It will need to be seen whether the City of Cape Town hits the mark with the hosting of its first Affordable Housing Indaba.

The event on Friday is expected to see the launch of the municipality’s Land Release Programme for more affordable housing. It follows an assessment that sought to determine whether some of the City’s properties including in the inner city could be used for this type of housing. Other government stakeholders, financiers and private developers are expected to attend the indaba.

Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says they hope to learn from the various stakeholders what is needed to accelerate affordable housing provisions and propel Cape Town into a spatially inclusive metro.

Social or affordable housing in the inner city has been a contentious issue with housing activists demanding that the DA-led council and provincial government release land for this type of housing instead of trying to sell well located land. A case in point – the Tafelberg site in Sea Point. The Western Cape government’s sale of this land was halted by the courts.