N2 Gateway Launch: City's Integrated Human Settlements Plan has Many Milestones

Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Nomaindia Mfeketo, today revealed details of the City's proposed Integrated Human Settlements plan which combines current and future major housing projects spread across the City area and spanning the next ten years.

The Settlements plan will transform the City and reduce the current backlog of 260 000 units. Some of the projects are already under construction and 64% of the City's capital budget has been earmarked for its Settlements plan in the next financial year starting on 1 July.

"The N2 Gateway project is an important element and trail blazer for national housing initiatives. City residents can rest assured that it is not the only housing opportunity. It is part of an overall strategy to consolidate people's needs, housing opportunities and, importantly, all the community facilities that bind people together," said Mayor Mfeketo.

Speaking at National Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu's media briefing at the Langa Indoor Sports Complex, the Mayor said: "We cannot eradicate the historical and inherited housing backlog of Cape Town overnight, but we have been working and will continue to work in a planned, creative and systematic partnership with government, the private sector and civil society."

The City's plan is tackling the housing backlog in a number of ways: by building new houses, upgrading informal settlements (where they are), converting hostels into family units, making land available to private developers, by expecting developers to make a contribution to the City's social housing needs and by actively seeking donor or private sector funding for housing development.

The Mayor listed the six principles of the Settlements plan as a policy of housing for all, a holistic, sustainable human settlement approach for community building and dignified living, a fair and inclusive process for allocating housing opportunities from a single housing database, creating integrated communities rather than those separated by physical boundaries and mindsets, shifting focus to providing housing closer to opportunities and a greater range of housing choice for the range of lower-income families with different needs and financial means.

As a primary component of the City's Integrated Development Plan, the Settlements plan includes all the other infrastructure and facilities such as roads, transport, electricity, water, refuse removal, community facilities, schools, shops and recreation areas. The plan also aims to integrate informal settlements into existing areas to truly form one City.

In line with its new Settlements plan, the City is creating an integrated City housing database. It will contain details of those in need of housing, including where they currently live, preference for rental or ownership, size of family, ability to pay and other pertinent information.

Issued by: Communication
City of Cape Town
Tel: 021 400 2201
Fax: 021 419 1929

Media Queries: Mandla Tyala
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