Statement by the Executive Mayor of , Alderman

Road upgrades form part of the City’s focus on redress/Verbetering van paaie deel van Stad se klem op regstelling

Today, the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Ald. Patricia de Lille went on a site inspection of an upgraded road in . This is one of a number of redress projects the City has initiated to improve accessibility for residents. Read more below:

Raadsheer Patricia de Lille, uitvoerende burgemeester van Kaapstad, het vandag ’n verbeterde pad in Heideveld besoek. Dít is een van ’n aantal projekte wat die Stad van stapel gestuur het om die onreg van die verlede te herstel en paaie meer toeganklik vir inwoners te maak. Lees meer hieronder:

As part of the ’s commitment to redress and to building an Inclusive and Opportunity City, this administration has embarked on a major roads upgrade project focusing on, amongst other types, the improvement of concrete roads.

This upgrade project is aimed at ridding our city of Apartheid-era sub- standard concrete roads that catered for those living in poorer areas. This forms part of this administration’s efforts to address the imbalances of our unequal past.

Last year we completed some work in Heideveld, Hanover Park, Retreat, and and this year we are working on two contracts in Gugulethu Phase 4; one contract in ; and two contracts in .

Two further contracts are due for award in Manenberg shortly and one in Heideveld. Two tenders are due to be advertised for Gugulethu in September.

The budget allocation available for the concrete roads projects and the areas to be targeted are as follows:

 In the 2013/14 financial year, R102 million is to be spent largely in Gugulethu, Manenberg, Heideveld and Bonteheuwel.  In the 2014/15 financial year, R107 million is to be spent largely in Gugulethu, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, Hanover Park and Heideveld.  In the 2015/16 financial year, R65 million is to be spent largely in Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Bonteheuwel, Manenberg, Parkwood and Retreat.

Funding for these projects is to be made available from the City’s USDG funding.

We know that in order for residents to be able to access the opportunities that the City and others provide for them, quality infrastructure is needed. Better roads mean easier, safer and more efficient access to economic opportunities for our residents.

For the upgrade of concrete roads, we have utilised workers from our Expanded Public Works Programme. This programme is aimed at providing short-term work opportunities for those who most require economic assistance. Through this project, workers also receive skills training so that future work opportunities are more likely.