FOLLOWING a series of raging fires at Vygieskraal Informal Settlement, a reblocking project will be implemented to safeguard residents.

During this project, all of the wooden and iron structures will receive considerable infrastructural upgrades.

Each structure will be rebuilt, giving each one its own courtyard.

The project, funded by the Informal Settlement Network (ISN) and the Community Upgrading Finance Facility, will look at better sewerage solutions.

Part of the informal settlement is built on a canal.

Those living in informal settlements regularly suffer from devastating fires, resulting in a loss of income, injury and even death.

People’s Post recently reported that 300 people were left destitute after a blaze swept through their homes in the Vygieskraal Informal Settlement, destroying 80 homes (“Fire destroys homes”, 2 August 2011.)

Melanie Manual, the co-ordinator of ISN and Western Cape Backyarders which heads this project, says residents should take ownership of their properties.

“The community will do their own spatial layout and decide how they want their homes built. A survey will be done to determine the number of people living in each home and the size of the newly built homes will be determined by that. We are only here for technical assistance; it is the community’s plan,” she says.

“We will help them save money. They contribute to their new homes with the result that they will take ownership and proper care of their community.”

The reblocking project aims to eliminate crime, as people will be aware of who their neighbours are.

With more space, basic services such as ambulances will have better access to the informal settlement.

Councillor Magadien Davids says this is important because closely-built homes result in fires spreading quicker.

“The ISN and the City of Cape Town first rolled out this project at a Phillipi informal settlement and there is a need for it at Vygieskraal informal settlement too. When a community is faced with a fire, many homes are destroyed and because it spreads so quickly, lives are lost. This project will ensure that each and every home is equipped with fire safety precautions.”

Davids says Vygieskraal residents are happy that their homes will be rebuilt.

“We had two meetings with them and the ISN and explained the project to them. We took them to the Phillipi informal settlement, so they could see what their homes would look like. So far, progress has been good.”

However, this project can only be implemented at informal settlements situated on City owned land.

“It is unfortunate that only informal settlements on City-owned land can be helped, but ways will be looked at to help all informal settlements,” says Manual.