The rebuilding and redevelopment of Imizamo Yethu is making steady progress, the City of Cape Town said this week of a project which has been underway for over four years.
City of Cape Town officials, residents and community leadership met on Saturday 5 February to discuss the rebuilding progress which began following a fire which ripped through the area in March 2017.
The City’s Mayco member for Human Settlements Malusi Booi said bulk earthworks for the formal housing project had been completed and the retaining walls had been constructed. He added that the stormwater, water and sewer network construction had been done and that a greenbelt walkway had been constructed over the bulk water network to protect the infrastructure.
“In addition, the roads and road surfaces had been completed.
“This project, as with all City projects, is dependent on the support of the community and their cooperation. We thank the residents for their patience and for working with the City over the years to ensure that this project becomes a reality,” said Booi.
According to a media statement released by the City, a communication forum was launched in September last year to “engage the community, track progress, ensure an inclusive process and navigate any potential hurdles” that could delay progress with the redevelopment.
Booi said the communication forum met regularly to ensure the City is aligned on matters regarding the broader redevelopment project.
“We hope residents will continue to cooperate and collaborate with us as we work to improve the living conditions of the people of Imizamo Yethu,” said Booi.
Although there have been other fires reported in the area in the past four years, none yet has been as devastating as the one that broke out in 2017.
The blaze left four people dead, destroyed 2 194 informal dwellings and displaced over 9 700 people.
In 2018, the Western Cape Government (WCG), through the Western Cape Housing Development Agency (WCHDA), acquired four parcels of land (measuring just under eight hectares).
According to a media statement issued by the National Department of Human Settlements last year, 50% of this land was deemed “suitable for a human settlement development”, which, it said, would deliver approximately 1 400 housing opportunities in the multi-storey units to be built.
In response to the most recent fire which broke out in Imizamo Yethu on Sunday 15 August last year – this time razing 84 structures and affecting 298 people – three spheres of government along with relevant stakeholders (which included the South African Social Security Agency) and community leaders met in the area shortly after the fire.
National Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Pam Tshwete, the Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements Tertuis Simmers and Booi represented the three spheres of government.
At the time, Tshwete said the meeting was needed to take stock of the progress on previous commitments that were made to the community.
“Now we have a clear development programme for Hout Bay informal settlements with clear timeframes,” she said.
It was estimated that construction of the units on this site would commence in April next year.
In the meantime, the City has said anonymous tip-offs from the community are welcomed to help protect City projects and operations.
