CITY OF CAPE TOWN | 12 MAY 2020 | MEDIA RELEASE
The City will, on 18 May 2020, commence with the demolition of derelict and unsafe buildings along the Atlantic and False Bay coastlines. This forms part of the detailed planning for the repair and refurbishment of our coastal assets. Read more below:
‘The demolitions were supposed to commence in March 2020, but were delayed due to the national lockdown. Now that we are on level 4 and the regulations have been eased to allow for civil engineering for public works, the City’s Coastal Management Branch will commence with this programme in all earnest,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Marian Nieuwoudt.
The buildings are located along the coast at Strand, Monwabisi, Sonwabe, Macassar, Simon’s Town, Witsand, and Table View.
‘The City-owned facilities that we identified for demolition have not been used for several years. They are structurally unsafe and damaged and will cost the City nearly R170 million to replace. Also, many of these facilities were built in highly mobile dune systems and are covered by sand. They blemish our beautiful coastline and their removal is part of the City’s strategy to reduce the impact of climate change on coastal infrastructure by removing buildings from sensitive and dynamic coastal zones,’ said Alderman Nieuwoudt.
The first phase of the demolitions will commence on 18 May 2020 with the removal of the following buildings:
- Deep Blue ablution facility, Beach Road, Strand
- Mosterts Bay ablution facility, Strand
- Macassar Pavilion, ablution facility, security kiosk and lifeguard clubhouse
- Sonwabe ablution facility
- Baden Powell ablution facility
- Frank’s Bay ablution facility
- Witsand ablution facility
- Table View ablution facility
The affected areas will be closed to the public while the demolitions are ongoing, and all waste removed to a licensed disposal site.
Importantly, the contractor will also implement strict COVID-19 measures and health and safety protocols. The demolitions should be completed by the end of June 2020, if all goes as planned and pending any unforeseen delays.
End
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town
Note to broadcasters: audio clips are available for download:
For English: https://soundcloud.com/ct-media/120520-nieuwoudt-derelictbuilindings
For Afrikaans: https://soundcloud.com/ct-media/120520-afrik-nieuwoudt-derelictbuildings