell, a very important tool we are using to ensure that new developments – such as housing – happen in the right place so that residents spend less time and money on commuting. Lower-income households spend up to 43% of their monthly income on transport. Our vision is to create an inclusive Cape Town where more people have access to economic opportunities. Cutting the cost of transport and bringing residents closer to work opportunities are vital components in achieving this,’ said Councillor Herron.