NEWLY appointed director of the Alexandra Renewal Project Julian Baskin says much has been achieved already in the township.

The Alexandra Renewal Project was launched as a presidential project

WITH only 22 months of the seven-year project remaining, the Alexandra Renewal Project (ARP) has faced criticism from community organisations and the media for failing to meet its obligations.

However, newly appointed director Julian Baskin says much has been achieved in terms of housing and providing infrastructure in the township.

Baskin says the project is having "a measurable impact" on the 350 000 people living in Alex.

"The first three years of the project [were] dominated by planning and major investments in bulk infrastructure necessary to support future development. Thus, for example, a water reservoir was built in Linbro Park and an outfall sewer was built in Modderfontein."

Launched in February 2001 as a presidential project, the ARP started with an estimated operational budget of R1,3-billion spread over seven years "to upgrade the township and improve the quality of life" of residents.

The Alexandra Renewal Project is having 'a measurable impact' on the 350 000 people living in the township

The three spheres of government - the City of Johannesburg, the Gauteng provincial government and the national government - were to contribute to the funding of the project.

"From its inception, this was a daunting task. Neglected for decades by previous administrations, Alexandra deteriorated into an overcrowded slum with a density of 770 people per hectare," Baskin explains.

Established in 1912, Alexandra covers an area of more than 800 hectares, including Old Alexandra proper, the East Bank, the Far East Bank, Marlboro industrial area, Wynberg, Kew and Marlboro Gardens.

History
It has had a long and chequered history. In apartheid 1948, the township became a "black spot" and residents were threatened with removal. Freehold title was abolished and some families were removed, leaving the majority as tenants of the government.

During the 1980s, Alexandra was characterised by conflict and development. There were long school boycotts and clashes with the apartheid government, but during that time roads were tarred for the first time and houses and nearly 50 blocks of flats were built.

Infrastructure in Alexandra originally was designed for a population of about 70 000. There has been a huge population boom in the township following the repealing of apartheid laws that restricted the movement of black people.

People from across South Africa and from neighbouring countries flooded into the area seeking work.

Baskin says that while much has been achieved, "the pace of delivery has been slow and the project plans have not adequately reflected the community's priorities".

"A new project team was put in place with a mandate to speed up the reconstruction process. To achieve this, the Gauteng province and the City are working together as one team with shared goals and objectives."

Housing
In terms of housing, people have been relocated to housing projects in Diepsloot, near Midrand, and Bram Fischerville, in Soweto, he says.

The original Housing Strategy for Alex had set a target of 22 250 households to be relocated. According to a report presented to the City council by Baskin, this figure includes shack settlements and makes allowance for 4 000 households to be relocated within the framework of the backyard shacks upgrading programme.

The figure includes the large number of people, estimated at 3 000 households, who have invaded the various privately owned factories and buildings in neighbouring precincts.

To meet the ARP's Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) housing supply targets, three large greenfield sites were identified, with potential space for about 21 000 RDP houses: Braamfischerville was targeted for 8 000 RDP sites, Doornkop for 10 000 and Olienvenhoutbosch for 3 000 RDP sites.

However, in reality, 3 256 sites were realised in Braamfischerville and 3 500 in Diepsloot. Doornkop and Olievenhoutbosch had not "passed from land identification into a project implementation stage".

Eight key short-term housing projects have been identified and fast-tracked since January this year.

• In Extension 7, 1 400 RDP houses are being constructed on 80m² sites. The first 200 units have already been occupied.
• The Tsutsumani Infill, now in the planning stage, is expected to provide an estimated 500 RDP houses and 500 affordable rented rooms.
• The K206 project will provide 2 264 RDP sites. On 1 424 of these, an additional 2 848 rooms with shared facilities will be constructed for rent. The project has been implemented and the houses will be available in 2006.
• The East Bank housing project, now being implemented, will enable about 800 affordable rent rooms to be built. Sites will be available early next year.
• In Lombardy East 800 affordable rent rooms are being constructed and the sites are expected to be available early next year.
• For the first time, the private banking sector has invested in land bought from private factory owners, called Presidents Place. The project will redevelop the site for 250 social housing units to help restore confidence in the area. It is planned for implementation in January.
• In Modderfontein, close to Limbro Park, 1 000 social housing units will be constructed in Westlake. The project will be implemented in January 2006 and houses will be available in July 2007.
• Within Alexandra, 639 houses have been built and 364 reconstruction social housing (RCA) units completed.
  

A large number of Alex residents (70 percent) live in backyard shacks and in terms of the overall housing strategy, the backyard shack-upgrading programme is one of the pivotal components of the ARP.

Unfortunately, it has not taken off because the community "has not bought into the programme". However, the ARP has a plan in place. Through regularisation of tenure and tenant relationships, the project seeks to bring normality to the spatial form of Alexandra.

Hostels
It is also busy converting 94 hostel family units at the M2 Hostel and RDP houses have been built in Extension 8 and 527 units constructed within a transit village.

The conversion of the three hostels in Alexandra, the M1 and M2 male hostels and Helen Joseph female hostel, is expected to affect 2 500 households.

At present the M2 hostel is being converted into fully serviced single units. The original plan entailed joining two rooms to create a single flatlet but this required the displacement of half the households. About 500 affordable rooms for rent will be available through the M2 project, from January.

Structurally and in design, the M1 hostel and Helen Joseph Hostel are similar. After assessment, the ARP concluded that they could not be transformed into family accommodation in the immediate future.

A solution is to upgrade and maintain existing services to ensure "the realisation of environmental health objectives". The upgrade is already under way, according to the report.

Infrastructure
Baskin says that while housing is a major priority for Alex residents, the project also focuses on social, physical, economic and infrastructural developments.

"Investments made by the ARP have already had a positive impact on community life. The construction of a police station, purchases of more police vehicles and installation of public lighting have resulted in a reduction in serious crime of 40 percent."

Turning to education, the matric pass rate in Alex schools improved from 17 percent in 2001 to 69 percent in 2004 because "extensive training of teachers, governance bodies and support, management and administration staff has been undertaken".

There are several projects under construction, Baskin explains. London Road is being widened and access roads to the N3 and N1 freeways are near completion. Construction of the Pan African Junction taxi rank and retail centre has started and the first phase of the R80-million Alexandra Plaza was opened in October. It is the first of two shopping centres planned for the township.

The Number 3 Square sporting facility is being upgraded to include a world-class skateboard track and the Alexandra Stadium is being upgraded to serve as a training ground for the 2010 Soccer World Cup.

An athletics and rugby stadium is also being built on the Far East Bank.

Baskin says the success of the project is being increasingly recognised in the rest of South Africa and by visiting international delegations.

"Some of the housing prototypes [in Alexandra] are seen as examples of best practice," he explains.