As part of its Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme (MURP), the City of Cape Town is continuing its focus on previously under-invested centres in Cape Town to improve the lives of its more vulnerable residents.

Khayelitsha is one of nine geographic focus areas which the City has prioritised as strategic investment zones for development.

In the Harare area of Khayelitsha, 17 capital projects have been implemented to date to the value of approximately R100 million.

Importantly, this infrastructure and facility investment, driven by the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrade programme and our partners, which forms part of the MURP, is based on community engagement and involvement.

Investments have been focused in the area of the main pedestrian routes between the Khayelitsha Station and Monwabisi Park informal settlement.

Private sector partnerships, such as Grassroots Soccer, loveLife and Mosaic, have also been unlocked in this area. These partners are helping the City to extend its services to this community.

In addition, the Kuyasa Precinct in Khayelitsha is seeing the investment in community facilities and public infrastructure in excess of R80 million already.

Priority areas

The City’s priority areas for urban regeneration include the following CBDs

• Khayelitsha
• Hanover Park
• Gatesville
• Manenberg
• Athlone
• Bishop Lavis,
• Valhalla Park
• Bonteheuwel

Great attention is also being given to the Bellville, Parow and Goodwood centres within the Voortrekker Road Corridor as well as the public transport interchanges in Harare and Kuyasa in Khayelitsha.

Emphasis is also being placed on the Mitchells Plain town centre, the town centres of Nyanga and Gugulethu, and those of Wesfleur (Atlantis), Ocean View and Macassar.

Harare investments

Investments in Harare to date include the establishment of City environmental health offices, the installation of street lighting along walkways, the development of the community library, community hall and youth centre, the construction of residential and business units, the development of a business hub with line-shops, the development of facilities at Luleka School near Mew Way, and the development of a recreational park with FIFA’s Football for Hope Centre.

Kuyasa Precinct investments

Investment in the Kuyasa Precinct, which is situated around the new Kuyasa railway station and serves a large section of the Khayelitsha area, including Enkanini, includes the construction of a regional library, Subcouncil offices and the revamp of Solomon Mahlangu Hall to the value of nearly R75 million.

The realignment of Walter Sisulu Drive is currently also underway.

“There is still much work to be done in Khayelitsha and in the other priority areas across the city. While I am proud of the successes achieved, our intervention efforts are being stepped up. City departments, the Western Cape Government, the private sector and the various communities have embraced this programme. Partnerships such as these are vital.

“The transformation of our city and the empowerment of our residents cannot be achieved without partnerships,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Councillor Johan van der Merwe