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SPEECH BY HELEN ZILLE
MAYOR OF CAPE TOWN
FOR THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF CLAREMONT BOULEVARD
NEWLANDS SUN HOTEL
19 FEBRUARY 2009 – 14H00
Protocol
MC and Executive Manager of the Claremont Central Improvement District Company, Mr
Anthony Davies
CCIDC Chair Mr Chris Drummond
Members of the CID
Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Transport, Roads and Stormwater, Cllr
Elizabeth Thompson
City Councillors and officials
Ladies and Gentlemen
I would like to welcome everyone to this afternoon’s official opening of the Claremont
Boulevard, established and financed by the suburb’s Central Improvement District Company.
Claremont has been a rapidly developing part of Cape Town for some time, mainly thanks to
the co-ordinated efforts of business in the CBD.
But, in terms of traffic congestion, recent years have seen it becoming a victim of its own
success. In Cape Town overall the number of cars on our roads is increasing by 6% per
annum, and Claremont has been well above that average.
The new by-pass facility we open today is designed to help address the challenge, and help
facilitate further economic growth and job creation in the area. This is our main aim for the
City of Cape Town as a whole, and it is wonderful to see it already in action in so many parts
of the city.
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The project began in 2006, and was effectively opened to traffic a few weeks ago. The cost of
the road work, footways, lighting, traffic lights and landscaping amounted to approximately
R22 million, all funded by the CID.
The result of the past two years of work has been an attractive facility with well designed
landscaping along its full length.
Once drivers become familiar with the route, it will take a lot of pressure off Claremont Main
Road. The Boulevard will also be an asset for pedestrians, cyclists, and general public use.
In terms of its overall impact on the area, it has already breathed new life into the CBD by
creating confidence in its future economic viability. In particular, we have seen major new
developments and upgrades among the residential and commercial properties located between
Claremont Main Road and the Southern Suburbs rail line.
This ongoing redevelopment and upgrading is expected to continue, with projects like the
Werdmuller Centre upgrade, between Newry and Ralph Streets, in the pipeline.
This clearly demonstrates how important basic infrastructure is to economic growth and job
creation, which is why we have actually defined the City of Cape Town’s main objective for our
current five year term of office as ‘infrastructure-led economic growth’.
I must thank Mr Drummond and the Claremont CID for making this project possible in
partnership with the City of Cape Town.
The CID came on board after a 2004 planning report for the Claremont Public Transport
Interchange concluded that the Boulevard should be constructed at the same time.
To raise sufficient funds quickly, so both projects could go ahead at once, an agreement was
signed by the City and the CID in 2006, stating that we would build the R38 million transport
interchange for buses and taxis, while the CID would build the Boulevard.
The final results represent an excellent example of how government and the private sector can
work together for the benefit of everyone, especially the public.
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We officially opened the Claremont Public Transport Interchange in October last year, and it
has been functioning extremely well since that time.
Once the Railway Station on the opposite side of Claremont Boulevard has been fully
upgraded, and it is hoped that the relevant authorities will be undertaking this upgrading in
the near future, this high class integrated public transport interchange will be fully operational
and completely user friendly.
The next step, in the years ahead, will be to further improve public transport access in this
region by incorporating it into future phases of our planned Integrated Rapid Transit scheme,
the first phase of which is being implemented ahead of the 2010 Soccer World Cup.
Until then, we have put good measures in place to ensure that Claremont’s economic progress
is facilitated by infrastructure and not limited by it. That is a positive step in the right direction.
I thank you.