City says 2008/09 financial year has been most successful in housing delivery

By Ofentse Mokae
04 August 2009

The City of Cape Town, says it had its most successful year in housing delivery since 2000.

The City’s Housing Directorate says it had created more than 9 000 housing opportunities in the 2008/2009 financial year.

In a media statement Mayoral committee member for Housing, Councillor Shehaam Sims, says given the performance of the directorate, Cape Town is geared to deliver houses efficiently and accountably.

The statement was delivered two weeks after residents of informal settlements around the city embarked on widespread protest actions.

Among their list of demands, residents complained about poor service delivery and lack of housing facilities.

They gave the city two weeks to respond to their demand or face yet another violent action.

Given this situation, Councillor Sims said: “there are no quick fixes and the City of Cape Town is determined to tackle this mammoth housing backlog step by step, together with the provincial and national housing authorities, and the private sector,” she said.

In the coming year, the city says it aims to create housing opportunities in most of the city’s affected areas including Delft, Happy Valley, Khayelitsha Site C, Mfuleni, Eastridge, Nongubela, Nyanga and Philippi East.