WESTERN CAPE NEWS - According to a media statement earlier today, the Western Cape Government has identified three key pillars around which it will focus its post Covid-19 recovery.
During our cabinet Bosberaad held last month, we identified three key pillars around which the Western Cape Government will focus its post COVID-19 recovery.
COVID-19 has had an extraordinary impact on governments and on people around the globe.
In our recovery plan, our focus is on the three key areas that impact the lives of residents most: jobs, safety and human dignity and well-being.
For many of our residents, their home is a sense of pride and dignity. We also understand providing a safe place to live is a significant step in restoring the dignity of residents and in addressing the spatial inequalities of our past.
Today, Minister of Transport and Public Works, Bonginkosi Madikizela announced that construction has begun on the first phase of housing at the Conradie site in Pinelands. The 22-hectare Conradie site is the pilot for the Better Living Model, which will create 3500 mixed-use, mixed-income housing opportunities close to the Cape Town CBD.
At least 49% of the housing units will be affordable, grant funded units. The developers, Concor, will also build two new affordable schools, with a capacity for 1600 learners. Once complete, it will also include sports and recreation facilities, and retail creating a site which allows for living, working, playing and learning.
Pinelands is just outside of the CBD, while also being close to economic opportunities in Ndabeni, Epping Industria, and Goodwood. It is also situated close to public transport.
Construction on the first four blocks of 432 social housing units, as well as the sale of the first 288 FLISP units starts this month- with the entire first phase of development expected to be completed by April 2022. The entire development will be completed in 2026.
Update on the coronavirus
As of 13:00 on 16 September, the Western Cape has 2677 active cases of COVID-19, with a total of 108 039 confirmed cases and 101 275 recoveries.
Garden Route district
- George 3 479 cases, 3244 recoveries
- Bitou 606 cases, 570 recoveries
- Knysna 1 448 cases, 1 342 recoveries
- Mossel Bay 2 299 cases, 2 179 recoveries
- Hessequa 301 cases, 280 recoveries
- Oudtshoorn 1 355 cases, 1 132 recoveries
- Kannaland 110 cases, 109 recoveries
Data note
It is not always possible to check and verify that the address data supplied for each new recorded case is correct, within the time frames required to provide regular and timely updates. This means that in some instances, cases could be allocated to the wrong sub-districts. We are working with the sub-districts to clean and verify the data and where errors are picked up locally, cases will be re-allocated to the correct areas.
The Western Cape has recorded an additional 8 deaths, bringing the total number of COVID-19 related deaths in the province to 4087. We send our condolences to their family and friends at this time.
Student accommodation
I am also pleased that the student accommodation phase of the Belhar CBD development has begun, with the University of the Western Cape doing a virtual sod-turning for their 2700 bed residence in this precinct, this week.
The Belhar CBD development is also a mixed-use, mixed-income development, providing various types of affordable and social housing, as well as housing for military veterans.
The site is close to the campuses of two of the province’s biggest tertiary institutions- UWC and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology as well as to other smaller colleges. This development will therefore provide affordable accommodation, which is close to campus, allowing them to focus on learning and developing their skills for the future.
Both of these developments will also create thousands of jobs during the construction phase- allowing people to earn a salary, thereby further contributing to the dignity and well-being of the people of this province.
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