Cape Town - All the upgrades planned for Manenberg mean little to community leaders who have said residents were not consulted.
Last week the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government unveiled ambitious plans to improve Manenberg - plans that Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich have labelled an “election gimmick”.
Ehrenreich said while the plan to convert the derelict GF Jooste Hospital is a step in the right direction, residents were left without a nearby hospital.
“GF Jooste could still have been providing medical services to the surrounding community, if the province planned better.”
He said the community and organisations should have been consulted for a better way forward.
“The premier and mayor suddenly took a plan to the media with the R50 million advertising budget they have, with no regard for the legitimate community structures, hoping that if the lie is carried in the media people will believe it.”
A R3 billion medical facility, a youth and lifestyle campus and a Safety and Security Policing and Community training college were among the planned developments unveiled by the local and municipal governments last week.
Pastor Lewellyn Adams, of the Manenberg Community Policing Forum (CPF), said the key to the plans becoming a reality is speaking to the community.
“They come with all this progress here but they haven’t even spoken to the church, which is so close to the people. They must speak to the people on the ground so they can do it right,” he said.
“The city always comes into Manenberg and do what they want to do,” Adams said, adding the city statistics showing that 70 percent of crimes committed in Cape Town occur in Manenberg “shows up the City’s failures”.
“The premier was very clear in saying that they need seven hectares of land to build a new hospital and if they don’t find the land they will move it elsewhere. Ultimately Manenberg will lose out on a hospital because there isX no such land.”
Roegshanda Pascoe of the Manenberg Safety Forum said they city has been neglecting the Manenberg community for years.
“If you call in to the city to follow-up on a problem, all you ever get is that it is under investigation. Because we are not politically aligned, we are being overlooked, but we will keep on fighting.”
The organisations said they were not consulted. The offices of the mayor and premier disagree.
Michael Mpofu, spokesman for Western Cape Premier Helen Zille, said the province, city and the Manenberg Steering Committee - representing various community organisations - have been involved in extensive community engagement.
“This is only the beginning of public participation.
“The entire project is guided by Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading methodology. This places the community at the centre of all plans.
“The community action plan will be finalised soon, which will stipulate further engagement and clarify roles of government and Manenberg Steercom. On Monday night, the premier and mayor met with the Manenberg Steercom.”
He added that Cosatu was playing politics while the city had plans to transform Manenberg into “the suburb of residents’ dreams”.
Cape Argus