Local pharmaceuticals company Cipla Medpro’s corporate social investment (CSI) arm, the Cipla Foundation, has launched an initiative aimed at mitigating the growing shack fire crisis plaguing informal settlements across South Africa.

The project, called Ajuga, has already facilitated the installation of three fire-resistant structures – two in Du Noon, Western Cape, and one in Siyanda, KwaZulu-Natal – which were erected to replace local crèches already operating within the settlements.

The first round of installations formed part of a testing phase to ensure a smooth roll-out process in the future.

Cipla Foundation trustee and ambassador David Grier tells Engineering News that three more units will be erected by the end of the month. Plans are under way to replace another 20 crèches already being run in informal settlements, with the help of nongovern- mental organisations (NGOs).

“The Ajuga initiative aims to ensure that, if there is a fire, the most vulnerable people of the community will be protected. We also plan to provide children with a place of safety and hope to improve their schooling conditions,” says Grier.

The Cipla Foundation is, therefore, locating existing crèches and providing them with safe infrastructure “to further enhance what NGOs are already doing by making the crèches safe, robust and fire resistant,” says Grier. He adds that working closely with NGOs will help the foundation ensure that every crèche is licensed and operating lawfully.

So far, the foundation has been working with Western Cape-based NGO Little Lambs Christian Daycare, which helped pilot the first two projects.

Grier further explains that the Ajuga unit, which is one of the most effective fire- resistant structures available, comprises a patented steel structure and fire-retardant panels, which have been fire-tested to 1 000 °C.

These panels comprise a sandwich construction, with an outer layer made from fire-resistant virgin and recycled plastic, an inner core of vermiculite mix – a nontoxic hydrous silicate mineral with a high water- holding capacity – and an inner skin of chromadek steel sheeting.

The roof of the unit comprises fire-resistant plastic sheeting made from recycled plastic materials, supplied by chemical engineering company Amplast.

“The unit, which takes up 16 m2 of floor space, takes one day to assemble and is fitted with standard windows and doors. Moreover, services such as water and electricity can be installed,” says Grier, who co-designed the structure with his team of designers and fireproofing experts.

He tells Engineering News that the most important factors in the innovation process were finding the correct composite for the panels and devising a way to attach them to hold the structure together without bending or collapsing.

“Once we perfected those two processes and put it all together, it was incredible to see the fire test and witness how the structure stood up to it,” he says, adding that one of the challenges in designing the Ajuga unit was deciding how to lay the foundation of the structure.

He explains that the ground at informal settlements is often uneven and poses drainage problems, among other complications. In addition, the structure needs to be packaged as a kit to make it as easy as possible for a crew to assemble it, with minimal skills required.

With this in mind, Grier and his team designed the Ajuga structure as a free- standing unit built onto a steel frame with legs. This frame doubles as the packaging used to transport the unit.

“The final assembly of the unit on site is simple. Once the unit is unpacked, the outer case becomes the floor and the rest of the unit is assembled around this with interlocking walls and the steel support frame. The roof is then attached and, within a day, the unit is ready for occupation,” he explains.

The Cipla Foundation trained an initial team of three to erect the pilot Ajuga units in the Western Cape. This team has assembled units in other provinces, while training additional assembly crews in various regions.

The foundation is sourcing the vermiculite used in the fire-retardant panelling from China- and India-based suppliers. However, by the end of August, it will have established a local manufacturing plant in the Western Cape. This plant will source the mineral from vermiculite mines in Phalaborwa.

“This will contribute to growing the local economy and increase the production rates of the Ajuga structures,” says Grier.

Cipla Medpro marketing director Rynard van der Westhuizen says Ajuga aims to build relationships with communities, corporate South Africa and individuals. He believes the initiative will work with the help of nonprofit organisations and community leaders in informal settlements who need to identify vulnerable crèches that need refurbishment.

“We, therefore, encourage companies and the nation to help ignite hope in these communities by sponsoring crèches to deal with this growing issue,” he says.

Grier tells Engineering News that, in addition to significant contributions from Cipla Medpro, local commercial banks First National Bank and Nedbank have each sponsored the construction of an Ajuga unit.

“Each unit we deploy becomes a small business for someone running a crèche. The Ajuga initiative, therefore, provides employment and enterprise development. It’s also a great way for companies to get involved. The units are tangible, so companies know where their money is being spent,” he concludes.