Three Helderberg facilities are set for a major development boost as council has allocated funds for the upgrade projects, with cemeteries first in line.
Among cemeteries planned for expansion of burial capacity as part of the City of Cape Town’s R45 million upgrade project, is Rusthof Cemetery in Strand.
Francine Higham, Mayoral Committee member for Community Services and Health, on enquiry confirmed that R15 million of the budget is set aside for the local cemetery, where about 15 000 additional burial sites will be constructed by end of December this year.
“Public participation was conducted by the recreation and parks department between 29 May and 1 July last year,”
said Higham, adding that the expansion is not expected to affect any existing facilities or access roads and amenities in the area as all the work will be internal.
Detailed technical studies are also planned for cemetery development and expansion, including the proposed Vaalfontein Cemetery in Somerset West, as part of a five-year plan to increase Cape Town’s burial capacity by 100 000 through double burials and reopening family graves.
Higham further said that a land-use application is currently being processed, and that the department has also initiated an environmental authorisation application, which has been granted.
“The land-use process is expected to be completed by March 2026, and the results will be made available during that time.”
When asked about a projected timeline for when actual development will begin at Vaalfontein, Higham responded: “Not at this stage, as the development depends on the outcome of the land-use application.”
Additional key projects included in the department’s 2025-’26 budget is two libraries, the Lwandle Community Library and the Suider-Strand Library.
Nearly R12 million is earmarked for the upgrade of the Lwandle Community Library, which involves extending (increasing the footprint) of the current library building to provide a more spacious library with additional study spaces.
The upgrade will also see the renovation of the existing library building to match the new extension, creating a larger children’s section, children’s SmartCape and reading spaces.
“If all goes according to plan, work will begin in October,”
said Higham.
“During most of the construction period the library will remain open for operations and the construction site will be completely enclosed from public access. During the final phase of construction, there will be a period when the facility will have to close. This period should be no longer than two to four weeks.”
Higham said the community was consulted through public participation in collaboration with the ward councillor at the municipal offices in Lwandle, adjacent to the library.
The public participation process, which took place more than two years ago, was open to the public and was arranged by the City’s Public Participation Division.
“The expected completion date is September 2026.”
Higham, however, failed to respond to any questions about the much-anticipated reconstruction of the Suider-Strand Library, which was gutted in a devastating fire more than four years ago.
The heritage-rich community facility went up in flames in the early hours of 27 February 2021 (“Geskiedenis, nie net boeke vernietig,” DistrictMail, 4 March 2021). The incident was the first fire in recent years in which a City library was completely destroyed, with only the outer walls left standing. For the past few years, the plot in Lower Gordon’s Bay Road has remained barren, with only weeds sprouting from the foundation.
Last year, the City said the reconstruction of the library is expected to begin in January 2026, with a 12-month construction period (“Nuwe biblioteek kom later”, 16 October 2024).
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