The City of Cape Town’s budget for the next three financial years amounts to over R1.2 billion (€58m), which has been earmarked for rehabilitating coastal facilities and vleis (marshes), and projects focused on improving the Mother City’s resilience to climate change.

This was announced by Eddie Andrews, the City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment. The Directorate is responsible for a coastline covering 307km, which aims to preserve its unique and world-renowned biodiversity.

The budget also involves education and creating awareness in the city’s 21 nature reserves, sustainably managing 51 special rating areas, and stabilising the 24 Mayoral Urban Regeneration Programme areas.

Furthermore, the budget aims to assess development and building plan applications while realising the spatial goals determined by the City’s Integrated Development Plan and its recently revised Municipal Spatial Development Framework.

For the next financial year starting July 1, the city has committed R17 million (€851 255) to acquire a weed harvester for Rietvlei.

The rest of the budget has been divided into the following (over the next three financial years):

• R49 million (€2.4m) for the lowering of the Zeekoevlei weir to allow a greater drawdown of water to assist in improving water quality.

• R265 million (€13.2m) for the dredging of vleis – R36.5 million (€1.8m) in 2023/24; R106 million (€5.3m) in 2024/25; and R122.7 million (€6.1m) in 2025/26.
• R13.5 million (€676 755) for the general rehabilitation of coastal infrastructure

In the capital budget over the next three financial years, are projects to improve coastal precincts in need of rehabilitation, and improved facilities at some of its most popular beach destinations. These interventions will also improve Cape Town’s resilience to the impact of climate change in coastal areas:

• R46 million (€2.3m) is budgeted for the upgrade of the Monwabisi beachfront on the False Bay coast to improve safety and security.
• R7.2 million (€361 020) to complete the Fisherman’s Lane/Strandfontein boardwalk.
• R6.8 million (€340 964) to complete the upgrade of the Seaforth beach precinct.
• Over R128 million (€6.4m) is budgeted for the upgrade of the Muizenberg beachfront. The work includes a new coastal defence structure to mitigate the impact of flooding and rising sea levels.
• A further R90 million (€4.5m) is budgeted for the upgrade of the Table View beachfront on the Atlantic coastline to rehabilitate the dune cordon; refurbish all derelict infrastructure and services; refurbish all amenities; reconfigure existing parking areas along the seaside of Otto du Plessis Drive, and build a four-metre-wide walkway.
• R10.1 million (€506 455) is budgeted for completing the dune rehabilitation projects in Fish Hoek and Fleur Park, important buffers to mitigate the impact of storm surges.
• R124.6 million (€6.2m) is budgeted for the upgrade of the Strand sea wall along Beach Road to protect adjacent properties and infrastructure against the impact of storm surges and rising sea levels; and to build a new promenade.
• R34.4 million (€1.7m) is budgeted for a new sea wall at Small Bay, also to protect adjacent properties and infrastructure against the impact of storm surges and climate change, and for the relocation of a sewer main.
• R37.2 million (€1.8m) is budgeted for the second phase of the upgrade of the Sea Point promenade.

Included in the budget are centres of education and learning such as:

• R105 million (€5.2m) for new nature reserve education centres in Bracken, Harmony Flats, Zandvlei and Westridge.
• A further R71.3 million (€3.5m) will be spent on the upgrade of reserve infrastructure, among which upgrades to the Edith Stephens Nature Reserve and Helderberg Nature Reserve; and fencing for 11 nature reserves.

The MURP focuses on areas in need of investment to address crime and grime, and spur economic activity. R194.5 million (€9.7m) is budgeted for MURP projects over the next three financial years, which include, among others:

• Upgrade of the Bonteheuwel ablutions.
• Upgrade and rehabilitation of the Goodwood and Parow central business districts.
• Upgrades of infrastructure in Hanover Park, Mfuleni Hives, Nyanga junction interchange, informal trading spaces in Site B and Site C in Khayelitsha.
• Upgrades in the Manenberg and Mitchells Plain precincts.

Included in the capital budget for the medium-term is:

• R37.7 million (€1.8m) for local area priority initiatives.
• R29 million (€1.4m) for the upgrade of Kruskal Avenue in Bellville.
• R33.7 million (€1.6m) for local environment and heritage projects among which the rehabilitation of the Asanda Village wetland; upgrade of the Gordon’s Bay milkwood forest; renovations to the Prestwich Memorial Building; replacement of the missing milestones and restoration of the Mowbray horse fountain; and implementation of the District Six public realm along Chapel Street.
• R57 million (€2.8m) for the upgrade and refurbishment of the Philippi fresh produce market.