City of Cape Town pumps billions into housing developments

Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato has announced that more than R4bn has been allocated to formalising informal accommodation, such as informal settlements and backyard dwellings.

Plato said R713m of the R4bn mentioned has been earmarked for investment in backyarder service provision and the informal settlements upgrade programme.

A budget of R150m for the delivery of electricity services to backyard dwellers living on council-owned property has been allocated.

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The rollout of electricity services, according to Plato, "eliminates backyarders'" reliance on the main dwelling for access to electricity, as well as the potential for exploitation, unsafe connections, and fires that comes with such an arrangement.

"The 2018/19 budget specifically is allocated to 36 housing developments which are either in the planning phase, already under way, or in the process of being finalised," said Plato.

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These housing projects are situated in Nyanga, Atlantis, Durbanville, Grassy Park, Macassar, Imizamo Yethu, Marikana, Langa and Philippi.

"Due to the acute demand for accommodation, the metro must continue to position its programmes to look at enhancing the living conditions of residents in informal settlements and those residing in backyards through enhanced and formalised basic service delivery.

"The national conversation regarding housing delivery continues to move away from the primary and historic emphasis on the delivery of brick and mortar houses and towards the upgrading of informal settlements and bringing services to backyard dwellers," Plato added.

According to the mayor, the City was continuing its assessment of City-owned land, including in and near the Cape Town CBD, to determine whether some of these properties could be developed for housing opportunities, be it for transitional, affordable, social housing, or state-subsidised housing.

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