Gateway project in trouble

2006-06-07 10:43

Theuns van der Westhuizen, Eduan Maggo

Cape Town - The N2 Gateway housing project, which was supposed to be the flagship for similar developments countrywide, is sinking deeper and deeper into a quagmire of controversy.

The Cape Town city council is facing a massive claim from contractors working on the project, despite the council having hardly any say in the project. It also appears as thought the poorest of the poor, for whom the houses are earmarked, might not be able to afford them.

This mess was revealed after Helen Zille, mayor of Cape Town, said on Monday the national and provincial government had to set down clear guidelines for the project. Claims are expected as a result of overspending on budgets and non-payment for completed work.

Meanwhile, Neil Ross, chairperson for the council's portfolio committee on housing, has confirmed that the recently completed flats in the development were situated on a 50-year floodplain.

Flooding addressed

"It is not an insurmountable problem, because money has already been put aside to enlarge the ditch under the N2 to channel floodwater."

Spokesperson for the mayor, Robert McDonald, said an agreement signed by former mayor Nomaindia Mfeketo and Thubelisa Homes on February 28, was being studied. This agreement allowed Thubelisa Homes to, among other things, act as project manager for the development, and to determine who would be the new residents.

It was therefore the city council's responsibility to provide all information about the potential beneficiaries, such as the housing waiting list and people's identity numbers and present addresses, to Thubelisa Homes.

The portfolio committee on housing decided that 70% of the units should go to people from informal settlements and the rest would be earmarked for residents living in backyards.

It was also agreed with the provincial government and provincial housing department that they would be allowed to develop municipal land made available for the N2 Gateway project.

More land allocated

At the same time, the city council had to ensure that departments responsible for municipal services provide those services to the project.

The standing committee on government issues in the legislator visited the still incomplete phase one of the project on Tuesday. Peter Oscroft, project manager, said the government had initially planned to build 22 000 houses. There was, however, only space for 12 000 homes on the available land.

"Land will have to be allocated in other parts of the city for the rest of the people," said Ray Rughubar, provincial chief director for housing. The committee heard that there were 200 000 people on the city's housing waiting list, and that only 30% of them would be accommodated with this project.

Patrick Mckenzie, chairperson of the standing committee on government issues, said the government needed a different approach to the housing dilemma.

- Die Burger