Toddlers burn to death in Cape fire

Two toddlers, aged one and three, have been burnt to death in one of the fires that had devastated various parts of Cape Town this weekend. Full Story...

Babylonian legacy - A Hard day in the home of spin

In 2004 our esteemed premier launched a social works program that was to provide jobs and reticulation for development.

Funds for this project, were diverted to housing the victims of the Joe Slovo 3rd large fire.

Housing was put on hold for housing…

Then the N2 gateway happened, bad plans, project outsourced to a non-local organization, and two keys delivered.

3 years, since the last public works spin by the Premier – housing has done nothing but deliver temporary shelter at the same cost as it would have cost to resolve the situation.

Then clearly there was something in it for someone in the N2 Gateway development…

It would appear we are back at square one three years later…

I’m sure I’ve read this before…

Good times roll on in building industry

Seattle hempfest

The oozing abscess of Cape society – picking on the homeless

Three 19-year-olds accused of murdering a man in the Tygerberg area said in the Bellville regional court on Thursday that they "kicked and punched him because he was homeless".

Klaas Thomas, a homeless man from Ridgeworth, died of his injuries in Tygerberg Hospital on April 19, 2004... Cape Times

Flood-damge bill continues to rise

While figures for the flood damage to the Southern Cape are four times higher than those given initially, Premier Ebrahim Rasool has reiterated that the region will not be declared a disaster area.

Speaking on Tuesday during a legislative assembly debate, Rasool said that, while initial estimates had hovered around R80-million, the latest figure was R353-million.

The Southern Cape was ravaged by floods when it was struck by a cut-off low pressure system with heavy rains and gale-force winds.

Rasool said the Eden district and parts of the Klein Karoo had "borne the brunt" of the floods. The Overberg and Winelands had also received considerable damage.

The damage to private property came to about R150m, roads and bridges R51m and rail damage was about R25m. Agriculture had suffered about R40m in losses - a figure that was growing. IOL

PE residents say they are neglected after floods

Residents in the low lying area of Chatty in Port Elizabeth say they still have not received any help from the municipality almost after two weeks since the devastating floods destroyed many parts of the city.

A metro spokesperson says that they are dealing with the situation area by area.
But they confirmed that they have not yet visited Chatty despite it being one of the hardest hit.

Residents say they are desperate for any kind of help. The only aid has come from the Red Cross and local business.

Meetings have been held to find alternative land for those who have been displaced. A report tabled by a metro special council meeting estimates flood damage in the metro to be as much as R120 million. - SABC

Cape power outages cost businesses R1 billion

Business in Cape Town says the recent electricity crisis in the Western Cape has cost them about R1 billion. This emerged at a function where Alec Erwin, the public enterprises minister, Thulani Gcabashe, the Eskom CEO, and Ebrahim Rasool, the premier, thanked business and consumers for their support during the electricity recovery process. - SABC

Mother dies in Oudtshoorn shack fire

A woman died and her daughter was injured when their shack caught fire on an Oudtshoorn farm on Sunday, Western Cape police said. The woman, 31, was sleeping in the shack with her husband and two children when the fire started about 1am, said Captain Malcolm Pojie on Monday.

“The husband woke up and discovered that the shack was on fire and took the children out.

“When he returned to save his wife the fire had already covered the shack and he could not get in,” said Pojie.

Their 10-year-old daughter sustained severe burn wounds on her arms, hands and legs.

The cause of the fire was not known. – Sapa.

City's housing crisis "almost insurmountable" - Mayor

At last from Helen's lips to Gods Ear ... the truth is spoke:

Mayor Helen Zille warned recently of large-scale land invasions if the housing backlog was not addressed, saying the city's housing crisis was "almost insurmountable".

However those of you who read this blog with regularity will know that by building an EcoHome from the industrial cannabis South Africa has so much of.

These Green Building carry the highest available LEED rating, and they lessen the city foot print in development and delivering Homes - by building your own

Cannabrick Home

SA floods - more to come?

According to the South African Weather Service, more cold weather is expected in the Southern and Eastern Cape in the next few days, which raises concerns in the South African Red Cross Society about the safety of communities left vulnerable after last week's torrential rain.

The downpours and flooding were experienced in the Southern and Eastern Cape from 31 July to 3 August 2006. During this time, at least five people died, one a four-year-old child and 14 were declared missing. 50 communities were left stranded and more than 1000 people were forced to evacuate their informal settlement homes to escape the rising flood waters.

The predictions of further bad weather, although indicating that the rain will be much less severe than last week, still raises concerns at The South African Red Cross Society for the vulnerable communities still trying to rebuild their lives after last week's floods. Reuters

Shack Floodlands

Saving lives: Professional and volunteer rescue services worked together to rescue dozens of people across flooded Port Elizabeth and Uitenhage. Photo: Steve Lawrence, The Star.

Toddler killed in shack fire

A two-year-old girl burnt to death on Thursday after her mother left her locked in a shack with a paraffin stove on, emergency management services said.

Spokesperson Malcolm Midgley said the girl's mother had visited neighbours at 8am. When she returned, her shack was engulfed in fire.

"When firefighters got to the scene, the shack had already collapsed and the baby was dead," he said.

It was not yet clear whether the mother would be charged.

Midgley said the Alexandra toddler's death was the third fire-related death in two days, all in shack fires.

On Wednesday, two children were burnt to death in separate incidents in Johannesburg.

A boy, 8, was burnt to death while sleeping with his parents in a shack in Lombardy East and a two-year-old toddler was killed when a shack caught fire in Ivory Park. - Sapa

Black Congo Cannabis Can Help

I've heard of the wonder of the Congo Cannabis, it's resilience to mold and rot.

The beauty of a plant and a people so pure in a country of so much wealth human, natural and mineral, the potential without clothing to do all that is necessary to make a point.

"I can't harm you"

There are many pictures - DEPICTING - the injustice, and a clear - peacefull - demonstration by young and old. None that speak like this.

I am Naked - you are armed.

My thoughts and hopes and prayers are with the Congo at this time - the Heart of Africa!

Big Up Sunday Times!

it appears South African 'peace keepers' are NOT HELPING the situation:

SA peacekeepers ‘an embarrassment’


Shocking figures were released during a workshop organised by the SANDF’s operational law directorate in Tshwane this week. More than half of the military violations — committed between 2002 and this year — involved absence without leave, disobeying lawful commands and drunkenness. A further 230 serious criminal cases, including assault, indecent assault, theft, rape and murder, were tried in the military courts in Burundi, the DRC and South Africa.

"It brings shame and dishonour to the efforts of the military in making a contribution in war-torn countries. There is a direct link between alcohol abuse and the crimes committed"

"Democracy has been subverted and this will lead to chaos,"

South Africans give far too much power to the office of the president without any checks and balances to ensure that these powers are not abused.

This observation was made by Sipho Seepe, a political analyst and head of Henley Management College, during a workshop in Durban at the weekend to debate the "prerogative" powers conferred by the constitution on the president and the premiers of the provinces.

Addressing the workshop, organised by the Democratic Professionals Association of Southern Africa, Seepe said the "crisis" had begun in 1997 when the ANC gave the power to its president to appoint premiers, directors-general of departments and the mayors of major municipalities won by the party.

"Dictators will kill for these powers. I warned long ago about the dangers of the centralisation of powers which removes checks and balances," Seepe said.

Forty families left homeless

Forty families were left homeless when their shacks were razed by fire on Saturday morning, Durban police said.

Inspector Rani John said the fire was sparked by a candle in one of the shacks at Quarry road informal settlement outside Durban.

"Forty shacks were burnt down at 2am on Saturday but no one was injured."

"The local councillor was contacted and together with other locals managed to supply food, clothing and temporary shelter to the affected people," she said. - Sapa

Woodstock squatters defy city council

Squatters legally evicted from a Woodstock, Cape Town, premises the city council leased to the unregistered Al Noor orphanage, have moved onto an adjacent sports field in Mountain Road.

The five families, including 16 children, now live in tents donated to them by the community and hang their rain-drenched blankets and clothing on the surrounding fence.

One little girl, who stays in a tent with her parents and sister, was given a birthday cake on Wednesday by a couple from the neighbourhood. Cape Times

An innocent man died because an abscess in society has burst open

Farmers blamed for Loots' death;

Rawsonville - A new body for farm workers has put the blame for the death of rugby player Riaan Loots squarely on the way farmers in the Rawsonville area treat their employees.

Before Ben Zimri, 26, of Ceres and Wayne Matthee, 19, of Paarl, were released on Tuesday, they were ordered to appear in the magistrate's court again on September 8.

They have been charged with murder after the death of 24-year-old Loots.

Loots, the star flyhalf of the Rawsonville Rugby Club, died after a match between Delicious of Ceres and Rawsonville on June 23, during which he was hit in the throat in a stiff-arm tackle and then apparently kicked in the head.

Henry Gouws, chairperson of a new co-ordinating body for farmworkers which was founded on Tuesday at Stellenbosch, said an innocent man had died because an abscess in society had burst open.

Human-rights violations

"Farmers must ask themselves honestly: 'What was my contribution to the death of young Riaan? How do I treat my people and the people around me?' "

Gouws, who is also spokesperson for the Amwa farmworkers' union, said most of the complaints from farmworkers came from this area, and they were mainly about human rights violations.

He referred to a series of incidents, including one in which a farm manager from the area allegedly assaulted a woman farm worker.

When she wanted to lay a charge against him, he apparently threatened to evict her from the farm.

He claims the same manager also assaulted a young boy so severely that the child had to spend a day in hospital.

"The people go to the rugby field burning with frustration," he said.

"An abscess burst open and an innocent man had to pay the price for the deeds of others."

Farm evictions criticised

Die Burger

Sucksess - "The homeless are sick and tired of excuses"

The obstacles of this project - national Housing Minister Lindiwe Sisulu.

As a steady stream of luxury cars passed the crowd bound for the formal celebrations, the cries of “Sisulu is lying” and “Down with the ANC” grew louder.

Many of the hopeful residents had taken a day off work to receive their houses.

Cape Times

afriCaNN

CNN today announced its broadest ever focus on Africa with the official launch of ‘Eye on Africa’ in Johannesburg, a dedicated week-long initiative that spotlights the current developments and potential for hope taking place across the African continent.

The week of July 16-22, 2006 promises to provide the global viewer with a comprehensive view on the emerging Africa and the potential for hope on this vast continent.

Majority of poor people live on R20 a day

While some people spend more than R20 a day on breakfast alone, people in half of South Africa's households live on R20 or less a day.

This is according to a study by Eighty20, based on official statistics published by Statistics SA in Pretoria.

The study, reported in Business Report on Thursday, found that people in 5.2-million households were living on less than R20 each a day.

'It's painful to see them'

It also showed that 1.3-million households in rural areas and 990 000 urban households were unable to meet daily food needs. Pretoria News

HOUSEIT AFRICAN!

All Housing MECs are expected to be present when Sisulu launches phase two of the N2 Gateway project in Langa next week.

Against the backdrop of a fraud and corruption case being played out where previous MECs developed without thinking...

The Rurality of Cape Urbanism

The danger posed by stray animals to motorists is to feature in community meetings law enforcement agencies are to hold to make the N2's "hell run" safer.

"This is part of an overall plan to secure the freeway. We will have three mini imbizos with the residents of Delft, Wesbank and Khayelitsha to talk to them about safety on the N2. We want people also to be sensitised about the danger of stray animals," community safety spokesperson Makhaya Mani said.

His comments followed two incidents. On Monday, a Durbanville advocate struck a stray horse on a road parallel to the N2.

Janene Rheeder, the prosecutor in the murder case of designer Richard Bloom and his friend Brett Goldin, was treated for whiplash and other injuries.

On Tuesday a Metro police patrol vehicle was stoned. Cape Times

Calculating Housing Soccer...

The Total: R21 Billion will be sponsored by private enterprise.

If the private sector could mobalise the same amount of money for housing -

South Africa could RESOLVE the housing backlog in the Western Cape 3xOver!

When we...

Build from an appropriate affordable
proven green construction technology

• South Africa - Is the 3rd largest producer of Industrial Cannabis in the World!

We have the crop to resolve the housing backlog!

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, (sic Energy Effecient) but not what we advocate." -- SAPA

Read M&G article

& re the world’s happiest country

“A place which is not a consumer-driven society. Life here is about community and family and goodwill to other people. It’s a place where you don’t worry too much.”

The Happy Planet Index, compiled by the British think-tank New Economics Foundation.

The index combines life satisfaction, life expectancy and environmental footprint — the amount of land required to sustain the population and absorb its energy consumption.

Lower down the list…

156. South Africa.

167 Botswana

171 Lesotho

175 Democratic Republic of Congo

176 Burundi

177 Swaziland

178 Zimbabwe - Bottom of the list.

Read More to find out who the winner is…