The Nelson Mandela Bay Council has approved the transfer of responsibility together with the staff and funds for the Helenvale Urban Renewal Project (HURP) to the Mandela Bay Development Agency.
The Helenvale project was launched in 2007 following a visit by then President Thabo Mbeki and a recent study suggests that there could be as many as 30 000 people living in the suburb, although the 2001 Census put the figure at 14 600.
It is generally considered to be one of the poorest communities in Nelson Mandela Bay and one that is a haven for gang and drug-related crime.
In welcoming the challenge to lead the renewal of Helenvale, MBDA CEO Pierre Voges said the Agency had established a methodology for urban renewal in Nelson Mandela Bay and would apply these principles, adding that as with all such projects, security would have to be a top priority.
Voges said the MBDA would adopt a holistic approach to the renewal of Helenvale that incorporated all facets of life, adding that this would mean”we will also have to work closely with all the directorates in the municipality to ensure we combine our efforts.”
“What is required is not just bricks and mortars but the creation of a human settlement where people can live and enjoy recreational facilities in a clean, safe and secure environment.”
This first step, he said, would be a wide process of consultation with the ward councilor and other community leaders and with the community as a whole, adding that it was of critical importance that what was done on the ground enjoyed the support of the people. A bottoms-up approach will be followed, not a top-down approach.
“We will need to discover what their vision of a future Helenvale is, and then work out how we can translate that on the ground within the means at our disposal. We will also keep them informed as the project progresses so that we address any concerns that may arise.”
Noting that employment in Helenvale was put at 75% as against an average across the Metro of 35% Voges said as far as possible workers required for the project would be sourced from the area and that an element of skills training would be integrated into the work.
“If we can provide people with skills at the same time so that they are able to find employment afterwards that will be a significant achievement and mean that the renewal project will have a lasting legacy.
“We want to avoid implementing a renewal project that still leaves the majority of people living in poverty and unemployed.”
Pointing to the findings of research on the area which reported that in many cases because of the spatial layout of the area two families were living in a two-bedroom house, Voges this was one challenge that would have to be met.
“The renewal of Helenvale has above all to create a society where people live with dignity, without fear and with hope. If we do not achieve that we will have failed.”
