The City of Cape Town’s Delft housing project, which began construction in April 2018, will yield a total of 2 407 Breaking New Ground (BNG) housing opportunities. More than 800 houses are being built in this phase and 15 beneficiaries received their completed homes recently. The City will continue with housing delivery while at the same time preventing unlawful land occupation to protect housing opportunities for identified beneficiaries across the metro.
Recipients who received their homes in this housing project recently include Edwina Grey (45) and Pumla Ndabambi (72). Recipient Ruth Nomazizi celebrated her 83rd birthday in her new home on Wednesday, 9 September 2020.
The project is expected to be concluded by the end of June next year, if all goes according to plan.
Executive Mayor Dan Plato and Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Councillor Malusi Booi were joined by Subcouncil 5 Chairperson Courtney van Wyk (Ward 20) and Ward Councillor Michelle Adonis (Ward 13) to check on the housing project’s progress and welcome the beneficiaries to their new homes.
‘I am honoured to present these recipients with keys to their own homes and wish them much joy in their new space. We will continue to do everything in our power to protect land and the rights of residents who are patiently waiting for a housing opportunity. We must safeguard the integrity of our housing delivery programmes despite the great pressure from unlawful land occupations and the diminishing national grants for human settlement developments,’ said Mayor Plato.
The selection of beneficiaries for housing projects is done in accordance with the City’s Allocation Policy and the City’s Housing Needs Register to ensure that housing opportunities are allocated to qualifying beneficiaries in a fair and equitable manner that prevents queue-jumping.
‘Thank you to the teams for their hard work and absolute dedication in service of our beneficiaries. The accommodation need in Cape Town is pronounced and we will only succeed by following a systematic approach and assist those who have followed due process without queue-jumping.
‘We need Cape Town as a society to support us in our endeavours and to work with us to ensure we are able to establish a more inclusive human settlements environment. These and other challenges are why a radical policy reform of the human settlements environment is required in South Africa. This is also why we have a Human Settlements Strategy, which we have developed over the past two years and which is currently out for public participation. We encourage all public and private stakeholders as well as our residents to look at the strategy and to comment because we are all in this together and we need radical reform to satisfy the demand for affordable accommodation over the next decades. It is not a local government solve alone, partnerships are crucial,’ said Councillor Booi.
View and comment on the draft Human Settlements Strategy
Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay. In addition, the executive summary of the strategy is available in three official languages at subcouncil offices during the public participation period which closes on 30 November 2020.
Unlawful occupation: Anonymous tip-offs welcomed:
Residents can give anonymous tip offs if they are aware of illegal activity that is taking place; that has happened or is still to happen. Please call 112 from a cell phone (toll free) and 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 for emergencies.