Cape Town - Dunoon residents were thrilled as the MEC for Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers officially turned the sod to mark the first phase of construction of the housing project at the Killarney Gardens Industrial.
The MEC in partnership with the City of Cape Town Mayco member for Human Settlements, Malusi Booi were joined by the community leader Sinethemba Matomela in breaking the ground of this Killarney Gardens Mixed-use Development.
This project aims to provide 1500 homes, commercial facilities and public infrastructure. This is an attempt by the local government to de-densify the overcrowded community which currently has 28 informal settlements.
The project has been in the pipeline for over two years and the officials said they were glad to have moved past the objections and got the land rezoned to a residential area.
Kamal Naidu, programme manager for Department of Human Settlements,
said this will take place in four stages with the initiative construction of units expected to run from February 2023 and be completed between March and June 2024.
He said from this month the government was looking at the establishment of the basic infrastructure including a package plant of which they were still trying to source funding for, as well as creating accessible road to avoid inconvenience and congestions during the construction and make the area accessible to emergency services.
"We found out we need to put in some facilities as well and that we prioritise the TRA. We are going to have 1500 units, 30m² each with self-contained kitchens and bathrooms. Generally TRA have ambulations grouped together far away from the units, which poses huge risks to women and youngsters. We want to avoid that and make it some more human living environment.“
Simmers added: “We will ensure that the road infrastructure is improved, the number of disasters that occur in the area are minimised through spatial redesign moving forward. We will move people from the railway into these units because we do need to open up that railway because it does have a massive economic role to play for the City of Cape Town."
Although Matomela welcomed the project he said it was still far from addressing the overcrowding and housing issue in the area. “1500 is not even a quarter of our population, and also what is going to happen to those who do not qualify for the RDP houses nor the government subsidies? Why is the database system picking the same people to benefit from the tenders? There’s just a lot that we do not understand but we do welcome this project and will work with the government to make it a success.
“This project has come a long way, however the complexities have been covered. Now I want to implore the project steering committee, please do not allow those who want to slip in through the back door to derail what we are doing her. Councillor Booi and I can’t do it alone. It is through partnerships that we have ensured this project is becoming a reality today. I know many of you doubted if this will ever happen.
“There is a lot of economic opportunities which this project will create and a lot of job opportunities. Work with us through the sub-council.”
Thokoza Mxothwa, a resident has been living in a shack with eight family members and is happy that her dream might be fulfilled. “I have been staying at Siyahlala since 2005 and I am so happy they finally got started to work here. We have waited too long to see an action and this is going to change many lives.”
Booi said the City was aware of the concerns of the residents and would continuously seek to improve the living conditions of the people through partnerships. He urged citizens to take pride in the developments brought to their communities and to be patient as there were processes to be followed when implementing governmental plans.