The City of Cape Town’s Freedom Park upgrade project is on track. The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Malusi Booi, and other dignitaries were there on 3rd August 2021, to check on the progress of the project. This is an Upgrade of Informal Settlements Project which seeks to upgrade an area of informality with planned access ways, including for emergency services, black-top roads, one-to-one services and tenure.
This project will provide upgrades and services for the registered 159 families of Ottery’s Freedom Park informal settlement, securing tenure for residents who have been living there for many years and improving their lives in a very real way. The settlement currently has limited basic services due to the lack of space and access as this was an unplanned settlement.
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The sites will have sewer and water connections on a one-on-one basis, black-top roads and stormwater services. This is in line with the City’s commitment of bringing greater formality to informal settlements where it is possible to do so; to mainstream basic services provision and to improve the lives of its most vulnerable residents amid rapid urbanisation.
“The upgrade of this informal settlement aims to improve living conditions of the residents and their families. I am pleased to see this project progressing so well. Construction of the civil and electrical engineering services commenced in February 2021 and is expected to be completed toward the end of this year, if all goes according to plan,” said Councillor Booi.
He also added that the extreme accommodation need in Cape Town will not be addressed by by focusing on only one type of housing delivery, but instead, they are going to have to be innovative and continue to drive the upgrade of informal settlements where it is possible to do so.
According to him, it is a mindset shift that must happen across our communities, one involving the move away from the expectation of formal State-supplied subsidy housing alone as the only acceptable housing type.
“Urbanisation is not a municipal challenge alone. All tiers of government, the private sector and civic organisations must work together to address rapid urbanisation. We must bring our communities on board with the alternatives that are on offer. Our upgrade projects are about partnerships and innovation,” he added.
“This project, as with all City projects, is dependent on community support and cooperation. We thank the communities for their patience and for working with the City over the years to ensure that this upgrade project becomes a reality,” said Councillor Booi.
