Cape Town\u2019s V&A Waterfront is set to get a new desalination plant to ensure a fresh water supply at the tourism hotspot during any future crisis affecting South Africa\u2019s second-largest city.<\/p>\n
Growthpoint Properties, the country\u2019s biggest listed real estate firm, received approval for the 3.3 megalitre facility and construction will begin in the first quarter of next year, according to a statement on Thursday. The project should be complete by 2024, the Johannesburg-based company said.<\/p>\n
The plan comes four years after a lengthy drought forced authorities to impose strict measures on water consumption to avoid\u00a0turning off the taps. Water scarcity is a problem in South Africa as a whole, caused by both climate change and mismanagement of infrastructure by local governments.<\/p>\n
Small-scale desalination plants were introduced in Cape Town to try and avert a full-blown emergency in 2018, though those were intended for short-term use.<\/p>\n
Growthpoint said tourists are finally starting to return to the V&A after lengthy lockdowns and travel bans linked to the coronavirus crisis. About 1.6 million people visited the scenic retail and dining hub in October, 28% more than in the previous month and close to three-quarters of pre-pandemic levels.<\/p>\n
That may improve further with the first cruise ship sof the season set to dock at the end of the month, state-owned ports group Transnet said in a separate statement. Cape Town\u2019s economy is heavily dependent on holidaymakers, attracted by its iconic Table Mountain, pristine beaches and winelands.<\/p>\n
The V&A is also a popular spot for businesses, and Growthpoint is building the new Cape Town headquarters of lender Investec in the area.<\/p>\n
The real estate company is still struggling with the impact of the pandemic on traditional office space, with vacancies in the Johannesburg hub of Sandton rising to 21% in the three months through September.<\/p>\n