By Nangamso Mabindla
27 September 2004

IN a workshop held with consultants for the Mdantsane's Urban Renewal Project, Tshani Consortium, Buffalo City's ward councillors focused on the upgrading of the main transport node in the township at Mount Ruth.

The Mdantsane Urban Renewal Project - one of eight urban nodes forming the national government's comprehensive Integrated Sustainable Urban Renewal Programme - aims to change the face of the impoverished township, by improving economic development there.

Councillor for Ward 36 Nontshukumo Sobandla said it was vital for the affected community to take part in the plans: "People need to feel part of the project and it is up to us to make sure that this project is for the people of Mdantsane."

Sobandla said the Mount Ruth nodal precinct, which covers the area within the vicinity of the Mount Ruth Railway Station in NU3 Mdantsane and includes the nearby informal settlement, needed to be improved for the benefit of residents.

The R17-million first phase of the project to develop the Mount Ruth nodal precinct into a key centre is already underway and includes the construction of taxi ranks, speed humps and pedestrian crossings.

In addition, the Mount Ruth Station in NU3 needed to be more accessible to people who travel by train to East London. "It's dangerous to walk to the station when it's dark. We need more lights here so that people feel safe when they go home at night," Sobandla added.

A burning issue was the building of houses on the open space next to the N2, the main road from East London to King William's Town, which the municipality is currently investigating.

Project manager from the Tshani Consortium, Tom Wanklin, said they were looking to build flats for residents to rent for a period of five years with the option to buy later.

"The space is not big enough to build individual houses, but we'll try a concept similar to the ones in Amalinda and Belgravia in Southernwood," said Wanklin.

Other developments include installing water pipes and the proposed construction of an off-ramp from the N2.