Cape Town vows to help poor by design

The City of Cape Town has committed itself to ensuring that the road map for World Design Capital 2014 includes using design to transform the lives of the poor.

Cape Town won the title last month and yesterday the delegation who returned from Taipei, where the announcement was made, said it would be used to as a "real" tool to improve people's lives, especially the poor.

The mayoral committee member for transport, roads and stormwater, Brett Herron, said six signature events would be hosted during 2014, including new events and existing ones such as the Design Indaba.

The practical implementation would be be planned by the city, with its partners, which planned to sift through about 400 proposals and projects.

"A road map will then be worked out and, with a high level of commitment, we will work to transform the lives of marginalised people and design will assist us to do this.

"We have to ask how each bridge, public transport system and community hall will work for people and how it will enhance its surroundings," said Herron.

He urged Capetonians to be committed to "think, do and live design" from now until beyond the title year.

"Design in this context is about the city harnessing all available skills, knowledge, experience and creativity to design a city that undoes the social, spatial and economic exclusion that exists because of the way it was designed - intentionally - over the apartheid decades.

"In accepting this title, the city commits itself to harnessing the power of design to transform Cape Town so that every person can ultimately live a dignified life," he said.

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