Ten families from Section 7, in Diepsloot, are sleeping better at night, with new roofs over their heads, thanks to a Letsema Project community build.
OWNING a brand-new house, complete with running water and a bathroom, is a dream come true for 10 Diepsloot families who have spent years living in tin and wood shacks.
The mayoral committee responsible for housing, Strike Ralegoma cut the ribbon and handed over keys to Eric Thangwana, one of the beneficiaries
The jubilant families - in Section 7 in the township, in the north of Johannesburg - were handed the keys to their new homes on Friday, 8 May, by the City's member of the mayoral committee responsible for housing, Strike Ralegoma.
They are among the thousands of families that have benefited from the Joburg housing department's Letsema Project, a programme where people are helped to build their own houses with financial assistance from the government.
Letsema is based on an old communal tradition where members of the community helped each other with tasks that were too difficult for one family, at no cost to the family being helped.
"The Letsema Project is an existing programme in Region A to build houses for the indigent, the elderly and those people with disabilities. This is a project where we get volunteers to try to help speed up the building process," said Walter Milatu, the Region A housing director.
Work started on Monday, 4 May, with employees of the City's housing department, members of the community, contract workers and the beneficiaries building houses on already existing floor slabs.
Facilities
"Each house is 36m2, has two bedrooms, a kitchen-cum-living room and a toilet and bathroom. The building of each of the houses is supplemented by a national housing subsidy, which is used to buy building materials," Milatu said.
While it hooked in members of the community to help build the houses, the City also relied on contract labour because of their level of expertise in bricklaying and plumbing, said Tembela Mdlulwa, the City's director of housing.
"As part of Letsema Project, we ask for assistance from corporate companies and individuals to donate any material to help build houses for the poor. Several companies and individuals came to our assistance in this regard," she said.
PCC Cement chipped in with 120 bags of cement; Joburg Water made sure there was enough water for building; Jumbo and Hypermarket Butchery provided cupboards and meat; and a Diepsloot resident, Lucky Hlophe, assisted with food for the builders.
During the tour of some of the 10 houses, Ralegoma complimented all of those who had taken time off from their busy schedules to help build the homes. "Thank you so much for the great work you are doing and please keep up this spirit of ubuntu," he said, shaking hands with each worker.
At house number 5579, Ralegoma cut the ribbon and handed over keys to Eric Thangwana, one of the beneficiaries. Thangwana said he was beside himself with joy at being the proud owner of a new house.
Beneficiaries
"I would like to thank the City for providing a decent roof over my head. I have been staying in a shack for the past five years and I feel very good."
Waiting a few blocks from Thangwana's house was Morgan Sibanda, a resident of Diepsloot since the early 1990s. Sibanda said he had been living in a shack with his family, facing intolerable hardships.
"But all this has come to an end. I have a new house with running water and a bathroom," he said, smiling broadly.
Probably the most ecstatic beneficiary of all, however, was Daina Foroma of 5672. She said she had been staying in Section 7 for the past six years, sharing a shack with her two children.
Wiping away tears of joy, Foroma said she could not wait to move into her new home. "My joy is beyond words. I am very happy," she said.
After the houses are complete, Mdlulwa said all beneficiaries will have to remove all shacks in their yards as part of an agreement with the City. The new occupants will also have to pay rates.
The next Letsema Project community build in Region A would be held in Rabie Ridge, said Mdlulwa.
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