Temporary structures go up
A MONTH after a devastating fire levelled parts of the informal settlement of Imizamo Yethu, more than 200 families are still living in tents, waiting for super-blocking – the divvying up of land in densely populated communities – to be completed by the City of Cape Town.
Thousands were left homeless by the fire, one of the biggest in Hout Bay.
Yesterday, Mayor Patricia de Lille gave residents an update on the rebuilding process and said the City had “made history” in its response to the fire.
“We have agreed to create four temporary relocation areas (TRAs) which will allow the community to have their privacy and independence back until they can move to the super-blocked zone. The first TRA is on the Imizamo Yethu sports field.”
The City had already dismantled one of the tents and started erecting 3mx3m structures on the sports field, she said.
“This week, 53 identified families from one tent will move into these structures. The second TRA will be in Disa Site 2 (a forestry site).
“The Imizamo Yethu housing development will provide 946 housing opportunities, with the first residents moving in during July 2018.”
Lungisa Bezile, a community leader, thanked all three spheres of government for assisting with the burial of those who died in the fire.
“We have forged a very good relationship with the City of Cape Town in addressing our immediate needs and finding longlasting solutions for the people of Imizamo Yethu. We thank the councillors and the greater Hout Bay residents,” Bezile said.