The Department of Human Settlements’ Phase 1 of the Welmoed Estate Housing Development, on the Penhill site, will yield 3000 housing opportunities once completed.

The entire project, once completed is set to yield 8000 housing opportunities for residents from various informal settlements in the City of Cape Town such as New Rest, Gxagxa, Kanana, Barcelona, Lusaka, Europe, Thambo Square, Vukuzenzele, amongst other informal settlements.

Acting Head of Department, Ms Phila Mayisela said, “The current move of informal occupants of the land to the Temporary Relocation Area (TRA) is to make the site available so that Phase 1 of construction of the project can start. So far, 16 families have voluntarily moved to the TRA. The Department would like to urge anyone attempting to intimidate residents who have voluntarily chosen to move to the TRAs to refrain from doing so and to make way for the project’s commencement. Further delays to this project mean the improvement of 8 000 beneficiaries and their families’ lives will be delayed”.

This Integrated Residential Development Project (IRDP) will create a range of housing opportunities to cater for various income groups. There will also be commercial and a light industrial component, school sites, social facilities and agricultural land. It is estimated that 3 500 jobs opportunities will be created during Phase 1’s implementation of the project.

Source: Government of South Africa