City to increase affordable housing; address transport challenges

The City of Cape Town on Thursday said it will be increasing the delivery of affordable housing opportunities by partnering with non-profit social housing institutions (SHIs).

Brett Herron, the mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, said SHIs offered subsidised rental accommodation in good locations to more than 20 00 low-income households in Cape Town which was also the first city in South Africa to offer rates rebates to SHIs. 

"The rebates enable our non-profit SHI-partners to keep on providing subsidised rental accommodation," Herron said. "The rebates are for cluster rental units that are valued at R400,000 or less, and where the household’s monthly income is R4,000 and below."

Herron said the City's Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) was committed to improving and expanding transport options to residents.

"We recently signed an agreement with the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa and the Western Cape Provincial Government to train and jointly fund a dedicated enforcement unit to focus on the safety and security of Metrorail commuters and infrastructure. We want to improve mobility in Cape Town, be it by cycling, car, minibus taxi, bus or train," said Herron.

He said over 500 000 Capetonians cannot afford motorised transport, and either walk or cycle to their destinations. The City will keep on expanding the network of safe sidewalks and cycle lanes with non-motorised transport funding it receives from national government.

About 17% of commuters rely on minibus taxis. "Thus, we are investing in new minibus taxi facilities in Dunoon and Masiphumelele, and we are refurbishing others with covered walkways and ablution facilities."

Herron said for those using private vehicles, the City is aware of the congestion on roads and the frustration this causes, as well as the impact on productivity and residents’ quality of life, and said that in an attempt to provide relief, the TDA has allocated R481 million over the next three financial years for the construction of new road infrastructure in congestion hotspots around Cape Town.

Some of the projects that are already underway are the dualling of Kommetjie Road in the Far South, Belhar Main Road and Erica Drive in Belhar; and Langverwacht Road in Kuils River.

"Coupled with these infrastructure projects, we need residents to work with us by making use of public transport as far as possible, and for private business to implement flexible working hours so that we can divert traffic away from our road network during the peak hour periods.

"On this note I want to add that there will be no increase in on-street parking bay tariffs for the next financial year. Thus, those making use of on-street parking bays will pay the same tariff until 30 June 2019," said Herron.

He added that R816 million was budgeted for the required infrastructure for the roll-out of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service between Mitchells Plain, Khayelitsha, Claremont and Wynberg. The money will be spent over the next three financial years on the upgrade of Stock Road in Philippi, Jan Smuts Drive (M17) in Plumstead; and on the construction of new bus depots.

"Once fully rolled out and implemented, Phase 2A will serve more than 1,4 million commuters from the Metro South-east. The TDA budget mirrors our commitment to bringing people closer to jobs, to developing new housing opportunities on well-located land, and to keep on improving transport options for all residents," added Herron.

African News Agency (ANA)