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The Western Cape government\u2019s three large-scale affordable housing projects in the Cape Town inner city are inching forward, though construction has yet to begin at any of the sites.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, Premier Alan Winde, Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and infrastructure MEC Tertuis Simmers briefed the media at the site of the planned Prestwich Precinct, which will consist of 310 residential units, including 120 affordable housing units.<\/p>\n
Read:
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Cape Town delivering more state-funded houses than any other metro<\/p>\n
Affordable housing, according to current policies, is targeted at households earning about R30 000 a month. The remaining units will be made available on the open market, which would cross-subsidise the affordable housing units.<\/p>\n
\nSimmers announced that a Request for Proposals will be advertised on 10 April to appoint a developer to construct two multi-storey buildings.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The land is owned partly by the national Department of Public Works and partly by the City of Cape Town. The project is a partnership between the department, the City, and the Western Cape government.<\/p>\n
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Last year, Simmers launched two other developments: Leeuloop Precinct on Loop Street and the Founders Garden development next to Artscape.<\/p>\n
Leeuloop will deliver 830 units, about a third of which will be state-subsidised social housing to be rented by households earning below R22 000 per month. The sod-turning was planned to take place last year, but this has not yet happened.<\/p>\n
Read:
Africa needs 50m new homes, but building is bad for the environment
Townships: Europeans cashing in where locals fear to tread<\/p>\nSimmers told GroundUp on Wednesday that a developer has been appointed and the bidder will be announced next week during his department\u2019s budget speech.<\/p>\n
The Founders Garden development is set to include 2 630 units of which 1 476 will be for social housing. Last year, Simmers wrote that the project was \u201cmoving into procurement and developer appointment\u201d.<\/p>\n
He told GroundUp on Wednesday that he hopes procurement will be finalised this year.<\/p>\n
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\nBevil Lucas, a leader in the housing movement Reclaim the City, questioned whether the developments would truly be affordable for low-income earners, for example, people working at the Cape Town docks.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Buhle Booi, of housing advocacy group Ndifuna Ukwazi, noted that the site has been earmarked for housing since 2014.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe worry that these unveilings will lead to no development. What people are interested in seeing is the development of affordable and social housing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNational Treasury must allocate more funds for affordable housing,\u201d said Booi.<\/p>\n
\u00a9 2026 GroundUp. This article was first published here.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n