Next month, the City of Cape Town’s Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato will officially launch the Mayoral Visible Service Delivery Acceleration (MVSA) programme. This R200 million MVSA programme aims to fast-track efforts to improve the quality, safety and the environment of communities in the 23 identified precincts across the metro. As part of this initiative, new precinct managers have been already been assigned to the 23 precincts to closely monitor and engage with relevant stakeholders to improve service delivery in various communities.
New precinct managers will be working alongside the Area Coordinating Teams (ACTs), as well as other key stakeholders, including residents and businesses, to help drive visible service delivery acceleration in various areas across the city.
‘As a City, our approach within these neighbourhoods is geared towards being proactive and not reactive and the precinct managers will oversee the programmes to ensure visible upliftment and renewal in the identified communities through the MVSA programme. We are pleased that this project will bring rejuvenated spaces for the benefit of our residents,’ said the City’s Executive Mayor Alderman Dan Plato.
The 23 precincts identified as part of the programme include the Bellville CBD, Parow CBD, Goodwood CBD, Atlantis CBD, Lotus Park, Bishop Lavis CBD, Bonteheuwel, Hanover Park, Manenberg, Ocean View, Uitsig, Wynberg, Nyanga Urban Node, Monwabisi Park, Harare, Durbanville Public Transport Interchange, Kraaifontein CBD, Delft, Kuils River CBD, Nolungile Staition Precinct, Nonqubela Station Precinct, Mitchells Plain Town Centre and Bo-Kaap.
An extensive evaluation of City services in these precincts has been completed. Overall, 80 capital projects have been identified for funding, execution and implementation, with more than 200 operational projects to be rolled out.
Significant progress has been made and projects are already under way in Monwabisi Park, Lotus Park, Harare, Wynberg CBD, Mitchells Plain Town Centre, Ocean View, Bishop Lavis and Bonteheuwel, Manenberg and Hanover Park, Bellville CBD, Parow CBD, Goodwood CBD, Kraaifontein and Uitsig.
One of the operational projects includes the upgrade of the Bonteheuwel Town Centre. The City has allocated R6,1 million for the first phase of this project during the 2020/21 financial year.
‘This project has been in the pipeline, so the City is pleased that this upgrade project is now under way as the site was handed over last month to contractors for work to commence.
‘Initially, this project would have commenced much earlier, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unfortunately delayed. The City wishes to encourage the community of Bonteheuwel to take responsibility and ownership of this beautiful facility once complete. It is a facility to be proud of, from the architectural sketches to the designs,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Management, Alderman Grant Twigg.
This first phase includes:
- The upgrade of fencing within the confines of the Town Centre, which includes the provision for vehicular gates, pedestrian gates and the construction of additional fencing.
- The upgrade and improvements to the structural integrity of the City-owned double-storey building, which accommodates shops and doctor’s rooms on the ground floor and offices on the top storey.
Construction of the perimeter fence commenced during October, while the upgrading of the double-storey building is expected to commence in January 2021.
The second phase will involve hard landscaping of the public space within the Town Centre. Design work has already commenced and work is anticipated to start in the 2022/23 financial year.
Other projects underway or completed under MURP include traffic calming and upgrade projects in ward 41 (Nyanga, Gugulethu) and other areas.
Alderman Twigg reminded precinct managers during the induction of their important role as intermediaries between the City and the community.
‘The precinct managers will play a key role in monitoring the progress of the operational projects, as well as ongoing service delivery activities related to the safety, cleanliness and general maintenance of the precinct. They will also identify any challenges in this regard and engage with relevant stakeholders to see how best to address these. Furthermore, they are responsible for managing the day-to-day activities within the precinct and implementing the respective Precinct’s Strategy and Management Plan by working closely with the Subcouncils. They will also conduct site visits and inspections in the area and will be liaising with stakeholders, including residents, businesses, City departments, as need be. The crux of this programme is to accelerate service delivery in the identified areas to uplift our communities.
‘As a city, this approach is about actioning our commitment for building a city based on five pillars into action: the opportunity city, the safe city, the caring city, the inclusive city, and the well-run city. It informs the holistic view of development that the City pursues so that together we can uplift our communities,’ said Alderman Twigg.