Cape Town - Western Cape Premier Helen Zille has dubbed the Conradie Better Living Model a ground-breaking milestone for affordable integrated housing.
Speaking at an official sod turning ceremony on Wednesday, Zille said the occasion marks a significant milestone in the provincial government’s efforts to redress the legacy of apartheid spatial planning, and to deliver well-located, affordable integrated housing opportunities for citizens living in the province.
“As we break ground today, with our partners the City of Cape Town and Concor Construction, we celebrate the realisation of the enormous effort and hard work of a dedicated project team over the past three years.
It has not been an easy road to get to this point, but the results will be worth it - the pioneering development of an affordable, mixed-use, residential-led development close to the Cape Town CBD,” Zille said.
The estimated R3 billion development, will see 3 602 residential units built on the 22-hectare plot. Of these, 1 764 will be subsidised, affordable units. The remaining open market units will help to cross-subsidise the affordable units.
The development will also include commercial space, parks and recreational spaces, as well as two new schools. The project will also catalyse upgrades to road infrastructure and public transport in the surrounding area and create over 4 300 jobs during the operational phase and just over 9 300 jobs during construction, Zille said.
Conradie Better Living Model a ground-breaking milestone for affordable integrated housing said Western Cape Premier Helen Zille. Video: Marvin Charles/Cape Argus
MEC for Human Settlements Bonginkosi Madikizela said the project should serve as a catalyst of the provincial governments commitment to bring residents closer to the City.
“This is only the beginning we are will unlock parcels of land to bring people closer to the City this is despite what you may of heard,” he said.
Madikizela was referring to reports last year of former Mayoral Committee member Brett Herron accusing the DA caucus of deliberately blocking affordable opportunities close to Cape Town.
Zille added: "We believe the Conradie ‘Better Living Model’ serves as the unique blueprint for how partnerships between different spheres of government and the private sector can deliver well-located housing opportunities for citizens in the future.
"This is a model that we believe the national government should apply in District Six, the prime land on the slopes of Table Mountain over-looking the CBD, which still lies vacant after all these years. In fact, if that property and its budget were transferred to us, we would get the job done for all those still waiting to return to District Six."
@MarvinCharles17