A multi-million rand development is planned for Dunoon to upgrade the taxi rank and build a new neighbourhood opposite the township, says the City of Cape Town.
Brett Herron, the Mayco member transport and urban development, said the City had outlined its vision for Dunoon at a weekend meeting with community leaders.
Mr Herron said the two infrastructure projects had “the potential to turn Dunoon into a well-developed neighbourhood” and residents would “reap the fruits of our investment for years to come”.
The City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA) had acquired land on the opposite side of the N7, just north of Richwood, and wanted to build a new neighbourhood there of state-subsidised Breaking New Ground houses.
Sites for retail and light industry would be considered during the planning process to give residents access to job opportunities.
The City hoped to start work on the taxi rank in the next two months and the new public-transport hub could be fully operational within the next two years, said Mr Herron.
“The TDA will spend over R42 million on the upgrade of the Dunoon minibus-taxi facility located on the corner of Potsdam and Dumani roads,” said Mr Herron.
Yanga Nkohla, a Dunoon resident and one of the land invaders on a piece of land behind Sophakama Primary School, said he was not overly excited by these new developments.
“We’ve been asking Brett Herron to come and clarify the housing issue in Dunoon since last year February, and until today, he has never bothered to come.
“We don’t buy this story until they come and tell us their plans and show us the documents. We know that elections are around the corner, and we expect this type of behaviour from politicians around this time,” he said.
Mr Nkohla said that in the case of the transport interchange, the only people who stood to gain was the City itself.
“The City is not doing the transport interchange for the benefit of Dunoon residents but rather for itself because it stands to make money. There will be stalls inside the premises, and vendors will have to cough out a monthly fee to operate there,” he said.
Ward 104 councillor Lubabalo Makeleni said he welcomed the development and it was long overdue.
“The transport interchange will create business opportunities where people can set up their stalls and trade. The housing development will definitely help reduce the numbers of people flocking to the taxi rank, as there are taxis operating in Richwood.
“We are glad all of this is happening, but we can’t sit and relax because there is still much to do — 3 600 housing units are not enough as there are a lot of people who need better housing,” said Mr Makeleni.
Mr Herron said Dunoon residents would have a chance to view the plans during open days to be held at the Dunoon community hall in the next month.
And TDA officials would be on hand to answer the residents’ questions.