B u i l d i n g  C o m m u n i t i e s       B u i l d i n g  L i v e s

Existing projects

Litakoemi

The first building managed by Yeast and purchased in 2000, was Litakoemi at 287 Visagie Street.  When PCM rented and managed the building in 1993, it was only 30% occupied and all the residents were white.  Within a month of their management the building was 100% occupied with a good racial mix of tenants.  It became a sign of reconciliation to us, as people found ways to live together creatively.  Those beginning years were filled with energy as people still had to discover each other, and had to respect the cultural diversity that they were suddenly faced with.

In 2000 Yeast City Housing was granted housing subsidies, and together with a contribution from Bread for the World (Germany) we were able to secure and upgrade this property

Hofmeyr House

In 1998 Yeast City Housing entered into a long term lease agreement with the YMCA to manage the Hofmeyr House facility in 460 Van der Walt Street.  This was quite a challenge as we took on management when the building had a debt of R 200,000 with the City Council, as well as a number of smaller debts, and only 60% of tenants paid their monthly rents.

We were able to salvage the situation, to pay off all the City Council debt within a year, and to stabilize the rental income to above 90% within two months.  In 2002 we were also able to upgrade the facility with housing subsidies from the Gauteng Housing Department

Inkululeko Community Centre, Salvakop

Yeast City Housing purchased its first property in 1998, namely a church building and adjacent house in Salvakop.  This property is today known as the Inkululeko (freedom) Community Centre, hosting a pre-school care-centre, children’s programmes, a swimming club, the community development forum, community churches, and a guest facility accommodating some of the staff as well as student volunteers working with TLF/PCM and/or Yeast.

The ownership and management of the property lies with Yeast, whilst the TLF/PCM is responsible for programme and community development.

Living Stones

The Living Stones Community House is a creative partnership between Yeast City Housing and the City Methodist Mission.  This complemented the church’s creative combination of a worship facility, with small enterprises, a day care centre, an HIV/AIDS centre, and a refugee office.  The church made roof space available on the first floor of their property for the development on 27 communal housing units and one institutional housing unit.  This project has been operational since April of 2003 and written up as a best practice case study by the Social Housing Foundation.

The Jubilee Centre

The Jubilee Centre in Burgers Park Lane was build as part of a broader vision to develop a multi-purpose inner city community centre.  It was the first multi-purpose apartment complex developed by Yeast City Housing, offering 16 family units, and also accommodation The Potter’s House, the offices of Yeast City Housing and the Tshwane Leadership Foundation, as well as a small chapel.  This was the first medium-density residential development in the central part of the inner city in 20 years.  It was noted for the way in which it combined high levels of integration, a low and efficient budget, and an aesthetically pleasing design and construction.

The Potter’s House was established in 1993 but only received housing subsidies in 2000 as one of the pilot projects of the Gauteng Department of Housing in their transitional housing programme.  The newly built Potter’s House has become a model transitional housing facility for women at-risk, offering 24 beds to women-at-risk and their children.  The property is owned and managed by Yeast City Housing, whilst TLF/PCM is managing the social development programme in the facility.  It was incorporated into the development of the site on Burgers Park Lane.

Kopanong

Yeast was able to purchase a vacant site in 292 Scheiding Street from the Gereformeerde Kerk Pretoria.  Strategically located near the Tshwane Central Station, and right next to the historic Melrose House, this is our second largest institutional housing project, offering 62 apartments.  Tenants started to move in on the 1st of December 2004.

Sediba House

Another creative partnership gave birth to the Sediba House project.

Yeast entered into a 20-year lease agreement with its sister organization in the city, Pretoria Evangelism & Nurture (PEN).  PEN, the landlord of this property, is responsible for managing and developing the ground floor and first three floors, using them for ministry work, small business, a seminary of the Uniting Reformed Church, and office space for various church-based or mission-based organizations.

Yeast agreed to convert and manage floors 4-6 into 45 apartments units.  The first tenants also moved in on the 1st of December 2004.

Rivoningo Care Centre

AIDS is a reality in the inner city of Pretoria, like anywhere else.  The TLF/PCM Street Ministry identified a critical need among homeless people who have full-blown AIDS, to find suitable accommodation that will also provide specialist care, and a place off the street once they become terminally ill.  In conjunction with Yeast City Housing the dream of a care centre for homeless people with AIDS was developed.  The first Special Needs Housing Subsidy by the City of Tshwane was allocated to this project by the Gauteng Department of Housing.

Refurbishment of the house secured for this purpose started in January of 2004.  Today the Rivoningo Care Centre is in operation and many people move through its doors annually, either recovering to the point of being discharged or dying peacefully in a caring environment.

Tau Village

In August 2010 at the prestigious event held to launch TAU Village, the national Minister of Human Settlement, Mr. Tokyo Sexwale with other dignitaries were present. The Minister said, “People keep moving closer to the city because the city is vibrant…”  He added that Tau Village and the work that Yeast and its partners have done to revamp is an example for the rest of South Africa.

The Village is located at 279 Struben Street in the City Centre, a block away from the taxi rank, and surrounded by different retail stores including the newly constructed Blood mall, newly renovated government departments, and the National Library. It is also on one of the main transport routes.  You can hear the sound of the lions roar, as it is not far from the Zoological gardens.

The well articulated brief required a socially inclusive village and an equally creative architect to make it a success.  It boasts of 109 units that include a new for Lerato House for 20 girls-at-risk, a home for eight elderly people, a crèche accommodating 24 children, commercial shops on the ground floor, two units for people with disabilities, and 79 self contained family units.

Tswelelang Foster Care Home

Many socio-economic issues have led to broken families and an alarming growth in the number of young girls living on the streets. In responding to this challenge, PCM (as it was then called) established a shelter for them in 1993, called Lerato House.  Later it was found that some of these children were too young, or could not be re-united with their families and needed a more permanent home, working together with PCM we were able to secure a suitable facility at 36 & 38 Loop Street, Berea, Pretoria.  With generous support from the Department of Human Settlements the plan to renovate these tow houses became a reality.

We now accommodate a total number of 10 young girls aged between 11 and 18.  The girls are under the supervision of two house mothers and all now attending school.  This is yet another practical demonstration of how vulnerable children can be given a better quality of life when we all put the shoulders to the wheel.  Arrangements can be made for anyone who wishes to visit Tswelelang by calling 012-320 6239 / 012-320 3588.