“As part of our commitment to redress, and to creating a caring and inclusive city, the City of Cape Town has prioritised a massive allocation of resources to improve living conditions in informal settlements, specifically in the provision of refuse removal and area cleaning, water, sanitation and electricity,” said City of Cape Town Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, at a meeting between the City of Cape Town and the Cape Chamber of Commerce on 13 August 2013.

According to de Lille, in terms of solid waste management the City has increased their budget by approximately 112% since the 2006/2007 term. “This year an estimated budget of R141 million has been budgeted for the provision of solid waste management services to informal settlements.”

This provision is said to provide for a weekly door-to-door service, provision of refuse bags, collection and area cleaning, as well as litter collection and picking between the informal dwellings in the settlements.

De Lille further highlighted a number of key projects planned by the Utility Services Department. “Solid waste will continue to improve and build on their informal settlement cleaning services that has been at 100% since 2008/2009, when services were fully integrated and delivered to all informal areas. We will further enhance this service by ensuring that drop points are open on weekends,” concluded de Lille.