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Volunteers have pitched in and are helping
to build 100 houses in five days in the new neighbourhood of Drieziek Extension
5.
THERE was an air of excitement in Drieziek
Extension 5, in Orange Farm in southern Joburg, as word spread that volunteers
had arrived to build new houses.
Working on someone's home in Orange Farm
Formerly an impoverished slum, the quiet neighbourhood
- not accustomed to having high-profile visitors - was soon buzzing with
activity as dozens of heavy trucks roared into the area with building supplies.
Curious residents peered through their curtains
to watch as volunteers rolled up their sleeves and got to work with other community
members to build a hundred houses in just five days - starting on Monday, 19
October and ending on 23 October.
More than 1 000 volunteers traded their
laptops and cellphones for hammers and shovels to help build houses for low
income families. They came from YFM,
Absa, Gijima Ast, Siemens and the departments of Housing and Correctional Services.
Despite the intense heat and the back-breaking
labour, the volunteers courageously pushed heavy wheelbarrows and mixed cement.
"Can you imagine how this world would be if
everybody just volunteered for one day?" said Cecilia Skundla, one of the 100 beneficiaries.
"It would be a much different world."
Skundla explained that she had lived in
appalling conditions in a shack for almost six years and had had to overcome
immense hardships. "I have had to endure many tragedies in my life ... But now I
look forward to seeing my house complete this Friday."
The operations manager at JR Sekwele &
Associates Construction Services, Molefe Sekwele, said 100 buildings were scheduled
to be completed by the end of this week. His company is organising the build.
"The main objective is to give back to the
community and speed up service delivery within a short space of time," said
Sekwele. "Presently, women are the minority in the construction business. Hopefully
projects like these will give women the opportunity to see for themselves that
they, too, can contribute to a building project and changing the status quo."
Two experienced bricklayers and plasterers had
been allocated for each house to help the volunteers in the building, he said.
Greenfield
Drieziek Extension 5 is a greenfield project developed by the City. The
area was once a piece of vacant land. In 2007, a total of 11 informal
settlements from greater Orange Farm were relocated to pegged stands with bulk
infrastructure.
Volunteers came from far and wide
To date, more than 500 houses have been
built and allocated to beneficiaries.
The spokesperson at Absa, a major supporter
of the project, Thabo Ndelela, said R48 900 had been allocated for each house.
This amount covered building materials and labour expenses.
"As part of our continued commitment to the
poor, Absa is excited to take part in a wonderful opportunity to provide
affordable housing to families in need."
He said a number of criteria was used to
select the beneficiaries: they had to be women-led households, dependents and people
with disabilities.
One of the volunteers, Gijima Ast's group transformation
manager, Phillip Pitse, said he had decided to participate to make a difference
in people's lives.
"It is good to be part of this initiative.
At the end of the day it feels good to know that I am helping the needy."
The houses will be handed over on Friday,
23 October, at 12 noon.
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