PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - The first home by a Plettenberg Bay fire rebuild initiative is nearing completion.
We are happy to announce that, if all goes well, the first family will be moving in within the next two weeks,” Marius Venter of the Plett Fire Fund said this week.
The fund was started by a small group of locals who wanted to restore the dignity of the poor who lost everything in the June 2017 fires.
Venter, who along with residents Sally Turner and Neville Peterson started the fund, said they had been involved in relief work during the disaster and came face to face with the suffering that some people had to endure.
The residents of Kranshoek, a very poor community on the outskirts of Plett, were hit hard. Some of them lost not only their homes, but everything they owned, when the fires swept through the area. They have since been forced to find shelter with friends or family and some even live in the backyards of acquaintances.
To bring some relief to these victims, they started the NPO and, to date, they have raised about R600 000 and are waiting for a mayoral fund payout of a further R374 000.
About a month ago the construction of the first home started for the Snyman family.
Stumblebloc is being used to construct the homes.
They used a product called Stumblebloc to construct the homes. The product allows the bricks to fit together like Lego and is very easy to work with. It does not require specialised skills to use and therefore the community and the families could be part of the building process.
Each home is set to cost about R150 000 to complete.
“This week we came to the point where we only need two roof sheets installed and then we start with the final touches like plumbing and electricity.”
The roof beginning to take shape.
Venter said the initiative has been a success so far, despite the weather meddling with their schedule.
“The Snyman family is over the moon with the progress and cannot wait to move in,” he said.
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