Last week, we were honoured to host Deputy Mayor and Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews. This event allowed Deputy Mayor Andrews to share with our members and other guests how the City of Cape Town is preparing for future infrastructure challenges, along with its strategic vision, upcoming projects, and innovative approaches to planning and investment.
Ryan Ravens, CEO of Accelerate Cape Town, emphasised the importance of strong and effective leadership, as demonstrated by the City’s response during the recent Cape Town storms. He highlighted the crucial role of public-private partnerships, especially in addressing climate change and the ongoing semigration-related infrastructure challenges. Gavin Fitzmaurice, Webber Wentzel’s Cape Town Managing Partner, echoed this sentiment and confirmed continued support for local government, both collaboratively and cooperatively.
Deputy Mayor Andrews recounted a recent conversation with a young employee about the extreme cost of living and the unaffordability of basic housing. He expressed his and his team’s commitment to working towards a ‘shared future’, which will rely on shared funding and implementation between public and private entities.
Eddie underscored the need to address the triple threat of inequality, poverty, and unemployment. Between 2015 and 2018, 71% of households in Cape Town had a monthly income of less than R20,000. This situation is worsened by the fact that poor households spend up to 43% of their income on transport.
Eddie highlighted the City of Cape Town’s R120 billion infrastructure portfolio (2022 – 2032), aimed at fostering economic growth and job creation. Key focus areas include upgrading wastewater works and sewers to reduce spillage, delivering 300 million litres from new water sources daily, gradually ending loadshedding, establishing a Khayelitsha-Claremont bus route and city-run passenger rail, upgrading roads and congestion relief projects, expanding waste collection, increasing drop-off sites and landfill capacity, and releasing land and bulk services for more affordable housing.
Local government’s purpose is clear: improve the living conditions of the poorest residents, reduce poverty, spread opportunity, grow the economy, deliver excellent basic services, inspire optimism, and set an example for the rest of the country.
Regarding the city’s housing crisis, it is estimated that approximately 500,000 households will need housing by 2028. Currently, the public and private sectors are developing fewer than 20,000 new formal dwellings per year, resulting in a shortfall of 30,000.
Eddie highlighted several city initiatives, particularly the ‘Small Scale Rental Unit Programme’. In partnership with Bitprop and uMaStandi, this programme will help small-scale rental owners become owners of long-term capital assets that will appreciate in value and provide ongoing revenue. To ensure smooth implementation, Eddie’s team identified and removed barriers to entry, such as waiving the admin penalty for illegal dwellings (provided a building plan is submitted), employing a dedicated team for local planning support, pre-approving prototypical plans to reduce drafting costs, establishing a R20 million development charges fund approved by council, and amending the city’s zoning scheme (to be approved by council in December 2024).
Other key initiatives include a Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP), Climate Change & Environmental Strategies, Waste Strategy, Community Facilities Strategy, Water & Sanitation Strategy, Energy Strategy, Spatial Targeting Strategy, Human Settlements Strategy, and an Economic Growth Strategy.
Eddie stressed that achieving these objectives will require an annual spend of R12 billion (R33 million daily), capacitating the project management department, and ensuring thorough monitoring and evaluation. The City is committed to finding the most efficient implementation methods, with constant feedback to decision-makers and continuous performance monitoring for necessary adjustments.
In closing, Eddie highlighted the importance of effective partnerships, defined by mutuality, sustained interactivity, and policy adaptability. He urged members to support and assist in feasible and sustainable ways, whether through shared finances, knowledge, resources, or implementation. Eddie emphasised the need to remain focused on the goal and intended outcome and to work together as a team. He stressed the enormous value of effective mentorship, highlighting the many ways in which members could become involved and make a tangible difference – motivation, advice, coaching, support, training, et. al. His call to action was clear: “Ask yourself what you can do. A shared future requires all of us!”
The morning’s session concluded with an interactive Q&A session, allowing our members to discuss specific areas of interest, including the ‘Small Scale Rental Unit Programme’.
We extend our sincerest thanks to our speakers, sponsors, and members, without whom these events would not be possible. We remain committed to facilitating engagement and collaboration between local government and Cape Town business, as part of our shared goal of economic growth and prosperity for both our region and country.
