Sod turning marks new era in housing
THE CONRADIE Better Living Model was a ground-breaking milestone for affordable, integrated housing, according to Premier Helen Zille.
Speaking at an official sod turning ceremony Zille said the occasion marked 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.
She also said she believed that national government should apply this type of model in District Six, the prime land on the slopes of Table Mountain overlooking the CBD, which were still 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,” Zille said.
The estimated R3 billion development at the Conradie site 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.
Human Settlements MEC 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. Mayor Dan Plato said they would be working closely with the provincial government to ensure everything went well. “This project must be a success, it’s one of our biggest flagship social housing development in the history of the Western Cape government.”
But behind this bold new development, residents of Pinelands were up-in arms accusing the provincial government of not following a proper public participation process.
“We did consult with provincial government and they had lengthy discussions surrounding the plans but the plans they announced were not the plans the residents agreed on,” said John Berry, Pinelands ratepayers and residents association chairperson.