The Irish government has approved a €5-million grant (about R50-million) for building township houses in South Africa.
Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern announced details of the grant — made to the Niall Mellon Township Trust — in Cape Town on Monday during an official visit aimed at, among other things, monitoring projects funded by Irish Aid, a government development agency.
The Niall Mellon Township Trust is the largest provider of charity housing in South Africa, and has built more than 5 000 houses for shack-dwellers over the past six years.
The trust is well known for its recruitment of hundreds of Irish volunteer builders, who give of their time and expertise to visit South Africa each year to build houses for the poor.
Ahern is also set to visit Tanzania. He is accompanied by representatives from 50 Irish and Northern Ireland companies. — Sapa