Housing Indaba

Municipalities 'not equipped' for housing delivery Municipalities have neither the capacity nor the mandate to deliver housing, Minister of Housing Lindiwe Sisulu said on Monday. "Together with my colleagues ... we realised that municipalities have not been given a clear mandate for housing delivery," she said in a speech prepared for delivery at the National Municipal Housing Indaba.

District six squatters made to move again

District Six squatters are being moved for the second time in less than three weeks - this time to some open land in Delft. Full Story....

Housing Crisis - SA

Govt struggling to cope with housing demand - Minister Lindiwe Sisulu
Business Day, South Africa - Oct 14, 2005

Sisulu appealed to the private sector and construction companies to help the government solve the housing crisis. M&G

"We are putting together a housing code so that we can apply a uniform standard and are going to have a 'living-worthy certificate'.

She rejected the idea of turning dagga plants into bricks as a cheaper alternative to building materials. "It's a very cooling method of building a house [& thus energy efficient], but not what we advocate."

We see the benefit in advocating a lesser city footprint on the planet and building green, carbon efficient, fire, water proof - home at a third the price a logical step in human habitat development. As is demonstrated in World Urban Forums, and HERE

Fair trade is more important for Africa than aid

Fair trade is more important for Africa than aid By Manoah Esipisu Johannesburg - Securing a deal to free world trade in agriculture was more important to lifting Africa out of poverty than efforts to boost aid, a British government minister and Lesotho's trade minister have said. (photo: USAID file/M. McGahuey)
Business Report

Good Morning Cape Town

Cape squatters refuse to move

[ South Africa ] Backyard shack dwellers have vowed to stay on land they invaded in Valhalla Park, despite warnings from the City of Cape Town that they should vacate the area to "prevent problems". Full Story...

While top officials take the money and run... & who is doing the job now? This city planning thing, you know that thing that takes years to plan and implement...? This is the 4th time this has happened in as many years... is this sustainable?

No! we're never gonna survive unless, we get a little crazy.

Cape's top officials set city back R43m 2005-10-27 14:45:35Nearly R45-million on voluntary settlement packages - that's how much the City of Cape Town has spent on 92 of its top officials up until the end of September. Full Story....

Cluster Clusty

Clusty

Cape Town to host Homeless World Cup

2005-10-27 07:52:12More than 4 500 homeless soccer players are expected to try out for teams participating in the annual Homeless Soccer World Cup, which be held in Cape Town in 2006. Full Story....

While wards still argue about delivery...

ANC ward meeting turns ugly 2005-10-27 11:32:18ANC members in Khayelitsha have stormed out of a ward meeting, smashing windows and barricading a gate, after allegations that party provincial secretary Mcebisi Skwatsha had rigged votes. Full Story....

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=2934&art_id=vn20050927115700947C886800

My Question is - if there are no ward councillors... who is the political voice and what Authority do they have?

That's Beautiful and homely

HOUSE IT!

Cape Town

M&G

http://www.mg.co.za/articleList.aspx?area=landhousing

Mamma says look - a solution

Govt struggling to cope with housing demand - Minister Lindiwe Sisulu Business Day, South Africa - Oct 14, 2005

Sisulu appealed to the private sector and construction companies to help the government solve the housing crisis.

Rapid urbanisation 'a serious problem'

...Sisulu could not say how much of the government's housing money is lost to corruption...

She rejected the idea of turning dagga plants into bricks as a cheaper alternative to building materials. "It's a very cooling method of building a house, but not what we advocate." -- SAPA

Read M&G article

Google HOUSE IT

http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q=%22andre+du+plessis%22+cannabis&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

Howzit that we can't HOUSE IT?

Today I begin again or push for the last final time, before I give up again...

& this is whats in the news that makes me think so... HOUSE IT like



Contract chaos is costing Cape Town taxpayers 2005-10-25 14:13:54Work done to fix and finish two projects left incomplete by defaulting contractors has cost Western Cape taxpayers an estimated R16,5-million - and the renovations have yet to be completed. Full Story....

Living in Mother City is a 'mixed blessing' 2005-10-24 13:47:17One in five adults in Cape Town cannot afford to eat the correct foods required for health and wellbeing, according to a national survey. Full Story....

'Fear drove my grandson back into the fire' 2005-10-24 13:44:22A four-year-old Cape Town boy was so terrified that a fire he'd caused at his grandmother's house would get him into trouble that he ran back to douse the flames - only to get trapped in the blaze. Siphokazi Maphosa reports... Full Story....

Plan for Cape Town to take more people in 2005-10-24 07:45:50More people and fewer cars. This is the vision Andrew Boraine, chief executive officer of the Cape Town Partnership, hopes the city will achieve over the next five years. Full Story....

District Six residents furious about shacks
Moving day: About 30 squatter families have been relocated to land in District Six much to the consternation of residents living in the area. A city council official said the move was a temporary one until permanent accommodation could be arranged for the squatters. Photo: Andrew Ingram, Cape Times http://iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=vn20051018075407838C332211
District Six residents furious about shacks

How to build a cannabis home.

Demonstrated out side the Department of Housing

1. Plant a cannabis seed. Water and allow the plant to grow and produce seed. Plant and water these seeds. Your goal is to grow enough to build a house, you will need about 1 acre to build a 5 roomed home.
   
   Tyala imbewu ntsangu (ye-cannabis). Nkcenkceshela imbewu uze uyinike ithuba lokuba ikhule ide ikhuphe eyayo imbewu. Uyothi ke uyityale nalembewu uyinkcenkceshele njalo. Injongo yakho kukukhulisa izityalo ezothi zonele ekwakheni indlu, uyakudinga i-acre (malunga nentsimi) enye ukuze wakhe indlu enamagumbi amahlanu.
   
   
2. Consider the many relevant points presented in the guidelines of Build your house step-by-step.
   
   Qwalasela yonke imigaqo oyibekelweyo kwincwadana i-Build Your House Step By Step.
   
   
   Download here: InternAfrica
   
3. Start planning where your house will stand. Consider everything about the environment you’ll be building in, like winter and summer sunshine, wind and rain – you don’t want to build on a floodplain, or your house will wash away. Be sure to plan all your water and waste requirements.
   
   Ceba indawo ozokwakha kuyo indlu yakho. Qwalasela yonke into ngomhlaba lo uzokwakha kuwo indlu yakho, izinto ezinje ngemimoya, ilanga, neemvula zehlobo nobusika, akekho umntu ofuna ukwakha indlu yakhe emgxobhozweni okanye apho iyothi ibe lilifa lezikhukhula khona. Uqiniseke ukuba unamanzi akulungeleyo ukwenza oku.
   
   
4. Cut the grown cannabis plants down and leave in the field to rhett for a week. The morning dew and natural rotting process will loosen the fibers from the plant.
   
   a. Process the plant matter by cutting leaves and branches off, then hit small bundles the length of the plant over and upturned rake.
   b. The long fiber parts that remain in your hand are good for weaving rugs and making various other items your skills can accomplish.
   c. The seed can be gathered for more housing.
   d. Gather the small woody bits (the hurd) that have fallen, this waste is what will be used in the construction material.
   
   Sika / sarha izityalo uzibeke egadini ixesha elingangeveki ukuze zibole. Umbethe wasekuseni nezinye izinto zendalo ezibolisayo ziya kuyikhulula I-fibre ezityalweni.
   
   a. Yikhawulezise ngohlukanisa intonga zezityalo namagqabi, uhlale uyiharika rhoqo.
   b. Intonga ezi zinothi zincede kwezinye izinto ezifana nokwenza ingubo nezinye izinto onothi uzibonele zona ngokolwazi lwakho.
   c. Imbewu inokuqokelelwe ukwakha ezinye izindlu.
   d. Qokelela imithana ethe yaziwela njengokuba uzoyisebenzisa xa usakha indlu yakho.
   
   
5. Wash the hurd, dry it, then wash it again. Be careful not to allow the matter to rot or decay during this process, by turning, airing and allowing the African sun to dry the hurd properly. Now combine in proportions 10:2:3:3 combine the cannabis/ntsangu/dagga Hurd(10), washed river sand 0.5mm(2), hydraulic lime(3) and water(3) to make the mulch (This process may need tweaking depending on your geographic location, humidity, rainfall etc)
   
   Hlamba ingqokelela yakho, uyomise, uphinde uyihlambe.Ulumkele ukuba lengqokelela ibole kwelithuba, yiguquguqule, uyivumele ibethwe ngumoya uvumele nelanga lase Afrika liyomise lengqokelela. Dibanisa ngokwalo mgaqo 10:2:3:3, dibanisa ke lemvuno yakho yomgquba wentsangu (10) kunye nesanti yasemlanjeni 0.5mm(2), ikalika (3) kunye namanzi (3) ukwenza udaka (Nale into ke iyokuthi ixhomekeke kwindawo leyo ukuyo nemvula zakhona njalo-njalo).
   
   
6. Now build your house! Ngoku ke yakha indlu yakho!
   
   
7. Teach others. Fundisa abanye.
   
   
   

· You can use this “dagga-cement” for making bricks, shutter casting or the proven “pole-and-dagga” method. This last method allows for a sturdy, warm, fireproof and water proof home – built with pride and intuitive engineering, not a ‘uniform box’.

Be sure to consider all aspects of your house design and structural requirements. Although the cannabis-cement will become stronger than steel in time, it is not advised to build over 2 floors high without considering structural implications. With planning this cement can be used to build up to 4 floors high.

The cannabis-cement will dry over a period of a month (depending on the weather). At this point you will be able to add the roof. Seal your home’s walls with lime; lime external walls annually.

Decorate your house with masonry to make it unique, and paint with coloured lime as per custom.

Always PLANT A TREE in a place that will provide shade, to commemorate this accomplishment.

Council will plant trees if citizens care for them. Call (021) 689-8938 http://www.trees.org.za/

Assist your family, friends or neighbors with your experience and expertise. Share information and technique; you can uplift yourself and your community.

Tell your friends and colleagues about the Habitat JAM!

http://www.habitatjam.com/

Housing Sustainable Development