The City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority commenced with the construction of 340 Breaking New Ground units on 14 July 2018 at a site located on the corner of Edison Drive and Herschel Way in Belhar. The project is scheduled to take approximately 24 months to complete.
The Belhar-Pentech BNG housing project is valued at R57 million, excluding VAT.
On Friday 13 July 2018 Councillor Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development and several other councillors, visited the site and assisted in the build in as part of their 67-minute Mandela Day initiative to commemorate Tata Madiba’s centenary birthday celebrations.
‘When Tata became the president of South Africa he promised that more than a million houses would be built for the poorer people of our country. South Africa is currently facing a massive housing backlog and the 340 units is a tip on the iceberg. However, these housing units together with the many others planned throughout the city will see us working towards Tata’s dream of South Africans living in decent housing, one house at a time,’ said Councillor Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development.
The project entails the building of semi-detached and free-standing single storey houses, as well as the installation of electrical infrastructure, street lighting and sidewalks.
‘Today we are honouring one of Africa’s greatest leaders who put serving others above himself. Tata was very determined to fight for the dignity of our people. This is one way we as the City honour his legacy: by restoring dignity to the people of Cape Town, some of whom have been dreaming of becoming homeowners for most of their lives. This is also one of the ways we are living up to one of our strategic pillars of being an inclusive city,’ said Councillor Herron.
The development is located in close proximity to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a number of primary and secondary schools and a railway station. There are also open spaces that will be landscaped to create spaces where children can play and residents can socialise.