GOOD Speech by Wesley Neumann,
GOOD City of Cape Town Councillor
20 August 2026
*Note to Editor: This speech was delivered during the Ordinary Council Meeting of the City of Cape Town
Honourable Speaker,
As GOOD, we rise in support of this item that public land is used for public good. We, therefore, support the proposed transfer of the Atlantis Thusong Centre to the Western Cape Government’s Department of Social Development.
This is a victory worth naming properly, because it did not start in this Chamber. It started with the people of Atlantis. Early last year, residents learned this facility was at risk of disposal.
More than ten thousand residents signed their names to say: this belongs to us, and it must stay open.
Speaker, we must consider this decision within the historical and socio-economic context of Atlantis.
Atlantis was created during apartheid as an industrial township, deliberately located far from the economic center of Cape Town. Many families who came to Atlantis were displaced from other parts of the city and were promised housing and employment. Yet the reality was one of isolation, limited services, unemployment and economic hardship.
That history matters when we consider the role of public infrastructure in Atlantis today.
The Atlantis community has carried the consequences of spatial inequality for generations. Even today, socio-economic challenges remain significant, with unemployment and household poverty placing enormous pressure on families.
That is why WE believe this facility must be viewed not simply as a transfer of a municipal asset, but as social infrastructure serving a community that needs government services to be accessible and within reach.
The proposal before us will ensure continued provision of social welfare services, departmental offices, public engagement and access to SASSA services.
For an economically challenged community, this is immensely important.
Speaker, Atlantis has historically been described as a place that was too far from the city.
Let us not allow distance to continue determining people’s access to dignity, social protection and government services.
It means residents won’t have to travel long distances, spend scarce money on transport or lose valuable time simply to access essential government services.
This transfer provides an opportunity to strengthen government’s presence in the community and bring essential services closer to the people.
But Speaker, we also want to emphasize that the people of Atlantis deserve more than the preservation of social services. They deserve sustained investment in economic opportunities, skills development, youth development, infrastructure and decent employment.
We therefore support the recommendation before Council.
Thank you.
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