October 4, 2005
By Ndaba Dlamini
IMPROVEMENTS to Alexandra, the focus of one of the country's eight presidential urban renewal initiatives, are gaining momentum. Several local schools were refurbished recently, and a new housing plan has been established.
"[Work] in Alexandra has picked up momentum since last year's Alexandra Development Summit," says the Alexandra Development Forum's Linda Memela. "Through the joint efforts of the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP), the City of Johannesburg and other non-governmental organisations in the township, the rate of development has picked up significantly."
Established in 2002, the Alexandra Development Forum (ADF) looks after the interests of all parties involved in upgrading Alexandra. It works closely with the ARP, Memela says.
With more than 100 non-governmental organisations benefiting directly from the renewal programme through job creation or supplying materials, the forum is essential to give all the parties a platform to map out their plans in a systematic manner, Memela says.
"The forum minimises resistance to development in the community and gives leeway for interested organisations operating in the township to make significant contributions to the development of Alex. [It] is consultative in nature."
Comprised of local councillors and members of parliament who act as ex officio members of the executive committee, representatives of the ARP also sit on the executive committee as ex officio members.
The ARP implements the development projects in the township.
Memela says the forum would not be complete without the involvement of community members, as they are essential to the growth of Alexandra.
Since the start of the ARP in 2001 development has been slow, according to Memela.
Subsequent to the summit the project has gained momentum: proposals were made and "structural changes" implemented within the ARP. The City is now playing a prominent role in running the project, "since all projects will be handed over to the City when completed", Memela says.
A City-appointed director, Julian Baskin, now runs the project, which "bodes well for accountability".
The re-structuring took place early this year, when projects were halted temporarily.
A focus on housing
Work is again on the move and a new housing plan has been drawn up and there has been progress in various developmental sectors.
Baskin says there has been a "huge amount of investment in about 18 schools in Alexandra". Through the project, sports fields and recreation parks have been set up in areas from where people have been removed. A new housing strategy has also been formulated.
"We have been removing people from Alexandra since the establishment of the project, but we reconceptualised the housing plan and a decision was taken not to relocate any more residents but find alternative housing development areas within or near Alex."
In 2001 about 11 000 households were relocated to Braamfischerville, Diepsloot and Doornkop.
However, Baskin says about 9 000 houses will be constructed in the next 27 months in Alex. "The Extension 7 housing project is currently under way, where 1 200 housing units are being constructed.
"At Tsutsumani Village, 500 units are under construction and 2 500 units are planned for K206 housing development."
Several projects to revamp Alex's hostels are also in the pipeline.
"People in Alexandra want accommodation; that is their first priority. I am glad to say that housing is being provided through various projects that are currently being implemented," Baskin adds.
The M1 men's hostel, located in the heart of Alexandra, will make way for new housing developments while the M2 men's hostel and the Helen Joseph women's hostel, will be renovated to cater for the thousands of homeless people in the township.
Already, more than 200 families have occupied RCA (reconstruction) flats.
Alexandra, however, still has its fair share of shacks, despite the visible growth of new flats.
"All the shacks in Alex were built on top of the Jukskei River's tributaries," says Memela, "that is why they follow a meandering pattern.
"All these shacks have to be removed because the land is not suitable for any housing development. [It] can only be suited for recreational purposes."
He says Alex has no more space for further expansion; a solution is to find pockets of land in suburbs adjacent to the township.
Portions of land in Frankenwald and Linbro Park were earmarked for housing development as part of the de-densification of Alex in 1999.
"We hope to start developing these areas for housing soon," Memela says.
A problem that has to be dealt with immediately, however, is the influx of people into Alexandra, defeating the objective of de-densifying the overcrowded township.
"Alex is very attractive to people because of the township's proximity to industries - and because it's easy to put up a shack in Alex," Memela says.
He says the forum estimates the cost of revamping the whole of Alex will be R30-billion to R40-billion, and it hopes public-private partnerships will invest in the township.
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