Greener living

New Conradie Park affordable housing project in Pinelands making progress

A walkabout took place yesterday, 14 October 2021, to check on construction that is under way in this mixed housing development

A walkabout took place yesterday, 14 October 2021, to check on construction that is under way in this mixed housing development. The first phase of the social housing blocks comprising 432 units is earmarked to be tenanted from December 2021 and the second phase comprising 659 units is earmarked to commence construction from approximately March 2022 if all goes according to plan. In total, this well-located development consists of 3 600 residential units, including social and affordable market units with schools, a retail centre and retail shops on the ground-floor of several of the social housing blocks. ‘This R3 billion project sums up our vision for Cape Town – an inclusive space where the City, government, the private sector and beneficiaries work together to create well located, mixed income and mixed use developments that shatter the spatial walls created by the apartheid government. This could be a blueprint for how we do things in Cape Town and in the Western Cape and a first of its kind in South Africa. Access to well-located affordable housing in cities such as Cape Town is absolutely critical. We need to do more, we need to do it faster and we need to do it together. A municipality on its own cannot solve the human settlements crisis in South Africa. We need greater partnerships and innovation to tackle the crisis and the City thanks our partners the Western Cape Government, Social Housing Regulatory Authority, Concor and Own Haven Housing Association for their invaluable work,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi. ‘This project is quite phenomenal. We started construction eighteen months ago and we’ve gone from strength to strength. What has been quite amazing has been the interest in the FLISP units especially and we’ve all but sold all those units. We are looking whether it would be feasible to expand the FLISP-related units due to the popularity. We’ve seen the most interest in the age group below 35 years old. We are very proud to be working with partners such as the City and the Western Cape Government and we hope to continue to contribute positively to the housing mix in Cape Town,’ said Mark Schonrock from Concor Developments. ‘Being involved in driving the social housing development aspects of this project, comprising some 1 291 units ultimately, is such a privilege because as a company we are helping change lives and create opportunities. We will be incredibly proud come December 2021 when the first tenants take occupation of their units in time for their first Christmas in Conradie Park,’ Andrew Wiseman, Managing Director, Own Haven Housing Association. ‘Enabling well-located mixed-use projects with such a strong focus on partnerships is absolutely essential if we are to work on eradicating the shortage of affordable housing in South Africa. We need new ways of delivery at scale, with innovation and partnership. This mega project contains South Africa’s first vertical FLISP development and we hope to enable more projects like these across the metro and the Western Cape. We remain committed to accelerating human settlement delivery, while promoting social inclusion through the development of integrated, resilient, safe and sustainable human settlements in an open opportunity society,’ said the Western Cape Government’s Minister for Human Settlements, Minister Tertius Simmers. Central Cape Town Social Housing projects at various stages include:<ul><li>Projects nearing construction phase include Pine Road (about 240 social housing units) and Dillon Road (+/- 150) in Woodstock; Salt River Market (+/- 200); and Maitland (+/- 200).</li><li> Potential projects at early feasibility stage in the inner city pipeline include the Fruit and Veg site in Roeland Street, Cape Town, among other opportunities; </li><li> Projects undergoing land use management processes to be made available for social housing include New Market (+/- 300); Pickwick (+/- 400); and Woodstock Hospital precinct (+/-700).</li><li> Woodstock Hospital, one of the City’s largest priority projects in central Cape Town, has favourable conditions for development but has been delayed by orchestrated building hijacking which occurred in 2017. The City has since sought to unlock the known potential of the site for social housing, while following the correct legal processes/routes.</li><li> Western Cape Government-driven projects, supported by the City, include this Conradie development in the inner city feeder suburb of Pinelands, Founders Garden, Foreshore Precinct and Helen Bowden Nurses Home in Green Point (also subject to a building hijacking by Ndifuna Ukwazi). All have significant potential for social housing unit yields. ‘These projects are going ahead despite many challenges, including constrained national grant-funding, legislative red tape, and the coordinated building hi-jackings. The City will do what it takes to deliver social housing despite these obstacles. The City continues to call on the Minister of Public Works to release certain well-located mega properties in Cape Town for housing,’ said Councillor Booi. </li></ul>

2021-10-14T22:00:00Z

City to delay shut down of Tygerberg water pipeline by a week

The City’s Water and Sanitation Department initially planned to shut down the 1 220mm Tygerberg water pipeline between Giel Basson Drive and Jakes Gerwel Drive

This line supplies the areas of Brooklyn, Sanddrift, Tygerhof, Rugby, Century City, Paarden Eiland, Joe Slovo, Phoenix, Kensington, Acacia Park and Goodwood. Arrangements have been made to supply these areas from other parts of the network while work is under way, but low pressure or short supply disruptions are a risk. Water tankers will be stationed near Acacia Park as this area will experience the most disruption. Careful consideration has been given to the planning of this work to ensure minimal disruption to residents. Residents and businesses are kindly requested to reduce their water consumption during this period to reduce pressure on the network and the extent of possible water disruption while work is under way. Residents are also advised to store water in clean, sealed containers in advance, and to ensure that their taps are left in the closed position during this period to prevent any water loss and/or water damage when the supply is restored. The City regrets any inconvenience caused, however it is imperative that it maintains its water supply infrastructure for the benefit of its consumers.

2021-10-14T22:00:00Z

City hosts dry run for Global Handwashing record

City Health had 5 050 learners at 70 venues, participating in their Global Handwashing Day event this morning.

The event was a dry run in preparation for 2022, when the Environmental Health Service hopes to be classified as an event to take on the current world record for the most people washing their hands simultaneously.City Health had 5 050 learners at 70 venues, participating in their Global Handwashing Day event this morning.‘Handwashing is such an important weapon in our fight against disease, as has been evident once more during the Covid-19 pandemic. Medical professionals have known since the 1800s that effective handwashing with soap and water is essential in disease prevention. It’s a simple act that has the potential to save your life, and those around you. ‘And that is why it is so crucial to instill good handwashing habits from a young age. Sadly, we live in a world where handwashing is not top of mind for many people, and there are many more who think that simply rinsing their hands with water is enough. But, the reality is that proper and effective handwashing requires a little more work, and that is what our Environmental Health Practitioners convey during hundreds of outreaches each year,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.Proper handwashing requires you to: • Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap. • Lather your hands by rubbing them together with soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails. • Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice. • Rinse your hands well under clean, running water. • Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them. City Health has been reinforcing good hand hygiene behaviour in young children across the city for many years and how to effectively wash hands is an integral part of the 362 hygiene outreaches that City Health has conducted between July and September this year. It is vitally important to enforce life-long behaviours that can influence the health status of communities. Global Handwashing Day is an international day to promote and motivate people around the world to improve their handwashing habits. The 2021 international Global Hand Wash Day Theme is ‘Our Future is at Hand - let’s move Forward Together.’‘Last December, a world record was set in India, where 1 024 persons washed their hands online at the same time. The City intends to beat this record, and our Global Handwashing event today was a step in the right direction. We are very excited to work towards this milestone in 2022, all while sharing effective handwashing methods with hundreds more young people in the lead up to our record attempt.‘The City also calls on community members to engage with their families around the importance of hand washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as an effective and affordable way to prevent the spread of disease,’ added Councillor Badroodien.

2021-10-14T22:00:00Z

City brings jobs to thousands with Public Employment Programme

The programme will prioritise members of our community who have been the worst affected by the unemployment crisis such as youth, women, and persons with disabilities

Under the project, R160 million in funding will go towards the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) to employ just under 4 000 people for public service-related employment such as fire and safety marshals for informal settlements, public facilities' maintenance, area cleaning and alien vegetation clearing. The programme will prioritise members of our community who have been the worst affected by the unemployment crisis such as youth, women, and persons with disabilities. In this way, we will address pressing social needs, while cutting the queue of people desperate for work, a line made significantly longer by the pandemic and related lockdown. The launch follows the successful submission by the City to receive funding under National Government’s Public Employment Programme, which was announced last year. The City’s Enterprise and Investment department as part of its job-creating mandate will, along with the EPWP office, help to coordinate all these projects across a range of different City departments and ensure that maximum benefit is derived for the City and the participants in this much-needed programme. This programme has come at a particularly crucial moment as South Africa faces the daunting prospect of reducing its highest unemployment rate on record. Not only will this build on the work of existing EPWP projects, it will also add to several other successful initiatives by the City to boost jobs. The City’s ongoing support and funding for its high growth industry Special Business Partners (SBPs) over the past three years, has created more than 21 500 jobs and trained over 7 600 people in work readiness. Meanwhile, R20,5 billion has been reaped in the form of commercial investments, creating more employment and growth opportunities. With our Jobs Connect Workforce Development Programme launched earlier this year, we aim to fulfil two distinct purposes: to link businesses to the appropriate talent, and to provide knowledge, training and employment opportunities to job seekers. Under this initiative, over 55 000 people have been registered and assessed, 15 087 trained in work readiness, and almost 5 400 people have been placed in jobs since December 2017. I know that for many Capetonians right now, the various crises, such as the state of our economy or worries about how they can keep putting food on the table, is causing sleepless nights. This is why the approval of this programme is so important to me. Because behind all the statistics and the surveys are people. With every job, and every opportunity is a person whose livelihood and confidence is restored. So while things may feel dire, know that we are implementing the tools to rebuild and recover.Interested applicants of the Public Employment Programme will simply need to register their details on the City’s EPWP database. To register on the database, go to your nearest subcouncil office (Civic Centre) with your ID or valid South African work permit.

2021-10-14T22:00:00Z

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