Khayelitsha Properties Available for Social Care Purposes

The City of Cape Town's Property Management Department has identified fifteen (15) definite and fifty three (53) potential sites in Khayelitsha which could be used for churches, educare centres and other social care purposes.

After a meeting in Khayelitsha on Monday 26 April, the Executive Mayor, Alderman Dan Plato, said the number of City-owned erven available for such purposes was extremely limited, not only in Khayelitsha, but throughout Cape Town and it was thus impossible to meet the demand.

"We are nevertheless committed to finding and negotiating a compromise which is in the best interests of the Khayelitsha community," Mayor Plato said.

The Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA), obligates the City to make viable land available through a competitive (tender) process.

Sixty eight (68) potential properties are being investigated of which fifteen (15) have been found to be appropriately zoned as Institutional II and can, by tender, be made available, either for lease or sale.

Of these fifteen (15) sites, eleven (11) are occupied. The structures on the occupied erven include churches, educare centres, a combination of churches and educare centres, and other structures where the usage cannot be determined.

The City will meet the current occupants to determine whether occupation has been authorised by the City, its predecessors or the Provincial Government of the Western Cape.

Those occupants who claim to enjoy authorised occupation will be required to produce the necessary proof to corroborate this.

Those who are unable to provide evidence will be informed that their occupation is considered by the City to be unauthorised, and that the City intends inviting tenders for the property which they occupy.

The current occupants will be invited to participate in the tender process, and will be informed that should they not tender successfully, they will need to vacate the properties.

The fifty three (53) inappropriately zoned sites will require land use processes such as:

• Site inspections
• Technical assessment reports
• Conveyancers' certificates
• Basic assessment processes
• Zoning certificates

These processes are well under way. Site inspections are being conducted and conveyancers and zoning certificates have been completed.

"The project is on track and the necessary applications will be submitted to the City and Provincial Planning Departments for processing by 30 May," Mayor Plato said.

Issued by:
Communication Department
City of Cape Town