A housing development in Morningstar is set to make the dreams of owning a home a reality for more than 600 backyarders.
Mayor Patricia de Lille attended the sod-turning for the Morningstar Housing Development on Wednesday February 22, a project that has been five years in the making.
She admitted that things were moving too slowly and said a sense of urgency was needed to ensure continued development.
The City will spend around R34.1 million on the 166-unit development, which spans more than 1.6 ha and will benefit 664 people on the City’s housing waiting list.
Of these houses, 152 will be double-storey houses and 14 single-storey.
Ms De Lille said this project would address the legacy of apartheid spatial planning by bringing people closer to work and transport opportunities.
“Long over are the days when we placed people far away from transport and work opportunities.”
She said it was unfair that people spent about 40 percent of their income on getting to and from work.
“We had elections only six months ago. When we campaigned, we made a promise that we would build a city that is more integrated and that development would take place close to transport corridors. The Morningstar Housing Development is proof that our words were more than just lip service.”
The new development is only 2km from the Durbanville CBD and 10km from Cape Town’s second biggest CBD, Bellville. The development is near major transport routes and the Durbanville taxi rank.
Brett Herron, mayoral committee member for transport and urban development, said the City’s new Organisational Development and Transformation Plan (OPTP) would break the barriers that had stalled housing projects.
Ms De Lille apologised to the community for delays with the project and called on councillors and the project steering committee to let her know if there were any problems.
“We all need to keep working together because the beneficiaries have waited long enough to have their own homes. I look forward to us all getting together again in March, next year to welcome them home.
Ward 112 councillor Theresa Uys said she was looking forward to the day when they could hand over the keys to the first group of beneficiaries.
“Morningstar is a great community, and I am happy to be part of this project, which now falls in my ward,” she said.
Moosa Raise, Morningstar Action Group chairman and member of the Morningstar steering committee, said the project had been a long time coming.
“This project will help to further cement the community of Morningstar. Now people will know where Morningstar is. It’s not just about giving residents a house but creating a home for families,” he said.
Housing beneficiary Josephine Abrahams, 52, told the Cape Argus that she was looking forward to having her very own home, for the first time in her life.
“I’ve been waiting so long. I feel very excited and can’t wait to move,” she said.
These are government-subsidised houses, so the beneficiaries are residents who earn less than R3 500 a month. The development, on the corner of School and Pikkewyn streets, is set for completion in July next year, but the first residents are expected to start moving in to some of the homes about three to four months before then.