| The children in the Ikhaya Elementary School located | | | | instill firm and reliable housing for every resident, |
| in the Khayamandi Township outside of Stellenbosch, | | | | whether aiding in the recontruction of old homes |
| South Africa were asked to voice complaints about | | | | damaged by the harsh winter and summer months, |
| their living standards. Inadequate housing was of main | | | | or simply offering newer housing at affordable rates. |
| concern in the letters written on scrap paper with | | | | As the same children from Ikhaya Elementary school |
| broken pens and pencils. Lacking proper structures, | | | | ran around in their school play yard, they all froze and |
| the slums these children were forced to call "home" | | | | huddled together in laughter with the mayor of |
| had barely survived the wettest and longest winter | | | | Stellenbosch, Cameron Mcako for a photo. |
| on record in over 100 years. | | | | Addressing their housing concerns yet again, the |
| The forboding clouds brought with them each day | | | | mayor now had a solid plan in place, which better |
| and night violent rains and winds strong enough to | | | | addressed the needs of the public and was already |
| break the glass on windows-if one could afford glass | | | | underway. Within the first ninety days, the mayor |
| windows. The tin roofs atop these houses were | | | | and his council sought approval on their projections, |
| battered. The walls, full of holes, and the gaps | | | | and it was granted. |
| between poorly structured foundations left warped | | | | Tariff structures, he explained in both English and |
| wooden sides and breaches for the rats and wild | | | | Xhosa, had been approved for water services. A |
| dogs to enter. Beyond the lack of standard | | | | complete water services business plan was |
| compounds, many of these homes lacked running | | | | underway. His council has elected professional |
| water and electricity: basic components to a decent | | | | consultants to evaluate and create a master |
| standard of living. | | | | transportation plan easing the children's walk to and |
| While noting the damage done to configured homes, | | | | from school, among any other locations. Pedestrian |
| the mayor arrived at Ikhaya Elementary School to | | | | routes and cycle paths were now in development, |
| address the complaints of these children in person. His | | | | making it safe for the children to walk in the early |
| solution: Instead of offering a component to | | | | mornings or evenings, and easing the minds of the |
| reconstruct the current homes and bring them up to | | | | parents and children alike. The design link had been |
| a decent legal code and basic human standard of | | | | initiated. |
| living, building one hundred additional homes, more | | | | In other areas, waste management and waste |
| stable than these at the very back end of the | | | | management services were also underway. A |
| township, opposite the school and main market. While | | | | complete solid waste management business plan was |
| seemingly a bright idea to these young children, those | | | | designed, and the tariff structure for the solid waste |
| audience members of an adult age were not so | | | | management was approved. Also, wheelie bin roll-out |
| easily convinced. This new idea would take time and | | | | plans were subject to the Portfolio Committee's |
| money, but even after the construction was initiated | | | | approval. The Bergzicht Taxi Rank was being |
| and completed, the homes were only offered to | | | | upgraded to provide adequate shelters and taxis. |
| those who could afford them. Those who could | | | | Finally, a skills development plan was created to |
| afford them, however, were not generally residents | | | | provide a professional and motivated workforce. |
| in the township to begin with. | | | | The children continued their laughter and their games, |
| Leaving the smiling faces of the children, mouths full | | | | as the mayor and his translator jumped rope, tossed |
| of gifted bottles of coke and King Pies, the mayor | | | | a football, and set their minds at slight ease for the |
| and his selected team from the municipal government | | | | hard work they had done and the better future they |
| are left to reconstruct a compromise which would | | | | had created. |