Upgrade to transform Manenberg

A MASSIVE upgrade in Manenberg will see the building of a Youth Lifestyle Campus linking newly built schools and the building of a brand new hospital “bigger than the Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain hospitals”.

The campus will span 30 city blocks, including a network of education and after-school facilities, linked by safe promenades and upgraded lighting and infrastructure.

Talks between the Western Cape provincial government, the City of Cape Town and community partners on what to do with the GF Jooste buildings are under way.

Premier Helen Zille’s spokesperson, Michael Mpofu, said the Manenberg upgrade represents a massive public investment in the community and its surrounds, with a particular focus on the youth.

He said the aim was to use urban design to transform the community, creating opportunities for quality education, skills development, after-school and business activity.

“The upgrade is based on the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading methodology, with the potential to enhance overall safety in a suburb so deeply impacted by gang violence,” said Mpofu.

He said following the annual community action plan review earlier this year it had been agreed on what should be made of the site.

“The Schools Upgrade Programme, which includes three new primary schools, with state-of-theart facilities, will follow a similar design format to the Silverstream and Red River Primary schools, which have already been completed in Manenberg.

“A request for proposals to use all or part of the former hospital site on Duinefontein Road for skills and community development will be issued by the Public Works Department this year,” he said.

Manenberg community leader Roegchanda Pascoe said it would be a great victory for the community if something was done about the site because it has become a danger to them.

Mpofu said the upgrade represented a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform a gang-impacted community into a safer space.