Lawley Station, 40 km south of Johannesburg. On this arid plateau, thousands of tin huts form a compact mass, through which a maze of dirt streets winds. That day, they were taken over by young people from the neighborhood dressed in fluorescent yellow outfits. In small groups, they work to measure the distance between each gate opening onto a group of cabins. Two steps for one meter. Smartphone in hand, Lesego Maphike indicates the location of an entrance on an application linked to Google Maps. “This is a place of worship. We try to be as specific as possible so that people can find their way. » She is one of around thirty volunteers recruited by the NGO Planact to map the neighborhood and assign an address to each property.
Planact, which has been fighting against the exclusion of vulnerable populations since 1985, launched this digital address program with the support of Google. The search engine provides the platform for listing homes and assigning them a “Plus code”, i.e. geographical coordinates simplified into a simple combination, usable on Google Maps. A blue plaque indicating the Plus code is then affixed to the homes.
Difficulty accessing emergency services
Residents are impatiently awaiting this new development. “As soon as there is a problem, it is very difficult to get help. We have to find help at the police station or at the liquor store, to then be able to guide them, it’s very laborious, and they are always hesitant.” complains Elizabeth Tshishonka, a resident of the neighborhood. Just opposite his house, the charred remains of a tin shack are the last witnesses of a violent fire that occurred a few days earlier, which caused the death of one of his neighbors. “It happened in the middle of the night, she remembers, dejected. They were heard crying and screaming for help. We called for help, but they didn’t arrive until early in the morning. There was someone inside, he burned to death, there was nothing we could do. »
Since most homes heat and cook with a wood fire or paraffin, the risk of fire is high, accentuated by the nature of the infrastructure. While the South African Constitution has guaranteed the right to decent housing since 1996, almost a quarter of the South African urban population is estimated to live in informal housing. At the very least, the authorities are trying to ensure a supply of electricity, water points and collective toilets. But the question of addresses is one of the many issues remaining unresolved.
Restoring dignity
However, this impasse on location aggravates the exclusion of already disadvantaged populations. “For example, they cannot open a bank account, explains Mike Makwela, Senior Program Coordinator at Planact. Their only solution is therefore to borrow an address from someone. » For less careful administrative forms, we will simply invent an address: “To enroll my son in school, I randomly put a name and a street number, explains Nonhlanhla Mabunga, a resident of the neighborhood. But in many situations, a transfer to the clinic for example, you need a real address. »
A problem that will be resolved with digital addresses, since they are also recorded by municipalities. “They support the project, Johannesburg in particular, rejoices Mike Makwela. It allows them to acquire a database on the number of homes in these neighborhoods, and therefore to improve urban planning. »
In total, 8,000 households have already benefited from the program, which has also made it possible to financially support 1,000 volunteers. After these successful pilot projects, the NGO now wishes to amplify the initiative, a first in southern Africa.