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May 2016
News
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.
R333 million for upgrades
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
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.
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.
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