City of Cape Town to hold District Six redevelopment talks

The City of Cape Town wants to engage with the people of District Six on what the neighbourhood will look like in the future as the plan to redevelop the area gains steam. Photo: African News Agency (ANA)

The City of Cape Town wants to engage with the people of District Six on what the neighbourhood will look like in the future as the plan to redevelop the area gains steam. Photo: African News Agency (ANA)

Published Jul 17, 2020

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Cape Town - The City of Cape Town wants to engage with the people of District Six on what the neighbourhood will look like in the future as the plan to redevelop the area gains pace.

It is expected to embark on a series of engagements with the District Six community. The City said it has noted that the national government was busy with the preparatory work related to the redevelopment of the area.

Mayco member for Spatial Development and Planning Marian Niewoudt said: “The process of developing a Local Spatial Development Framework (LSDF) will be undertaken in collaboration with the District Six community, other residents, and interested and affected parties.

“I will make an announcement about the upcoming engagements in due course given that we are still in the process of obtaining approval from the local sub-council to commence with the

process.

“The purpose of this plan is, among others, to formulate a vision and related policy guidelines and intervention projects that will assist in re-establishing this once vibrant neighbourhood, to create a sense of belonging and place, and to indicate the spatial restructuring and integration within the district and surrounding areas.”

The City is responsible for the drafting of a local neighbourhood or LSDF for the area as well as the approval of land use and building plan submissions. The City’s immediate focus will be on the public realm improvements - the open spaces and amenities of the future District Six.

“With the community’s input and collaboration, we want to reinforce the need for quality public spaces and places that remember the past, celebrate the present and showcase the hope and belief of a better, more integrated future. These principles were already established in previous work that was undertaken in 2012 and we will be elaborating on this during our upcoming engagements.

“A community forms over time. We become a community in the places where we meet, mostly outside of our homes, and most often than not, by chance. We will be engaging with residents about how we can shape and form the future District Six community with public open spaces; what we want these spaces to look like, how we want to use them, and how we want them to connect us with one another, and the other surrounding neighbourhoods,” said Nieuwoudt.

The City reiterated that the National Department of Rural Development and Land Reform was responsible for the overall redevelopment of District Six, and the construction of houses for the beneficiaries.

It is not involved in the restitution process or the development itself

and says it has not made any of

its land in District Six available to private developers.

@MarvinCharles17

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