SAHIF CSI Plot 323

Quality temporary housing structures which are fireproof and can take just hours to erect look set to become the best answer in dealing with overcrowding in informal settlements during the covid-19 pandemic.

One of South African government's key responses to the covid-19 pandemic is to ensure that there's social distancing which would help curb the spread of the coronavirus. However, for thousands of informal settlement residents this is often not even possible, as shacks are built on top of each other in overcrowded impoverished communities.

The first rollout of the temporary structures came courtesy of a donation by the South African Housing and Infrastructure Fund (SAHIF) which will be providing housing opportunities for about 300 South Africans who live in Ikemeleng, an informal tent settlement in Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, west of Johannesburg.

The new development was launched on March 24th by Human Settlements minister Lindiwe Sisulu and City of Johannesburg mayor Geoff Makhubo, a week before the coronavirus national lockdown was scheduled to be downgraded to alert level four.

Sisulu said the covid-19 national command council chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa has decided to do something to help enforce social distancing among those living in informal settlements.

"We've taken a decision as council that we should do something about the concept of social distancing amongst those people who are the most disadvantaged and those people happen to be in informal settlements but we wanted to do it in such a way that we don't disrupt the people and the community," Sisulu said.

She said what was happening at Ikemeleng was exactly what government was pursuing by ensuring that communities were not moved from where they were based.
She praised SAHIF for the donation which she said would afford the beneficiaries with a bit of privacy and the ability to social distance.

The neat residential units are two-room structures which feature wooden flooring, a corrugated iron roof and the walls are made of a fireproof material called 'rockhard' which is cool in summer and warm in winter, according to SAHIF.

The tent-dwelling settlement came into existence after dozens of residents who had illegally occupied land were evicted from nearby plots about four years ago.

The donation by SAHIF which will see a total of 72 units settlement completed in about a week's time is in response to the president's appeal to business leaders to assist in creating solutions to assist during the crippling covid-19 pandemic.

SAHIF CEO Rali Mampeule said as it's almost impossible for those living in crowded tents to adhere to social distancing which government has been calling for.

"The 72 units which will effectively be creating opportunities for about three hundred people to be able to live in these homes," Mampeule said.

He added: "We play in the space of housing and one thing we have learnt from this pandemic is that we all need to work with each other and not leave out anyone."

Mampeule said in as much as Sahif was giving back to the community it was also important to ensure that less fortunate people were offered a decent opportunity to adhere to social distancing.

The CEO said their structures were ten steps higher compared to a typical shack. Mampeule said the material they use for their structures would be cooler in summer while in winter it becomes warmer making the units very comfortable for people living in them.

"Funny enough we call it a temporary unit but these units are used in game farms but some use them as lodges but one thing for sure is that it can last for up to 15 years, it just needs to be painted every five years," Mampeule said.

Mampeule said the reception from the Ikemeleng community members has been amazing as everyone looked forward to the completion of the new development.
"When we put up the first unit, I saw the small kids basically running around clapping hands being excited," he said.

Ikemeleng community leader Mpiyakhe Thebehadi said they welcome the donation from SAHIF as it would improve their living conditions.

He said their living conditions had not improved much apart from getting tents since they were evicted from nearby plots more than three years ago.

Thebehadi said they were over the moon and they couldn't wait to move into the new units which were just a stone's throw from their settlement.

Among the local residents who were looking forward to moving into the new units is mother of three children Beauty Maaake who said she was looking forward to many peaceful sleeps which may come with dreams of lotto numbers in the new units.

"I'm very excited because we had struggled for more than five years because of the bad living conditions we've been subjected to here," Maake said.

Makhubo said the unique temporary structures offered by Sahif were providing the city with options to cos diet for other crowded informal settlement.