Cape Town housing crisis: 20 000 more homes on the cards – Here are the current rental prices

The City of Cape Town has 410,000 applicants on its waiting list of disadvantaged people needing social housing.

The city briefed the Western Cape (WC) National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Wednesday on the state of social housing in the city.

During the presentation, the city reported that 10 affordable social housing projects with 4,849 residential units had been completed between 2017 and 2024.

Here’s how much the housing projects cost to rent:

According to the WC NCOP leader Rikus Badenhorst, the council visited three recently completed social housing projects on Wednesday.

The Conradie Better Living Model Exemplar Project in Pinelands has 1,004 affordable rental units going from R740 per month for a bachelor unit.

The Maitland Mews development boasts 204 social housing units developed to curb the city’s dire need for centrally located social housing residences. At a total development cost of R95 953 055, monthly rental ranges from R650 for a bachelor to at least R4 900 for a two-bedroom unit.

The Goodwood Station Social Housing Project has 1,055 units where water and bulk services are fully subsidised. “Tenants benefit from the indigent electricity subsidy,” said Badenhorst in a statement.

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’20 000 housing opportunities in future’

According to the presentation documents seen by The Citizen, the city presented about 20,000 housing opportunities that will be available in the near future.

“The [NCOP] heard that more land parcels are at the planning and release stage and are expected to provide approximately 20,000 housing opportunities in future,” he said.

Badenhorst said other municipalities could benchmark the city’s delivery model in managing strategic intergovernmental cooperation and private-public partnerships that enable development.

Lack of funding for similar projects underway

Meanwhile, the Western Cape Provincial Government’s Department of Infrastructure said projects are underway across the province, however, the planning phase might be on hold due to challenges.

“The department cautioned that lack of funding, cross-subsidy and political support may hamper the delivery of similar projects currently in the planning phase.

“Similar projects are currently underway in Oudtshoorn, George, Knysna, Worcester, Stellenbosch and in other areas across the province,” said Badenhorst.

The city recommended exploring alternative funding mechanisms for affordable housing beyond government subsidies which may not be sustainable in future.

“It also suggested the devolution of the Consolidated Capital Grant funding to municipalities for localised administration.”

Badenhorst, said other municipalities could benchmark the City’s delivery model in managing strategic intergovernmental cooperation and private-public partnerships that enable development.

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