More than 500 households in the Boekenhoutkloof informal settlement in Bonnievale recently received toilets and wash facilities.
The Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertius Simmers, visited the project on Monday 14 July as part of an oversight visit. He was accompanied by Schalk van Eeden, Executive Mayor of the Langeberg Municipality.
This R65 million project forms part of the Upgrading of Informal Settlements Programme (UISP) and aims to improve the living conditions of people residing in such areas. The project comprises 577 fully-serviced sites, each equipped with a flushable toilet, outdoor wash trough and tap. According to Daniël Lubbe, the municipal manager, the infrastructure that was installed during the 20-month project, included paved roads, underground water and sewerage systems connected to the municipal grid, and proper stormwater drainage systems. In total, 568 toilets and wash facilities were installed and the external bulk-link services have also been completed.
The in-situ upgrade project was completed in March and the upgrades were done to residents’ houses in their current location, instead of relocating them. The serviced sites will be allocated according to the municipal housing-demand database, said Lubbe, following a transparent, data-driven process to ensure fairness and prevent queue jumping.
This project created 42 job opportunities with positions for 22 young men and women.
“It is part of a broader strategy to deliver equitable, well-planned infrastructure that supports long-term social development, economic growth and spatial integration in the Langeberg Municipal area,” Lubbe said.
