A Shattered Promise: Dunoon’s Unfulfilled Housing Development Project

The Annandale affordable housing project in Dunoon, promised by Cape Town’s mayor in 2018, has yet to be completed. The absence of new housing has led to overcrowding and the formation of informal settlements in the area. The municipal planning application for rezoning the land for housing was only submitted in 2022, and an environmental assessment is currently underway. Construction is planned for the next fiscal year, and eligible applicants can update their information on the Housing Needs Register. Despite the promising plan, the community still struggles with overpopulation and housing shortages.

What is the status of the affordable housing development project in Dunoon?

The affordable housing development project in Dunoon, known as the Annandale project, was announced by Cape Town’s mayor in 2018 but has yet to be completed. The municipal planning application for rezoning the land for housing was only submitted in 2022, and an environmental assessment is currently underway. Construction is planned for the next fiscal year, and eligible applicants can update their information on the Housing Needs Register. The absence of housing development has led to overcrowding and the creation of informal settlements in the area.

Section 1: A Promising Announcement

Patricia de Lille, Cape Town’s mayor in 2018, made an encouraging proclamation that was enthusiastically received by the inhabitants of Dunoon, a vibrant neighborhood inhabited by over 30,000 people. She announced plans to advance affordable housing in Dunoon, a much-needed initiative in the perspective of many locals. However, six years after that promise was made, the plan remains idle, with no houses built so far.

Overpopulation Struggles in Dunoon

Dunoon, with its burgeoning population and vivacious environment, has been wrestling with overpopulation issues. As the population continues to burgeon, the resources in the area are increasingly strained and overextended. Dunoon was one of the few townships that enjoyed the benefits of early state-subsidized housing provisions in the post-apartheid era. From 1996 to 2000, almost 3,000 RDP houses were built. However, the past 24 years have seen a sharp halt in new state-funded housing projects in Dunoon.

This housing deficit has pushed people into occupying state- and privately-owned lands as they seek housing near their workplaces out of desperation. When de Lille unveiled the affordable housing plan to the audience at Dunoon’s municipal hall in 2018, it was welcomed with great enthusiasm.

Section 2: The Annandale Project

The City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government reportedly secured land along the N7, close to the residential communities of Richwood and Killarney Gardens. This land, as de Lille explained, was designated for affordable housing for the residents of Dunoon as part of a development named the ‘Annandale project’.

The proposed plan was a beacon of hope. It pledged new housing opportunities, community facilities, retail sites, light industrial use areas, and amenities. The idea was to densify the neighborhood by building three-storey housing complexes, with the hope of attracting employment opportunities closer to the residents and fostering a more integrated Cape Town.

However, the promising picture is still just an image on paper as of today. The promised houses haven’t been built yet. The municipal planning by-law application to rezone the land for housing was only submitted four years after de Lille’s announcement, in September 2022, and was subsequently given approval on 30 May the following year.

Section 3: The Current State of Affairs

According to an interview with GroundUp, Carl Pophaim, the City’s Mayco Member for Human Settlements, revealed that an environmental assessment is still underway. He stated that this process is expected to be completed by December of the forthcoming year. However, it is still unclear how many eligible applicants from the area will benefit from this new housing development. Construction appears to be planned only for the next fiscal year.

In light of Dunoon’s overcrowding issue, Pophaim has expressed that this development would directly alleviate some of these problems. He has urged residents to verify and update their personal and contact information on the Housing Needs Register to ensure they can be contacted for potential opportunities.

Section 4: The Community’s Perspective

Sinethemba Matomela, community activist and chairman of the South African National Civic Organisation’s (SANCO) Dunoon branch, highlighted that the absence of housing development in Dunoon since 2000 has led to the creation of 33 informal settlements within Dunoon and its surrounding areas.

He emphasized that the sluggish progress of the Annandale housing project is concerning as families grow and children, seeking privacy, move out of their parents’ shacks to build their own in any available space.

Matomela also pointed to another factor contributing to Dunoon’s density – the high rate of unemployment. This has prompted some residents, who already own shacks in other informal settlements, to occupy vacant areas in Dunoon and construct shacks they then rent out for additional income.

In conclusion, the residents of Dunoon, who initially relocated due to its proximity to industrial work opportunities in Killarney Gardens and Montague Gardens, now find themselves battling with overcrowding and housing shortages. The pledges made in 2018 remain unfulfilled, and the quest for affordable housing persists.

1. What was the affordable housing project announced by Cape Town’s mayor in 2018?

The affordable housing project announced by Cape Town’s mayor in 2018 was the Annandale project, which aimed to provide new housing opportunities, community facilities, retail sites, light industrial use areas, and amenities in Dunoon for its residents.

2. Why is the absence of new housing in Dunoon concerning?

The absence of new housing in Dunoon has led to overcrowding and the formation of informal settlements in the area. This has put a strain on resources and has made it challenging for residents to access basic services and amenities.

3. What is the status of the municipal planning application for rezoning the land for housing?

The municipal planning application for rezoning the land for housing was only submitted in 2022, four years after the announcement of the Annandale project. The application was subsequently given approval on 30 May the following year, and an environmental assessment is currently underway.

4. When is construction planned to begin for the Annandale housing project?

Construction is planned for the next fiscal year, although there is still no clarity on how many eligible applicants from the area will benefit from this new housing development.

5. What can residents do to ensure they are considered for potential housing opportunities?

Residents can verify and update their personal and contact information on the Housing Needs Register to ensure they can be contacted for potential opportunities.

6. What factors are contributing to Dunoon’s density and overcrowding?

The absence of housing development since 2000 has led to the creation of 33 informal settlements within Dunoon and its surrounding areas. The high rate of unemployment in the area has also prompted some residents to occupy vacant areas and construct shacks they then rent out for additional income.