Alexandra’s flood victims given their first real homes
Aid provided in honour of Mandela
HUMANITARIAN organisation Gift of the Givers is living up to its name in honour of ailing former president Nelson Mandela.
The organisation, which provides aid locally and internationally, will give 15 homes to those who lost their informal houses during recurring floods of the Jukskei River in Alexandra, on July 18, Madiba’s birthday.
Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman said another 54 homes would be completed in two months’ time and handed over to the remainder of the 69 families who were also left homeless.
“We wanted to help these families. Living on the banks of the Jukskei River is a death trap for them. Every time there is heavy rain, the river bank bursts, destroying their homes.
“We got the support of the Gauteng provincial disaster management team and the Johannesburg inner city council to assist in finding land to build homes for them.
“The project kicked off on Monday and we hope to wrap it up in two months,” said Sooliman.
The land was sponsored by the government, and Gift of the Givers had created employment for residents of the settlement in Alexandra by getting them to work on this R3-million housing project, said Sooliman.
He added that the project was located 600m from the Jukskei River and would be on higher ground.
This housing project, Sooliman said, was based on the prototype design for the Khayelitsha fire victims whose homes were ravaged on New Year’s day in Cape Town.
“Those houses are built strongly and have withstood diverse weather patterns in Cape Town. Some of the residents in Alexandra are in their 80s and have lived in shacks their entire life — they will now have a real home for the first time.”
Anyone interested in getting involved in the project can phone 0800 786 777 for more information.