Housing in Southern Africa May 2016

News

R333 million for upgrades

T he approval of the Draft Budget for the next two financial years requires community consulta- tion to identify the projects. In the 2016/17 budget the directorate will spend R134million on backyarder and informal settlement upgrades, across the city, including in 8 ste Laan (Valhalla Park) Kalkfontein (Kuils River) and Sweet Homes (Philippi). This forms part of the Director- ate’s R1,7 billion allocation for the current financial year. It also includes proposed allocations for new housing projects expected to start in the latter part of the year and the upgrade and maintenance of rental housing stock. The city aims to increase the roll- out of services to backyard dwellers and upgrade of informal settlements over the next two years. This will depend on the co-operation of the communities and the support of beneficiaries. In addition, the city’s Electricity Services Department plans to spend approximately R105 million on the provision of electricity services for backyarders residing on council prop- erty and informal settlements.

The City of Cape Town Human Settlements Directorate plans to spend more than R333 million for backyard informal settlement upgrades across the metro over the next three years.

Since the first pilot Backyarder Pro- gramme projects in Factreton and Hanover Park, the city has rolled out ablution facilities, electricity and dust- bins to thousands of householders living in the backyards of city rental stock. “There are approximately 45 000 backyard dwellers residing on council property and we are doing everything in our power to extend basic services to these residents and improve their living conditions,” says Benedicta van Minnen, Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements. “The city is the only metro in the country that has a programme to extend services to backyard dwellers living on council-owned properties. The housing need is acute. It is clear that the current deliverymodel, which consist mostly of costly traditional brick and cement housing is unsus- tainable. This is a fact recognised across the country. The increased

focus on backyard dwellers, the up- grading of informal settlements and the expansion of services are therefore key shifts that are taking place in the human settlements sphere.” According to the report on ‘Housing from a human settlement perspec- tive: in-depth analysis of the General Household Survey data 2002 to 2014’ released by Statistics South Africa in April 2016, the number of residents residing in backyards in Cape Town increased from 4,3% in 2001 to 7% in 2011. Almost 13,5% of households in Cape Town reside in informal settle- ments. “The consolidated city spend on lower-income areas in Cape Town comprises 67% of the total budget. The will and the commitment is there from the city however this is dependent on the buy-in and col- laboration with our communities,” said van Minnen. ■

May 2016