PARLIAMENT OF THE PROVINCE OF THE WESTERN CAPE
QUESTION FOR ORAL REPLY
THURSDAY, 1 AUGUST 2019
4. Mr B N Herron to ask Mr T A Simmers, Minister of Human Settlements:
Whether the Doorenbach site has been purchased by the Housing Development Agency (HDA) on behalf of the provincial government for human settlements; if so, how much was paid for the suite of properties that together comprise the approximately 17-hectare site?
RESPONSE
The Doorenbach informal settlement is situated on City-owned land. The City was investigating the purchase of the properties at Racing Park adjacent to the informal settlement. However as the City did not have the funding at the time to acquire the adjacent properties. The previous Minister for Human Settlements agreed to purchase the properties, and the City’s Cllr Xanthea Limberg agreed to the said proposal.
Since this Department does not have the power to acquire immovable property in terms of the Housing and Development Act, it instructed the HDA to purchase and hold the said land on behalf of the Department for development and funded the said purchase at a market value of R64.6 million. This amount excludes transferring fees and holding costs.
The HDA purchased the properties and the deed of sale was signed on 14 September 2018. The Department already approved the acquisition by the HDA of the two erven – they were initially excluded as the owner sold Erf 35175 and the said sale first had to be cancelled. The request for acquisition of the two erven, Erf 35162 and 35161 still needs to be submitted by the HDA to the Department for approval.
Development potential:
About 12ha of the 17ha is developable. At a density of 100 units per ha, approximately 1200 units can be developed. However, should other amenities such as schools etc needs to be accommodated, the residential developable area will reduce as well as the number of housing opportunities.
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