Cape Town - Social housing on prime real estate in the Waterfront area has moved a step closer with the City’s decision to rezone the Helen Bowden Nurses’
Home site for this purpose.
Mayoral committee member for human settlements Malusi Booi confirmed the rezoning, but referred queries about the site to the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, which owns the Helen Bowden Nurses’ Home building. Despite the rezoning, there seems little progress in getting the development of hundreds of social housing units off the ground.
The rezoning will allow for the development of social housing on almost 11 hectares.
In October last year, the Cape Argus reported on a court dispute between the National Health Laboratory Service and the provincial department
that had stalled the rezoning of the Somerset Hospital precinct, where the former nurses’ home is situated.
The former nurses’ home is occupied by more than 200 people who are members of activist group Reclaim the City.
Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre attorney Jonty Cogger said: “The Western Cape provincial government has failed to use its vacant and underutilised land and buildings for well-located, affordable housing since the dawn of democracy. In the meantime, hundreds of thousands of people have little to no real options for access to decent and dignified housing.”
The department had not responded to questions by the time of publication. Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela said a settlement between the National Health Laboratory Services and the department was being discussed: “The process is under way.”
@MarvinCharles17