The City of Cape Town is set to spend R2.1 billion on new housing opportunities over the next three financial years according to the City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority.

Brett Herron, the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development, says R585 million of the R2.1 billion has been set aside for the 2018/19 financial year alone given the dire need for housing.

He adds that the bulk of the housing opportunities the City seeks to create will be developed on well-located land close to public transport services and job opportunities. “As such, the TDA proposes to spend R105 million on the acquisition of land in the next financial year,” he explains.

Herron notes that the draft capital budget provides a list of 36 housing developments which are either in the planning phase, already underway, or in the process of being finalised.

“In addition, at least R201 million will be spent on the upgrading of hostels in Langa, with R19 million being budgeted for the 2018/19 financial year, and R75 million and R107 million for the following two financial years, respectively.”

Public transport infrastructure

Turning to public transport infrastructure Herron notes that an amount of R816 million has been budgeted for the infrastructure needed for the roll-out of Phase 2A of the MyCiTi service between the Metro South-east and Claremont and Wynberg.

“This money will be spent over the next three financial years on the upgrade of Stock Road in Philippi, and Jan Smuts Drive (M17) in Plumstead; and on the construction of a new bus depot.”

The City has also allocated a total of R371 million for the construction and upgrade of public transport interchanges in the inner city, Bellville, Retreat, and Somerset West; and for new minibus-taxi facilities in Dunoon, Masiphumelele and Makhaza from 2018/19 until 2020/21.

Roads and traffic congestion

The TDA will spend a proposed R232 million over the next three financial years to rehabilitate and to reconstruct roads across the city and R369 million to rehabilitate existing concrete roads. Herron says the TDA has also allocated R481 million over the next three financial years for the construction of new road infrastructure to address traffic congestion.

“Spatial transformation must bring jobs closer to people and people closer to jobs. We need more housing opportunities close to where people work, more work opportunities close to where people live, and more affordable housing for all,” he concludes.