Home would be bomb-shelter

2003-05-22 08:39

Marietie Louw

Pretoria - If Happy Sindane is, indeed, Jannie Botha from Danville in Pretoria, an old bomb shelter may be his new home.

This old underground bomb shelter at Kwaggaspoort rescue council in Danville has been the home of Jan-Hendrik and Sarie Botha and their daughter, Christina, 14, for the past few years.

Botha works as a security guard in the Pretoria city centre during the day, and his wife works at the needlework centre of the rescue council.

About 45 people live in the Kwaggaspoort rescue council in Danville, some in sheet-iron houses and some in an old double-decker bus. The residents pay a small amount monthly and get three meals a day.

Lenie Pretorius started the rescue council 18 years ago.

"I first ran it from home, but too many people came to us for help and we decided to expand the facility."

Provide food and shelter

About eight years ago, the rescue council moved to an old defence-force building in Viviers Street.

"People who have lost their homes and have no other refuge for food and shelter, live with us," said Pretorius.

Some of the men who live at the rescue centre work during the day in the woodwork or metalwork shops.

Gerhard Pretorius, who runs the workshops, said the residents restored old furniture and made wooden furniture, security gates, burglar-proofing, palisade fencing and gates.

The rescue council also has a spinach garden and grows parsley trees for sale.

Mrs Pretorius said the centre often battled financially as it received no government subsidy.

"It is especially difficult in winter, because we have a shortage of warm clothes and blankets."

- Beeld