W Cape extends lifeline to shack dwellers

The Western Cape has extended a lifeline to informal settlement dwellers to achieve former president Nelson Mandela's vision of upliftment of impoverished areas.

The Integrated Serviced Land Project, a housing project which has seen 22 500 houses and 18 new schools being built in the Western Cape in the past three years, will be extended for a further three years to help tackle the province's growing housing waiting list.

The new lease of life for the project was announced by provincial MEC for Housing Nomatyala Hangana during her budget speech in the provincial legislature. She said the project was the most successful of its kind in the country, which is what had prompted the provincial cabinet to extend its life to April 2005.

In 1994 Mandela identified informal settlements across the country for reconstruction and development, including, in the Western Cape, Gugulethu, Langa, Nyanga, Philippi East, Brown's Farm, South Delft, KTC, Crossroads, Weltevreden Valley, Driftsands and Millers Camp.

In Cape Town the Integrated Serviced Land Project operates in the area bounded by the N2 highway, Vanguard Drive and the R300, as well as Langa and Southern Delft.

Hangana endorsed the programme by listing its successes:

Over 22 500 houses built. A further 9 000 serviced sites either ready for houses or under construction. Eighteen new schools and 15 upgraded schools - a total of 623 classrooms, with 34 under construction. Three new community health centres and one trauma centre. Ten upgraded health facilities - with one new health centre under construction. Eleven community halls, five sports fields and a swimming pool. Three libraries with one more under construction. A total of 52 capacity-building projects, managed by various departments within the province and city. An early childhood development resource project, that will provide training from six special resource centres that will be built soon. Economic development initiatives, particularly associated with Philippi East. Hangana said: "Although this project has served as an example to us and has continuously proved and highlighted the importance of integrated development, we still have a long way to go."

Cape Argus