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10/1/1996 - Freedom Square: People with a Vision by Sharon F. Griffin

Freedom Square People Vision BLOEMFONTEIN South Africa October By Sharon F Griffin Namibia Kapanong J D Mafora Freedom Square names shack lands taken along edges greater Bloemfontein capital provinceontheFreeState withinthelastsixyears Theinformalsettlementsgrow kudzu ahardyandindomitable clings American South sprout ingoffshootsofitselfintheblinkofaneye Tens ofthousandsofblackSouth Afri canswho among poorest these shantytowns Most shackdwellers migrated dusty remote corners ofthe Free State settlementisindistinguishablefromanother exceptforFreedomSquare FreedomSquareisdifferent andwhatmakesitdifferentfromneighboringsquat tersettlementsistheinitiativeofitspeople Fromthe start thepeopleofFreedom Squarehave possessed avision ofand forthemselves The adage theworldmakesa people where going community Slowly surel disciplined determination humble dwellers Freedom Square arebreaking ofthe adverse conditions thatboundthem The shack dwellers invaded Freedom mi6faihff Square invasion iiiiiiiii organized There nothing chaotic about either their choice their tions Wewerebusylookingfor place relocate BenPetrus community leader What decide place openspace Literally veldmeansfieldinAfrikaans But itsymbolizesmuchmore roomforgrowth inanySouthAfricanlanguage Weonlysawfourolddilap idated houses white elephants Sowe decided Listening Petrus impression first squatters erect shelters settle believed arrived their promised Even settlement Freedom Square speaks collective belief people liberated themselves SEVENMILLIONSHACKDWELLERS Estimatesvary butapproximatelyseven millionpeople livingininformal tlements throughout South Africa occupied either legally illegally How people Freedom Square unknown Guesses range An accurate count population emerge onlywhen results nationalcensus arerevealed early Changing household patterns population explosion importantly migration rural areas neighboring countries growing squatter settlements A United Nations report thatbetween percent housing developing country cities illegal percent homes cities Kenya capital Nairobi Bangladesh counterpart Dhaka builtwithoutpermission One greatest challenges South Africa Gov ernment National Unity provide housing poorest They comprise percent South African population With income family month these households stand chance securing financing through banks They completely reliant government housing subsidy Ken Owen former editor Sunday newspaper oncecommentedthat tomostwhites itwillnotberead evident successful purchase house mandsofablackbuyerasmuchdeterminationand skill asmightberequired toorganizearevolution Government restrictions ownership during apartheid resulted housingbacklog 45million units withdemand fornewhousesgrow Furthermore better accom modation migrant workers hostels needed The African National Congress ANC election promise build million housesby century However running ANC government honor promise ANC leaders admitted Parliament about homes built first office percent fewer structed lastyearofapartheid The governmentblamesbanksandbuilders housing delivery It cites unwillingness financial institutions large scale devel opers build houses The greatest market homes range natural niche those earning between amonth LIFEINASQUATTERSETTLEMENT Contrary televised images beamed American audiences shack settlements neither hellish places breeding grounds chaos anarchy In might surprise people learn tivity talent design construction shacks physical layout social arrangements ofthe settlements Think about talent design skills needed construct shelter industrial products corrugatedand sheet plywoodboardingandplas sheeting The built homes usually rectangu This iving space mightbe shared family members parents children grandparents Living tight space mands knowledge practically needed order ismaintained During several visits Freedom Square Kapanong I struck tidiness homes theattentiongiventodecoration Ishouldn thavebeen surprised After regardless SFG whetheritisthesizeofaportabletoolshedormadeout cardboard which Mexican grants after picking California fruits tables thatAmericans enjoy dinner table In shack I glimpsed looked custom designed kitchen counters cabinets The cabinets werewhite withdoorspaintedbabyblue Itisnotun commonto trendy furnishings ashack matching chair small table curtains provide privacy One important lesson I learned practi callyanyandeverythinghassomeuse WhatIconsider ragged might serve container clothing blankets Newspapers table cloths Jelly plastic containers toilet rolls becomestorage sorts ofdomesticitems Telephoto pictures ofshacklands impression structure intrudes another It shanty settlements typically crowded small crowded cases However surelywalkaround settlement leavesonewith amore accurate picture ofhowthe limited space shared The physical layout ofFreedom Square forexample allows movement between houses Walking paths across there space neighborhood activities sports trading hawkersand gossiping across clothes lines In Kapanong I passed shack verandah The house corrugated It helddownbyrocksand otherweightyobjects Anextra sheetofironextendedfromtheroofofthehouse andit washeldupby timber frames Anoldmanandwoman beneath sheet relaxed definitively shieldedfrom sting ofthe Squatter settlements greater Bloemfontein cated margins In Durban shack tlements locatedonthe periphery But along sidewalks underneath Shacks sidewalks exist because urban available Durban virtually inner areas developed Local authorities threatened shack dwellers their sidewalk residences However steps effect taken cause suitable housing alternatives notbeen tified City officials eventually decided deliver clean water squatters regular basis Thiswas prevent possible spread disease which threat citizens Another situation exists Durban foundintheFreeState atleastnotyet issquatters constructing shacks backyards private homes The problem serious growing oflan dinvasion thatbreeds social unrest chaosandra tensions The invaders African Thehome owners primarilywhiteandIndian although squat built shacks property adjacent houses ownedby middle class Africans blacktown ships Ahousing surveyconducted yearfound percent greater Durban population existence shacks DEVELOPMENTWITHDIGNITY squatters claimed Freedom Square proved significant other A month after president South Africa F W Klerk released Nelson Mandela years prison National Party founded IndependentDevelopment Trust IDT The apartheid government aside million nationalbudget address problems ofthepoorthroughcommunity driven development Applications funds poured among Freedom Square The settlement succeeded securing years training communityleaders further million development The million allocated through IDT Capital Subsidy Scheme which provides vicedsites plotsoflandwithtapsandtoilets Today percent houses Freedom Square outside toiletsand fresh water Part ofthe 553was establish theFreedom Square Upgrade Community Trust legal entity headed board trustees administered chief executive director administrative staff Sev percent people serving board trustees professional people doctors lawyers teachers universityprofessors noneofwhomlivein Freedom Square The remaining percent ofthecommunity The chief executive Upgrade Community Trust Ben Petrus He members administrative staff Free Square count themselves among first settlers Be administrative staff hierar chical structure Trust devolves community level Fifteen commu based associations organiza tions tackle variety residential needs everything business devel center playing fields designated The women sgroup wantsto establish shelteredworkshop forpeoplewhoare physicallyandmentally disabled GOVERNMENTBYANDFORTHEPEOPLE A visit Freedom Square begins White House which located administrative offices Upgrade Community Trust Freedom SquareDevelopmentForum Just thenameFreedom Square embodies special meaning residents settlement White House The White House speak center government Freedom Square government people When asked people chose particular Petrus answer should obvioustome becausehereinSouth Africawedon aWhiteHouse The building formerly farmhouse white elephants squattersfoundonthe invade Today nicely furnished outfitted telephonesand computers There smallkitchenonthe premises JohannesNkoe Khatazile Masilo aremembers administrative staff Nkoe title trust officer Masilo liaison officer Hanging walls their uncluttered office NO SMOKING signs calendar featuring President Nelson Mandela photocopied words Nobel Peace Prize winners Rev Martin Luther King Jr Chief Albert Luthuli President general ofthe African NationalCon gress winner Nobel Peace Prize There remains before building ZIMBABWE Northern Transvaal BOTSWANA Mpumalanga Johannesb opment community policing Collec NAMIBIA North West tively community based groups prise Freedom Square Development Forum which division Trust Free State KwaZulu Natal Morethan groups receive nancial support Trust Northern Ca SOUTH There example Freedom Square Creche Committee The Trust response request committee allocated funds renovation building Western Cape Eastern Cape serves child center Other groupsinclude minister forum youth committee woodworking association women collective The youth group finalizing plans establish Sports Centre Land Institute Current World Affairs anewland ahomeforall asynthesisoftherichcul turalstrainswehaveinherited arethewordsofChief Luthuli They coupled King I dream children nation where judged content their character The words evoke profound feeling Nkoe Masilo people Freedom Square truly believe future theirs forthe making Dozens people found White House during Most against white bannis front porch waiting submit their applica tions obtain agovernmenthousing subsidy Eventhe councillor Freedom Square James Masiu found there Masiu working relationship staff Trust another indication uniqueness place people A visit neighboring squatter settlement Kapanong lightedtheextenttowhichthisrelationship isunique ACOMMUNITYDIVIDEDCANNOTSTAND Kapanong isdividedintofourwardsandthelargest isnamedafterthe ChrisHani Haniwasthe general secretary South African Communist Party chief staff Umkhonto Sizwe former armed African National Congress He gunned April driveway homebya Polishimmigrant The elected councillor ofKapanong therefore Chris Hani Jackson P Klaas Klaas representa African National Congress ANC hiscounterpartMasiu isnew politics Butunlike Masiu engaged power struggle ganizations operating Chris Hani One local branchofhisownparty theANC andtheother isthe South Africa National Civic Organization SANCO SANCOwas founded inMarch coordinate represent civic associations national level Its roots stretch 1980s civic groups organiz themselves around grassroots issues township services SANCO claims filiate civic associations However leadership SANCOisweak After democratic elections leadership positions national provincial local government Stripped sharpest brains civic association struggling redefine thenewpolitical order Iwasintroduced totwo leaders ofthe localANCand SANCObranct Tsietsi Khatla Nathanael Sefali while rested beneath shade outside downbuilding community office The three building contains chairs hardwoodbench Littleelse isthere exceptanarchitec tural drawing indicates suitable sites which build houses schools recreational fields inChrisHani KhatlaandSefaliwereexcitedto tellmeaboutacom munity cleanup organizing They SFG canvassed community support secured commitment local Depart Public Works supply garbage They invited mayor greater Bloemfontein How trouble The mayor agreed kickoff cleanup campaign provided Klaas attended The mayor clear desire community activists through accountable government structures But could guaran attendance theirward councillor They claim Klaas never After sittingandtalkingwith KhatlaandSefali hours I could power struggle tweenthemandKlaas isrootedsomewheredeepinthe The dispute however remains I listened intently failed comprehend really happening outside egosandmistruston allsides Wewantthecouncillor Khatla But before anything velopment Chris Hani community He community without first talking toSANCO It ironic unfortunate Khatla Se falihavetakenasgospelastatementmadebythe slain communist party leader admire Don trust politicians Hanionce Ishouldknow I myself KAPANONG SGOTPLENTYOFNOTHIN In cleanup never happened Chris Haniremains hostage litterand grime But worst As unsightly trash greater problem decaying spirit people Kapanong Mostare sopoorthat theydonotmeettheminimumre quirements qualify income housing subsidy government This means earnupto amonth NoneofKapanong smorethan4 shackshavetoi water about shacks arelocatedin ChrisHanisection There schools medical clinics child centers community Yet there temporary police station whichhasbeenthere since Unemployment stranglehold Kapanong The jobless estimated percent One fewbusinessmeninKapanong isFrancesKhalla chanic Khalla lived Kapanong years Originally Lesotho locked country inside South Africa worked diamonds mines Kimberley Johannesburg until retrenched Rather another white cheats saidhe decided repair Junked litter property Khalla occupies Inside rusted shellofonecar Ispottedaschool ageboy perhapsage sixorseven IaskedKhallaiftheboywashisson No nothing nowhere He likestoplayhereandIdon tmind Frances Khalla mechanic Kapanong Asignificantnumber school children inKapa nongareinthesamepredicamentastheboyinthe whichis theydo attend school Thosewhodo attend Rodenbeck School Rodenbeck housed storefront liquor convenience store Fif teachers instruct children eight makeshift classrooms Holes ceiling classrooms large The children lotbecause thewindows broken doors roofcan anytime Phillip Mohanoe Rodenbeck principal Moha added there toilets school The childrengo release themselves Schooling compulsory children between seven South Africa No child maybe turnedawayfrom public state aided private school forlackofmoney However manyschoolsare likeRo denbeck They resources accommo children Other reasons children attend school include hunger which affects learning shoes clothing parental apathy Parents themselves attend school value their children school Across South Africa least schools built 000new classrooms equipped million textbooks printed teachers cated trainedand eventually What smore nearly educators currently teaching black schools under qualified unqualified Klaas community identified where wants government build school However squatters occupied AlittleboyplaysinsideofarustedcaronFrancesKhalla sproperty Institute Current World Affairs PhillipMohanoe principalofRodenbeckSchool Kapanong cluding himself knows Local government should direct control As result nearly impossible prevent directgrow thinthe shanty settlement The needs Kapanong tower Klaas humble child wandered family rural white owned another He scribes rural slavery He fatherpushedhim ofschool toworkas laborer refused No I going white I afraid The white people treated slaves I really I needed urban Klaas hometo livewith sisterin atownship nearBloemfont nomoney school forced ofhigh schoolanyway Klaas readily admits while determination better Kapanong strong lacks education sources networks community support needed alleviate endemic poverty hardships experi enced people living there Most people havingempty stomachs Theyare think ofsomethingto Paved roads houses water other basic services eventuallycome Kapanong Fornow Klaas perately wants municipalbus community A Kapanong Bloemfontein municipal would cents compared of30centsinataxi Ifwecangetabusstop councillor almost prayerfully turned maybe people getjobs This Children atRodenbeckSchoolclosed inaroundmewhen theysawmypoint shootcamera place still behind Klaas added But ELBOW GREASE COMMUNITY SPIRIT PROGRESS Like Kapanong Freedom Square residents empty stomachs And community leaders arenomore educated Klaas They products Bantu education However Freedom Square thing going Kapanong In Freedom Square government community leadersworkaspartners indevelopment Drive around Freedom Square brick cement houses being constructed eight exact Themoney construc comes government housing subsidy The subsidy allows first buyers month build starter which 22x11 feetandhastworooms onedoor fourwindows andone middlewall Rather apply individual subsidies dents Freedom Square decided apply group AProject LinkedSubsidy isavailablefromthe government communities people build number houses group developer The Freedom Square Upgrade Commu Trust developer Freedom Square Housing Consolidation Project As developer Trust contracted private builder New Hous Company construct houses This contract stipulates builder employ workers Freedom Square We anyone coming JamesMasiu theelectedwardcouncillorforFreedom Square points toafoundationwhereahousewillbe built Br icklayers start construction standard house Bantu isatermusedbypre 1976NationalPartygovernmentstodescribethecountry sAfricanpopulation Itsucceededthe previous government Native Bantu Native education prepared Africans inferior place apartheid society Institute Current World Affairs ScenesJ brickyard Freedom Square outside doingalltheworkwhenourpeo Masilo And going materials outside Theblockandbricksusedtobuildthehousesareman ufacturedby Freedom Square Brickmakers Associa whichisone ofthe 15community basedprojects itiated Freedom Square Development Forum Seventy brickmakers belong association collectively The artisans produce concreteblocksand smallbricksamonth Thebrickyarditself isownedbythe Trust invested operation One termgoalsofboththe Trustandthebrickmakersa ssocia neighboring informal settlements bricksmanufactured thebrickyardwhenconstruction therebegins A dozen welders produce metal window frames houses Lucky T Rabela person charge Learn Teach Steel Supplier company makes window frames Rabela write probably heknows hisjoband heisteachingweldingto othermeninthecommunity The actual construction houses RosaMatekane dishesoutporridgeandchunksof stewed beeffor workers brickyard Awelder concentrates makingwindowframes workers belong either Freedom Square MorningStarbuilders associations Once againboth sociations initiated Trust So build erected houses theywillhave constructed Homes things taking shape Free Square Two primary schools opened month secondary school follow The government built schools salaries teachers there money janitors So every mothers grandmothers armed withbrooms buckets classrooms thorough cleaning As paycheck their services Ouma Kitsa theonemotherWhospoke English toldmethat their concern upkeep school In their sound education which includes clean learning environment money We wantto ofourcommunity Kitsa A similar sense commitment expressed volunteers school settlement Five womenspendeighthoursaday fivedaysaweek babies toddlers Yes would salary But circumstances luxury Parents month Institute Current World Affairs Volunteer cleaners Toka elementmj school amount enoug cover children Pam Mfila Leonora L May manage adult literacy program Freedom Square Neither woman lives community May lives neighboring black township Mfila coloured South Af sterm persons ofmixed descent The liter classes however Toka elementary school grade schools opened cently Tokameansjustice Sotho language Learners program number range Nearly women Men bored May compete withwomen catch The started February students sched write their firstexamsinNovember exercise thatthey eagerlyawaited The adult literacy program about result another community project which Mfila May involved With money their pockets decided train women housekeepers Their teach clean house groceries treat minor manage budget European dinner table clothes children elderly handicapped Punctuality positive attitude personality communication skills emphasized At course women given housekeeper certificate Mfila May about women succeeded getting housekeepers However during RosieMochekoanehopes todevelopamarketfor thewall trainingtheydiscoveredthatmost ofthewomenwere hangings weaves illiterate Trainingthewomenbecame difficultbecause SFG could write This Mfila May decided squatter settlement needed adult literacyprogram Mayis retired nurse Mfila experience field worker nongovernmental organizations volved community development The successfully applied private grant allowed contractwith University ofthe Orange Free State train educators special needsofadultlearnerswhose firstlanguage isnotEng Thegrantalsocoversthe salariesofteachers month teaching hours night aweek MfilaandMayare administrators program nothing The grant notcoveradministrative costs If women harbor resentment receive financial reward their forts In might mentioned I asked Instead filled myears stories about their student small traordinary successes Here story Foryears amotherdependedonher children deposit checks But woman pected childrenwere dipping herbankac count She could prove theory because illiterate Nowthat thewomanknowshowto writehernameand address doesherownbanking She completes deposit slips May motherly delight Sheis sohappy BLACK EMPOWERMENT THROUGH MICRO ENTERPRISES With construction Free Square Upgrade Community Trust focusing attention creation What having houseandyou havemoneyto Masilo One projects Trust trying ground involves establishment Multi Purpose Production Center The center envisioned Trust serve incubator develop A construction building identified start datehasnotbeen In meantime Trust containers natedbyshippinggiantSafmarine asworkingspace micro enterprises The containers valued ElisaMhlahlo andRosaMatekane operate restaurant containers They opened sixmonths Atypicalmealis chunks ofstewedbeefwith porri About meals served during lunch workers brickyard business generates between Before starting business neither Mhlahlo Matekane employed Thetwowomentoldme thattheyenjoyoperatinga needmore customers profitable The Trust charges amonthly donated containers However since generated enough income cover rentalnopaymenthasbeendemanded The Trust works closely Free State Depart Economic Affairs Tourism assist dents start micro enterprises In first meeting members administrative staff Upgrade Community Trust place assistant director economic development intheDepartment ofEconomic AffairsandTourism The provincial office working people mulate business ideas plans develop markets their goods services Rosie Moche koane forexample aweaver She learned craft native Lesotho Mochekoane together three Khatazile Masila Jacob Khumalo cente79 JamesMasiu right standinfromofMasiu shouse which almost complete Each I visited Freedom Square thethreeremindedmeto tellAmericandonorsaboutthe settlement The donors visiting Masilo They revisitingandeatingnice inJohannesburgandCape Town Noone visits Bloemfontein Queen Elizabeth either People things going smoothly Free State Institute Current World Affairs otherwomen share space Safmarine tainers Mochekoane takes about weave poster hanging She herselfanddoes theweavingbyhand Mochekoane lacks training knowledge needed transform talent abusiness She notknow forexample howto determine price forher artwork taking consideration thenumber ofhours spent weaving hanging materials needed generate profit Further shehadno ideawhere shemight thehanging completed MASAKHANE LETUSBUILDTOGETHERNOW Go Mr Mandela spirited response whites Africans everythingfromjobs housing This expres mentioned times African people under different circumstances Itake itasindicatinghowentrenchedracismisin society One damaging lasting effects apartheid African people remain depen dentonabaas whoisusuallyawhitepersonbut increasingly these black The always individual It institution government In majority African expect black government supply housing schools neighborhoods secure The problem government cannot Not Petrus march Freedom Square municipalpaypoint aneighboringtown About people joined All ernment municipal services houses lease Masakhane tional campaign restore culture payment among township residents Who participated boycotts during final years apartheid But response disappointing The mayor northern KwaZulu Natal Newcastle feared stones hurled angry townsfolk The protesters pelted their squashed slips inwhich stoneswere wrapped In Freedom Square different attitude exists among people We government Petrus itwilldeliver Giveandyoushallbegiven THEROADTOFREEDOM The Chief Albert Luthuli always difficulties South Africa million children million ofwhom African With unemployment rates around households cannot afford The government nothaveenoughresources financial otherwise rebuild nationwithout participation ofallSouth Africans Freedom Square close dards either Americans privileged South Afri appreciate Most shack dwellers jobless unskilled illiterate Their living space grossly inadequate They worry about where their nextmealwillcome fromandwhether forecast ofrain willwashawaytheirhomes Onemight expect people situation pletely overwhelmed sorrowful circumstances which themselves Or could pursue another route which government their expectations But neither attitude people Freedom Square conduct themselves They possess vision their mmunity andpeoplewith avision willnot perish THEINDEPENDENTDEVELOPMENTTRUST Over years Independent Development Trust IDT helped initiate almost development projects These projectsrepresentafinancial investmentofsome TheIDTstartedoutwithastaffoffivein1990 housed inonesmallbuilding inCapeTown nowhascloseto130 staffmembers offices inJohannesburg CapeTown Bloemfontein Durban Port Elizabeth several smaller centers around South Africa The Board Trustees IDT solely responsible formulation policy procedure deployment Trust funds IntheFreeState theIDThasallocatedfundsforthebuildingofschools roadsandcommunityhalls throughout province QwaQwa former homeland incorporated Free State isthemainbeneficiaryoftheTrustfundsintheprovince OneQwaQwaprojectinvolvesthe constructionofabridgethat linktwoisolated ruralcommunities Someofthe primarygoals IDTare break cycle poverty poorest communities empowerpoorcommunitiestocontroltheirown affairs enable individuals communities overcome dependency alienation caused apartheid toimprovethequalityof lifeandincomesofthepoorthrough betteraccessto essential basicser vices economic resources skills Main achievements ofthe IDT include The building classrooms The IDT hopes build total classrooms within three years reduce present backlog classrooms country million allocated program The IDT Capital Subsidy Scheme which provides serviced sites result people average seven dependents owning piece toilets Fundsallocatedtotheschemeamounttomorethan million The IDT given million towards loans enable disadvantaged students attend versities technikons Afewofthealmost9 000projects inwhichtheI DThasinvested Zulu Schools Trust For building classrooms rural KwaZulu Natal Valley Trust KwaZulu Natal Building equipping health center completing health centers Get Up Lending Trust To provide small loans informal sector business people Clinic Building Program Major grant building clinics Gazankulu Venda KaNgwane Bophuthatswanaand Transkei FinancialAidFund SASugarAssociation Fordrought relieftosmallcanegrowers Hambanathi KwaZulu Natal Bridging finance conversion hostels servicing plots building ofshowvillage Women Development Bank South Africa To promote micro lending NationalCouncil forthe Blind Foramulti racialfactoryforpeopleofall disabilities Institute Current World Affairs Printing costs sponsored QUAI EN 5August THE PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE imondieldsAdvertiser Volume4 By Jeffrey Metsing As resent month Mr Kholi resident FreedomSquareat number 35941 pained suicide again loved daughter created yetanother Three months Ms Thandiwe Paulina daughter Kholisile rived father place requested beborrowed herTV Comment Mr Kholisile later money stage released fetch battery Since where still gerous Thandiwe charged Instead recovered Thandiwe decided thedamagecausedby Finally battery drank July Fortunately Thandiwe sadly passed after taken having suffered hospital where slept weeks Pelonomi Hospital By Jeffrey Metsing Having realised African Na tionalCongressdeemed itfitandproper salute South African Communist Party anniversary munity ofFreedomSquare mustknow theSouth African CommunistP daugh ofour country Even though tripartite alliance ebrates anniversary together residents Freedom Squareoughtto standup andbeprac tically involved affairs housing project Untold problems evident their observation addressed attacked without fearofbeingremoved respec structures thbse serving within structures realise democ transparency gloves Ithas tothenoticeoftheconcerned residents local contractors expected build least houses weeks achieved munity informed Recently members ofthe Freedom Square Executive Committee meeting wheretheydiscussed necessityofinvolving other contractor outside Freedom Squareto andhastentheprocessofreach scheduled target Residents concerned question right structure involved housing projec Freedom Squarebecause itistheirdemocraticrightand transparency practised democ rendered Is imperative without question meetings ought frequently order JeffreyMetsing inform residentsabout thedevelopmentwith regard thebrickyardand theproduction functions Financially otherwise Last least community informedabouttheprosand ofFreedom Squarephasetwosince hasitthatthere problem connection allocations ofphase whilst there apposing party Thequestion whyshouldthisbethe Everybody socks question because people modation nothing TheFreedomSquarecommurtitydon tneed factionsmushroomingwithoutvalid where their monies involved It various structures operating inFreedomSquaretogetherwith local councillortostandupand involvethepeo At important residents toknowthatFreedom Squ areNews paperistheirsandtheymustknowthat itsin ception inform about everything happening Themainaimofthepaperwhen tablished bring money community informed times O Thandiwe tended school Tsoseletso Secondary school brilliant pupil school doing standard eight When asked could behav M Kholisile Even though deeply pained mylastborn daughter inform different structures Freedom Square especially youthorganisation ThelateMsThandiwePaulina elders Had organise recreational lackofcommu Thandiwc nication Thandiwe occasions where buried July would youth taught problems articu listen respect their FreedomSquareNewsbeganpublicatio tfivemonthsago It isaprojectoftheF reedomSquareUpgradeCommunity Trust Thecommunitynewsyapercomesoutonceamonthand5 000copiesaredistributedfi Jeff yMetsing isthewrite editorandadvertisingmanagerofthepaper Hesaidhischiefaim istokeepreadersinformedabouttheTrust itsleadersand community development SFG HODOSUBSIDIES VORH QJl_WIJJtttS dy_is ItwillalsotellyouwhattodoIfyouqualifyfor subsidy butdonotqualifyfor bankloanto gowithit Ifyouqualifyfor subsidyand bankloantogether explainedInSectionS thebankwilltellyouwhattodotogetthesubsidy Asubsidyis grantfromthegovernmenttohelpyoubuy buildyour Thereis computersystemthatknowsifyouhavehada subsidybefore Youwillonlyqualifyfor subsldy Itisnot cashpayment Thegov donotapplyifyouhavealreadyhad ernmentpaysthesubsidyforyoudirectlytothepersonsellingyouthehouse Tryingtoget secondsubsidyis criminaloffence Youcould orbuildingitforyou Youdon thavetopaythismoneyback gotoJailifyoutrytodothis RO VTHE GOVERNhENT Youwillqualifor subsidyif IYourtolhouseholdIncomeIsR35 lessrmonth YOUDON THAVE Youam timehomebuyer Youhavenotalreadybeengiven governmenthous TO PAYTHIS subsidy You single dependants married living paner You citizen South Africa foreigner permanent residence NE YBACK You 21yea older maiedintermsofcivillaw customaunion Subsd houses costing WHATSUBSIDY The subsidy Is linked total monlyhousehold income Lkatthe table rightto howmuchsubsidyyouwillqualifor state assisnce qualiN consoli dationsuidyshoinebleto righER11helpyou build pmrstratum yoursite isislessmoneythanthefullsu butItIs fairstem causepeoplewhogetthefullsub IIIhavetoyfor sitewlthselcesConsolldaUonsub sldles avallable projm This Is subsidy offered people within community which wishes build makes application Provincial Housing Board subsidies numberof houses group developer The developer people houses project But subsidy private company local authority another public sector developer It which belongs On basis signed social compact community developer WHERECAN APPLYFORA SUBSIDY If qualify subsidy without apply subsidy directly Provincial Housing Board office You application See directory cover The developer choose project linked scheme Ifyou applyingfor subsidyalongwith bankhomeloan thebankwillhelpyouapply You application forms subsidy local authority branch office Provincial Administration The numberof subsidies available depend housing budget government parliament Although housing budget bigger thaneverbefore noteveryonewillget subsidystraightaway Itwilltakemanyyearsfo reveryoneinSouthAfricawhoneedshelpwiththeirhousing toget Buteven therewillbemanyopportunitiestoget subsidy Housing subsidies given times IIThereisnowaiting IIYou applyeverythreemonthsandyouwillhave freshchanceeachtime subsidies allocated REhE THEGOODNEWS ISTHATTHEGOVERN ENTIS Oh vITTEDTOGIVINGHOUSINGHELPFORhNYYEARS TO O AE EA HYEAR ONEYWILLBE vADEAVAILABLEFORSUBSIDIES If qualify subsidy terms government requirements these simple steps Find house Make conditional Go Provincial buying If subsidy siteyouwanttobuy fertothesellertobuy HousingBoardtoapply housein approved gotothe buildertodothe theproperty thatyou foryoursubsidy project Theywillhelp workforyou willbeabletobu theprop sendthemyouapplication thedeveloper youapply theconditionthatyou notapplyingfor willhelpyouapply subsidy subsidyand loanwithyoursubsidy R emember individual sidiesaregivenouton first comefirst served Isis The GoodNews onHousinginformationappearedina special3g pagenewspapersupplement titledHome Truths HomeTruthsprovidedstep stepinformationonhowtoqualifijforasubsidyorhomeloan tobuyorbuildahouse Institute Current World Affairs The Institute ofCurrentWorld Affairs 4WESTWHEELOCKSTREET HANOVER NEW HAMPSHIRE 03755 ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED Institute Fellows their Activities AdamSmithAlbion Aformerresearchassociateat ReporterfortheBuenosAiresHeraldfrom1990to theworld sleadingproducerofcardiacdefibrilla theInstituteforEastWestStudiesatPragueinthe THEAMERICAS andmanagerofa 7milliondeveloping country Czech Republic Adam spending years study revolving Program Appropriate writing about Turkey Central Asia Sharon Griffin A feature writer contributing Technology Health PATH Seattle Pramila their importance actors Middle East columnist African affairs San Diego Union tracing roots India studying social issues former Soviet A Harvard graduate His Tribune Sharon spending years southern involving religion status women population Adam completed first Africa studying Zulu KwaZulu kingdom AIDS SOUTH ASIA M Litt degree Russian East European writing about nongovernmental organi languages Oxford University EUROPE zations fulfillment centers national needs John B Robinson A Harvard graduate RUSSIA developing countries where governments still certificate proficiency Institute KiSwa feeling their toward effective administration Zanzibar John spent years English Christopher P Ball An economist Chris Ball holds SAHARA teacher Tanzania He received Master degree B A University Alabama Huntsvil Creative Writing Brown University attended International Summer JohnHarris Awould belawyerwithanundergrad HeandhiswifeDelphine aFrenchoceanographer SchoolattheLondonSchoolofEconomics He uatedegreeinHistoryfromtheUniversityofChi arespendingtwoyearsinMadagascarwiththeirtwo studied Hungarian years Budapest while John reverted international studies after young Nicolas Rowland where serving Project Director Hungarian Atlan internship product liability department writing about varied aspects island nation Council As Institute Fellow studying Chicago years struggle survive industrial natural resource writing about Hungarian minorities former So graduate Russian University Washington exploitation effects rapidly swelling nations East Central Europe EU Seattle Based Moscow during fellowship ulation SAHARA ROPE RUSSIA John studying writing about Russia political parties begin difficult Teresa C Yates A former member American William F Foote Formerly financial analyst sition identities based personalities Civil Liberties Union national force Lehman Brothers Emerging Markets Group Willy their leaders positions based national workplace Teresa spending years South Af Foote examining economic substructure ternational issues EUROPE RUSSIA observing reporting efforts Mexico impact market reforms Mandela government reform national Mexico people society politics Willy holds Pramila Jayapal Born India Pramila tenure system A Vassar graduate juris doctor Bachelor degree Yale University history through primary secon University Cincinnati College Law Te Master sfromtheLondonSchoolofEconomics De daryeducation inIndonesia Shegraduatedfrom resahadaninternshipattheCentreforAppliedLe velopment Economics Latin America studied Georgetown University M B A Studies Johannesburg Basque history San Sebastian Spain He carried Kellogg School Management Evans studying feasibility including social intensive Spanish language studies Guate Illinois She worked corporate nomic rights South African constitution worked editor analyst PaineWebber accounts manager SAHARA Chosen basis character previous experience promise Institute Fellows young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment international events issues Author Griffin Sharon F Title ICWA Letters SubSaharan Africa ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH MaterialType Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Subjects Europe Russia East Asia South Asia Mideast North Africa The Americas