3 November 2003

By Nangamso Mabindla

The Mdantsane Urban Renewal Programme, the R1-billion project aimed at changing the face of the impoverished township, was introduced to the residents of the township during an official ceremony at the Mdantsane Indoor Sports Centre on Friday.

Residents were shown slides and plans of the 20-year-project, while Tshani Consortium, the team overseeing the upgrade, explained the details. Ambitious plans include:

• supply of water and electricity to those who are not part of the supply grids;
• upgrading the township's pipe and cabling systems that are old or obsolete; and
• improving the roads and transport infrastructure to Mdantsane.

The urban renewal project is apparently not only aimed at improving the living conditions of the people of Mdantsane, but is also expected to affect the economic standing of its residents.

Tshani Consortium's Tom Wanklin said the renewal programme was going to do more than improve the standard of living in the township, it will also "improve the economic standards of the people".

Winkell said part of the project's focus would be on the socio-economic development of Mdantsane. A further R40-million in investment was needed to ensure this happened, he said.

Buffalo City Executive Mayor Sindisile Maclean said the municipality would be looking at improving every aspect in the lives of the people of Mdantsane.

"We are already giving the people 50-kilowatts of free electricity because we know that most of them do not earn good salaries," he said. "This has contributed to the improvement of lives in Mdantsane. People can now enjoy the privilege of having electricity in their houses. In fact, it is a right."

The event was attended by some of the city's most important decision-makers, including councillors, business people and Alfred Mtsi, a Member of Parliament.

At the event, the new logo for the programme was unveiled. Viwe Ketse, the designer, was born in Mdantsane.

Kese, a 22-year-old graphic design student at the Buffalo City Further Education and Training College, said he had enjoyed designing the logo as he had always wanted to create something that would tell the story about Mdantsane.

"I felt honoured when [Strategic Adviser] Matthew Mooneiya and Councillor Sizwe Dikimolo, the BCM project overseer, came to our college to put this challenge before us. I knew it was my chance to fulfill my ambition of showing off Mdantsane to the whole world.

"When people see the logo, everybody will know that the programme is a reality and the dawning of a new day for them," Ketse said.