City and community of BM Section agree on way forward

On New Year's Day, a fire swept through BM Section in Khayelitsha.

A crisis committee was formed and I have since been holding daily meetings with them, community representatives of BM Section, and relevant stakeholders during which various proposals for a way forward were discussed.

This morning I presented these proposals to the community.

The outcomes of the meeting are as follows:

• All 854 families who were affected by the fire will be relocated to Temporary Relocation Areas (TRAs) within the surrounding area.
• Each family will receive a shared service plot on which to settle in the TRA.
• Incremental Development Areas will be developed and families will be moved here when these areas are ready. These areas will have an even higher level of service provided.
• BM Section will be developed. Developments will include a spatial reconfiguration and additional services.

Now that we have had input from the community, further details including timeframes, costs, environmental implications and preparation will be agreed upon in the immediate future.

The City is committed to using all resources available to us to assist those who have been affected by the fire. We are determined to turn this tragedy into an opportunity to improve the lives of the residents.

This forms part of this administration's commitment to building a Caring and Inclusive city for all residents, particularly the poor and vulnerable.

Statement issued by Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille, January 10 2013

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