The City of Tshwane has introduced a low-cost, fireproof housing design to help ensure a long-term solution to the scourge of informal settlements in the municipality.

The latest data from the 2011 Census reveals that Tshwane has around 33 000 informal settlements. As part of a solution to this, city’s unveiled the #TshwaneLighthouseProject in Nellmapius in Region six this past Sunday.

Along with housing, the project is also aimed at addressing issues of relevance to climate change and climate adaptation.

According to the city, the material used the make the Tshwane Lighthouse is made by local youth, from invasive alien plants.

Tshwane Mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, said the concept also focuses on addressing flooding, has superior thermal and acoustic qualities and is rat, termite and cockroach-proof.

The Tshwane Lighthouse is designed to be built over an existing shack, without the shack owner having to move while it is being constructed.

Once the house’s top story is done, the owner is moved upstairs while the shack is demolished below and the downstairs portion is completed.

It costs around R100 000, which is cheaper than the R140 000 price tag that goes with an ordinary government RDP house.

A demo by firefighters was held to prove the house’s fireproof qualities by erecting four shacks under and around it and setting them alight.

All the shacks burned to ground while the Tshwane Lighthouse stood firm without a mark on it.

The project is being carried out in partnership with the National Department of Environmental Affairs’ Working on Fire programme, which is aimed at addressing issues of relevance to climate change, climate adaptation and the creation of job opportunities.

“A key consideration is to build in clusters, although stand-alone houses are possible in highly dense informal settlements,” Ramokgopa said, adding that the Tshwane Lighthouse will go to informal settlement dwellers that qualify for government subsidy, who will be issued title deeds to the houses.

“The city’s overall objective is to contribute to government’s New Growth Path and the job creation agenda,” he said.

[Source – City of Tshwane , images – Twitter]