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.^{[citation needed]}.

Imizamo Yethu
Imizamo Yethu Township
Imizamo Yethu Show map of Western Cape Imizamo Yethu Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 34°1′S 18°21′E
Country	South Africa
Province	Western Cape
Municipality	City of Cape Town
Area [1]
• Total	0.57 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	15,538
• Density	27,000/km2 (71,000/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	91.6%
• Coloured	3.7%
• Indian/Asian	0.2%
• White	0.1%
• Other	4.4%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Xhosa	59.5%
• English	10.7%
• Afrikaans	4.7%
• Zulu	3.4%
• Other	21.7%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	7806

Infrastructure

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 three people, destroyed 3,500 homes and displaced 15,000 people.[5]

References

External links

• Home of Hope in Imizamo Yethu

Media related to Imizamo Yethu at Wikimedia Commons