The Greater Hermanus Stakeholders Forum (GHSF) held a
virtual meeting on 15 February to discuss the proposed development at
Schulphoek.
The forum engaged in a three-hour-long engagement debating
the future of Schulphoek in a meeting convened by the Western Cape Minister of
Human Settlements, Tertuis Simmers, and Overstrand Executive Mayor Dudley
Coetzee together, which involved their respective administrations.
Simmers had come on board since the Western Cape Provincial
Government bought the Schulphoek land in October 2019 for R31,7 million from
private owners.
The following resolutions were agreed to: that the Better
Living Model (Now Mixed-use Development) be expedited, that government and
community would work together to ensure the realisation of the project with
speed, that workgroup meetings would resume immediately and meet once a month,
and stakeholder forum meetings continue on a bi-monthly basis. Also, the social
compact of the Zwelihle component be established immediately and be composed of
councillors who are all serving the Zwelihle community and ward committee
members from each ward in Zwelihle, totalling six.
The proposed Schulphoek Better Living Model is a
mixed-development strategy, where higher-income housing will cross-subsidise
lower-income housing. The aim is to provide accessible housing options for the
emerging middle class, consisting of teachers, nurses, municipal personnel and
members of the police. The model will include green spaces for milkwood forests
and important archaeological sites, a mixed-use area consisting of buildings
with shops and flats, a high-density area on the seafront, a promenade, single
residential areas, sport fields and a Mariculture complex.
“The planned mixed-use development for qualifying
beneficiaries will include Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme (FLISP),
Breaking New Ground (BNG) or free housing, Open-Market units, serviced sites
for those who want to build their own homes as well as socio-economic
facilities,” says Simmers. One of the previous issues was the fact that there
was difficulty in gaining access to the informal area near and within
Schulphoek to complete the enumeration study. “It is vital that the municipal
staff have safe access into the informal area to complete the enumeration
study,” Simmers pointed out. “This will assist in determining the exact number of
structures and people living there. This study, and not the previous, now
outdated one, will help establish how much funding the municipality will avail
in their new budget to ensure the much-needed basic services are provided.” He
thanked the GHSF for the robust engagement, which was an opportunity once again
to emphasise their commitment to the implementation and successful completion
of this strategic project.“Since taking office, I’ve maintained this project is
one that requires urgent attention, for it will greatly assist the people of
Hermanus. I’m pleased with the positive strides being made, particularly the
rather vocal call from more forum members that this development continue. I’d
like, once again, to urge all members to work together, remain united and
continue transparent engagements as we forge ahead.”
The conceptual vision of the planned mixed
development in Schulphoek. The proposed construction start date is January
2023.