IN QUOTES | Ramaphosa: Mooikloof project will house people previously 'confined to townships'

President Cyril Ramaphosa said the Mooikloof Mega Residential City project in Pretoria will help accommodate black people who are still “confined to townships” as a result of apartheid spatial planning.

He launched the project, which is a partnership between government and the privately owned property company Balwin Properties, on Sunday. On completion, the project will contain 50,000 apartments.

Ramaphosa said infrastructure development could be the answer to reviving the economy, which has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Here are seven quotes from the president's launch address:

Game-changer 

“Once completed, the Mooikloof Mega City may end up becoming the world's largest sectional title development, with land also earmarked for schools, clinics, shops and offices. It is pleasing to know the project is pursued in line with green building principles and will make optimal use of green belts and spaces for residential recreation.”

Inclusivity

“This housing development addresses what may be referred to as the housing 'missing middle', people who earn too much to qualify for fully subsidised housing but don't earn enough to afford debt-financed housing in areas of their choice. By far the most important aspect of this project is its inclusionary housing development.”

Fixing the past 

“While a minority of our people lived in comfort and security, with access to centres of commercial activity and the best facilities, the black majority were confined to townships, almost to the back yard of SA that only served as labour reservoirs. In the rural parts of our country, this was even worse, with the underdeveloped Bantustans existing alongside more affluent so-called 'white' SA.

“We continue to feel the effects of apartheid spatial design in what may be termed the 40/40/40 principle. This means people travel 40km to and from work, spend 40% of their income on transport and, in most cases, those affected live in 40m2 houses.”

Transportation

“The province is going to invest in road development to ensure people who live there are able to travel with greater ease to places of work, economic activity and other places.”

No more delays 

“I trust, as a government, we are walking the talk on enabling conditions of development by issuing all the necessary licences and zoning permits as speedily as possible so we no longer have to wait too long.

“We are going to establish an office, like an ombud, where, if a citizen is delayed inordinately on issues like permits, they can go to complain.”

Creating employment

“Potential homeowners will be able to apply for assistance from the government. This development will lead to the creation of some 41,000 jobs at a time. This is where we want black industry people to play a key role in boosting investments.” 

Infrastructure and the economy

“We will be looking at how to best leverage private sector resources and skills to help government deliver on its mandate to provide decent housing to the people of our country. Mooikloof is an excellent example of how the public and private sectors can work together if they are aligned for the benefit of themselves and the people of our country.”

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