Imizamo Yethu

Imizamo Yethu (Xhosa, meaning "Our Efforts" and commonly known as Mandela Park or IY[2]), is an informal settlement in the greater Hout Bay Valley area. The 18 hectare settlement houses approximately 33 600 people..

Imizamo Yethu
Imizamo Yethu Township
Imizamo Yethu
Imizamo Yethu
Coordinates: 34°1′S 18°21′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceWestern Cape
MunicipalityCity of Cape Town
Area
 • Total0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[1]
 • Total15,538
 • Density27,000/km2 (71,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African91.6%
 • Coloured3.7%
 • Indian/Asian0.2%
 • White0.1%
 • Other4.4%
First languages (2011)
 • Xhosa59.5%
 • English10.7%
 • Afrikaans4.7%
 • Zulu3.4%
 • Other21.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
7806

Infrastructure

The settlement is lacking important infrastructure: minimal water supply, few toilets and no sewerage system. The Disa River which runs through this settlement has the highest level of e-coli bacteria that has ever been recorded in South Africa. The community living conditions were improved by the Niall Mellon Township Trust with their People's Housing Process in 2002. This non-profit organisation based in Ireland sent volunteers to build several hundred basic homes for individuals in Imizamo Yethu.[3]

Tourism industry

Residents provide tours of the preschool, day care, barber shop, auto shop, orphanage, grocery store and local pub. Many locals will also invite tourists into their homes where they sell hand-made bead work and jewellery.[4]

2017 Fire

On 11 and 12 March 2017, a large section of Imizamo Yethu was devastated by fires that killed 3 people, destroying 3,500 homes and displacing 15,000 people.[5]

Media related to Imizamo Yethu at Wikimedia Commons

References
  1. "Main Place Imizamo Yethu". Census 2011.
  2. ""imizamo yethu" "mandela park"". Google. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-05-03.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g469392-d2633502-Reviews-Imizamo_Yethu_Settlement-Hout_Bay_Western_Cape.html
  5. Etheridge, Jenna (13 March 2017). "Rehabilitation underway after devastating Hout Bay blaze". News24. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
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