SA Affordable Housing September - October 2019 // ISSUE: 78 | Page 31

PROJECT
future be established,” says Mhlaba. “In other respects,
the mixed-use concept led to including bank-bonded units
in addition to 100% government subsidised units.” In
this respect it mimics the Cosmo City concept with all the
elements that government policy determines constitute
a human settlement: schools, shopping malls, health
facilities, police stations, a community centre with a hall,
parks and recreational areas, a library, a cemetery and
several churches.
Cosmo City was one of the pioneer mega city projects
in South Africa, upon which a number of refinements have
been implemented, as seen in Montrose City. “It was an
experiment by government to establish the viability of a
mixed-use development for which it became the flagship
nationally. Montrose is therefore an enhancement – it
is never about housing alone, but mixed use for varied
income groups, public amenities and spaces, employment
opportunities; an integrated transport system.
“Building a house is easy – but on its own doesn’t
improve living standards. Without local employment
opportunities, residents would soon leave. To improve
quality of living, the development is an entire package that
ticks all the boxes of a sustainable development – jobs,
transport and education,” says Mhlaba.
The integrated transport model means residents
can travel by train as the cheapest form of transport,
while every activity they need is provided within the
development leaving no excuse to ever go outside the
location. Proximity to rail transport, which will extend
from Randfontein to Middelvlei Station (within Montrose
City Mega Development) and later extend to Carltonville
is in itself a drawcard to types of business that are not
geographic-specific but simply require access to the
cheapest form of transport.
The mixed-use model aims to balance different
income groups, including 100%-subsidy (incomes of
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
A new home built at Montrose Mega City.
Delivering a new home.
zero to R3 500/month); with social (rental housing); GAP
Housing/FLISP homes (combined household income of
R3 500 to R15 000/month) through to bonded affordable
homes with no government involvement, which cover
the spectrum of homes valued from R350 000 through to
more than R1-million – such as homes of 90m² with two
garages. “The latter segment can find housing anywhere,
but are attracted to a mixed-use development due to
its integrated nature with everything available on site.
This factor can result in financial savings to residents
in not having to pay for transport to work, school or
clinics, greater security as well as improved quality of life
through increased family time. As the Gautrain stations
have demonstrated – proximity to a railway station brings
tremendous economic growth.”
This is how Cosmo developed – once the residential
component was established, retail and industrial elements
followed. Mhlaba explains that the sequencing and co-
ordination of the Montrose City Development Mega Project
was planned from the outset so that every activity or phase
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