South Africa's Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has announced that 600 hectares of land across 120 Cape Town land parcels have been earmarked for potential housing development. The land is expected to yield around 21,000 housing opportunities. This was revealed when Simelane responded to parliamentary questions from ActionSA MP Dereleen James and MK Party MP Zelna Abader.
According to Simelane, 400 hectares on 31 land parcels are being prepared for implementation and release to the market. The minister also addressed the issue of the city's housing backlog, stating that 162,583 beneficiaries have been on the Housing Needs Register for at least five years, while 120,838 have been on the database for 20 years or more.
The announcement comes amid controversy surrounding the delayed housing project in Salt River, which was earmarked for social housing nearly two decades ago. GOOD Party mayoral candidate Brett Herron accused the DA of using the project as an election campaign. In response, DA mayoral candidate and mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis launched his housing plan at the Salt River Market site.
Simelane also provided an update on the Western Cape government's release of land for the development of nearly 5,000 social and affordable housing opportunities. According to information obtained from the provincial Department of Infrastructure, land was released for 4,380 social and affordable housing units. The projects are at various stages, including procurement, enablement, and de-risking.
Seven projects, including Conradie Park, Oranjezicht, Leeulop, Stikland, and Amandela Place, are currently underway. However, Simelane stated that details about approved funding for each project are not yet available. The minister also warned that there would be consequences for officials and implementing agents if any of the projects fail to meet their approved targets.
The Western Cape Infrastructure Department will ensure monitoring and oversight of the projects in terms of the relevant sections of the Social Housing Act. Simelane also noted that it is impossible to provide a definitive timeframe for the complete eradication of the housing backlog, as it is a moving target. New households continue to form, and additional residents register their housing needs.
To address the housing backlog, the City will focus on forecasting its future housing delivery potential based on factors such as land availability, residential yield, infrastructure capacity, and financial resources. This will enable the City to estimate the number of housing opportunities that can be delivered over the medium to long term.
Key points
- 600 hectares of land earmarked for 21,000 housing opportunities in Cape Town.
- 162,583 beneficiaries have been on the Housing Needs Register for at least five years.
- Western Cape government released land for 4,380 social and affordable housing units.
