D-Day turned bad

"They were given notice that today [Tuesday] is D-Day and they will be forcefully removed if they don't go," said Mabanga.

Gauteng housing department spokesperson Mongezi Mnyani said the relocation had become "politicised" with rumours that some local politicians had mobilised residents to oppose the relocation.

He said as part of government's programme to eradicate informal settlements, about 1 114 "formal" houses had been built in the Albert Luthuli settlement, of which 167 had been allocated to residents of Thamboville.He said there would be an average of five people per household.

According to Mabanga, when the Red Ants, metro police, police and housing officials arrived early on Tuesday, about 800 people blocked the main street to the settlement "chanting revolutionary songs".The angry residents were told their gathering was illegal and they were given 15 minutes to disperse. When that time was up and they had still not left, police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowd who started throwing stones at police, Red Ants and housing officials.

Eighteen people were injured during the shooting, and were taken by ambulance to separate hospitals. M&G

Nelson Mandela Metropole Floods

The clean-up operations in the water drenched areas of Nelson Mandela Metropole currently under way will take the whole day.

About 4 000 people, mainly from informal settlements, were displaced by the floods. SABC

A warm isothermic insular home would be nice

The weekend's cold weather was not without victims.

Two people apparently froze to death in the Eastern Cape, while three others died in incidents related to the cold weather in the province, Dispatch online reported.

In Amalinda forest near East London, a man in his 40s appeared to have died from the cold in his shack during the night.

In Mdantsane, East London, the body of a 28-year-old woman, described by police as a "bush-dweller", was found in the street. A man lying near her was alive, but suffering from hypothermia. He was admitted to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital where he was recovering.

Build your own warm home

City's failure to plan is intolerable

"The recent spate of public misdemeanours, accentuated by Satawu protesters, has highlighted a fundamental deficiency in government administration - the lack of contingency planning.

The Koeberg power debacle, the N2 Gateway housing fiasco, and now the Satawu pseudo-insurrection have emphasised that when it comes to planning for unforeseen eventualities, City of Cape Town authorities are literally left in the dark. Culpability is normally shifted to other departments, groups and factions. Nobody is willing to accept responsibility...

For those in authority who are not well-versed with the phrase, contingency planning means this: All scenarios are covered and planned for, with the operative word being "all".It is not fixing the systems after a disaster. It's developing (well in advance) risk-reducing procedures and alternative business processes that can deliver critical services while the broken systems are being fixed." Jody Daniels Opinion Cape Town

Energy Efficiency

Homes that are 'cooling' in summer and warmer in winter are isothermically more energy efficient. This 'green' style of building is considered 'energy wise'.

With the clear and present power shortage, long term solutions are becoming a clear business day.

Electricity consumers as a whole are ultimately paying for these programmes through higher Eskom costs and tariffs. While these expenditures may be justified in the short term (as power outages can be even more costly to the economy) attention has to shift to more sustainable and cost-effective programmes in future.

Clearly, SA needs to improve the efficacy of electricity supply planning and investments, but we also need to develop sustainable demand-side management programmes.

Build your own energy efficient home

Mean time washing is done between the toilets

Too many political promises, not enough delivery, too many half baked attemps at solutions, not enough primary health or basic sanitation.

Far far too much fraud and corruption, and power mongering...

"Politicians should channel their energies toward the needs of South Africans" - President Thabo Mbeki

Build your own home.

Government wages war on housing shortages

The government is no longer going to provide free housing in a wholesale manner. This is the message from national Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu to delegates attending a conference of Slum Dwellers International taking place at the Cape Town International Convention this weekend.

On the first day of the conference, Sisulu yesterday said the government was committed to the creation of "a culture of doing away with the culture of entitlement."

A unique challenge was to "prick the consciences" of the rich to show that they could be of assistance in fighting the housing shortage, Sisulu said Build your own home SatStar.

What assets going where... what do you see in this picture?

I snapped this picture out the car window, I love it - but I would like to know what do YOU see in this picture?

please comment

Is this the African way?

Our nothern Neighbour for which we have such silent contemptuous poltical banter and awe of their land reform policy.

this is what is left of their ideas... lets not follow them.

One year later...

A year after Operation Murambatsvina, the government’s campaign to purge informal settlements, the lives of thousands of affected Zimbabweans have not changed. Uprooted last year from their homes in the capital, Harare, families have been squeezed into tiny living spaces authorised by the government on the outskirts of the city. They have no source of employment and, in some cases, no access to medical facilities. IRIN

War Zone1 - Cape Town Africa

Yip there it is folks - finally the reality we face a war zone.

& these are only a few striking guards... not the Millions of poorly housed....

Poverty is placing Urban centres on alert for epic strike action

Winter and discontent will come ... I pray this year the housing riots don't make this war zone look like kids playing...

Cape girl dies in container blaze

A toddler, two, narrowly escaped death, but his 13-year-old sister was killed when the container they lived in at Stellenbosch burnt out on Sunday. The children lived alone in one of eight units in a large shipping container on Green Oaks Farm near the new cemetery in Jamestown, on the R44 to the Strand.

Firemen found the structure already in flames when they arrived. The girl was found dead inside and the toddler was rescued. Fire chief Tasso Steyn said the most likely cause of the fire was a candle falling over. Cape Times

Police burn 42 Homes

Fourteen tons of dagga were found in the mountains of the Eastern Cape and three people were arrested in an operation running from last Wednesday to Friday, police said.

10% of the plant was seized; which means the remaining 90% or 126 tons of industrial cannabis was destroyed by police on friday....

• Fatyela said it was a difficult operation because the harvested dagga was hidden in valleys and mountains."It rained a lot and our vehicles got stuck in the mud. It really wasn't easy."The organised-crime unit, mounted police unit, dog unit and the area crime combating unit took part.The people who were arrested, two women and a man, would appear in court soon.Fatyela said the dagga was being burnt on Friday. -- Sapa

This is the same as destroying 42 cannabrick homes.

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.

http://www.internafrica.org/

Housing Sustainable Development

20 Homes seized and destroyed for no good

Police have seized six tons of dagga valued at R6-million during a raid on warehouse in Cape Town on Sunday. - Sapa

10% of the plant was seized; which means there is 90% or 60 tons of industrial cannabis is about to be destroyed.

This is the same as destroying 20 cannabrick homes.


How to build a cannabis home.

http://www.internafrica.org/

Housing Sustainable Development

Government is inept in dealing with the housing crisis at a municipal, provincial and national level

Municipal: 'We have given them raw materials to construct new houses' city's human settlement director, Seth Maqethuka:

More flammable material – which by government standards does not constitute a house.

17 May 2005 Mayor of CT In line with its new Settlements plan, the City is creating an integrated City housing database. It will contain details of those in need of housing, including where they currently live, preference for rental or ownership, size of family, ability to pay and other pertinent information. Issued by: Communication City of Cape Town

May 2006 One year on. We still have to finalise the housing allocation list – Saths Moodley Special Advisor to Minister of housing Lindiwe Sisulu .

Provincial: Last month, Local Government and Housing MEC Richard Dyantyi said occupation of the first phase of N2 Gateway units would begin at the end of May.

Seems ‘the people’ seeking “a home for all” need to go “Beyond the brick…”

National: The N2 Gateway concept, says Sisulu, will from now on be applied in all cities and provinces, with adaptations to suit local conditions. Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu described the project as a " win-win for everyone in Cape Town".

The successful delivery of houses requires the three spheres of government working together.
As can be seen regarding the news of the N2 Gateway development what was going to house 100 000 people (at 4 people per shack) that would accommodate 25 000 families.

Figures get grey and wishywashy with regard to with what is expected to be delivered: As city slashes Gateway flats being built for rent from 6 600 to 2 200.

Richard Dyantyi, MEC for Local Government and Housing, said the provincial administration had allocated R294-million to the N2 Gateway. He added, however, that R1,2-billion was needed to complete the project. An extra R5 Million on top of the original tender, to terminate the contract, that was originally rejected because the bidder was not qualified

Realistically the 1 bed roomed N2 Gateway home will be available at R3 000 per month, and only 2 200 will be built for this cost.

So what was tendered to cost X per Unit - Now is XXXX.xx per unit

Just playing = 1,2 bill + 294 mill + 5 mill = R1.5 Bill which would have built 6600 units.

= R227,272 Per Unit.

Now only 2 200 units will delivered for the same price

= R681,818 for a 1 Bedroomed flat.

Only 10 000 people can be reasonably accommodated.

A mere 10% of the great National Example, which the N2 Gateway project was promised by the three tiers above.

It would be a travesty of human development if we allowed this kind of development to spread any further. This is just the kind of example of we should NOT be building!

Solution: Build your own home

Ps. 1 year later where are all the honorable housing MECs listed on this Media Release Now?

Housing is a problem in Cape Town - Build your own home!

With undelivered houses - wind ripping off the roofs of RDP houses, it is clear housing needs to be resolved. With the fire victims demonstrating their frustration, by invading houses - it is clear the government can't address every one's housing issue - and thus you MUST build your own home.

Homeless people invade N2 Gateway flats

Metro police officials forcibly removed about 30 Joe Slovo informal settlement residents who invaded eight flats of the N2 Gateway Project following a fire that left about 200 people homeless in the area on Sunday.In total, 83 flats were damaged after doors were broken and windows smashed during an attempt by the fire victims to put their belongings in a safe place, according to authorities.Metro Police spokesperson, Kevin Maxwell, said no one had been arrested.

Howling winds tear off roofs, fan devastating shack fires

The fire department in Paarl in the Boland had their hands full yesterday with numerous calls from Groenheuwel and Smartie Town residents, reporting that the roofs of their RDP houses had been blown off.

Shack fires cost Cape millions

The large number of devastating fires in informal settlements has forced an increase of almost R5-million in the Western Cape social services budget for disasters this financial year.

A statement by the City of Cape Town indicates that there were nearly 2 000 fires in informal settlements last year. More than 8 000 homes had already been destroyed by December 13 and about 28 000 people had been left destitute.Last week alone 95 shacks burnt down in Masiphumelele, displacing about 120 families, and more than 300 shacks were razed in Khayelitsha.

And on Tuesday one person died in a fire in an informal settlement in Kuils River. Police spokesperson Randall Stoffels said about 100 dwellings were destroyed.