Bernard Daniels, 41, and his girlfriend Yolanda Solomons, 31, from Cape Town live inside a tree. They survived two cold winters and even Valhalla Park’s gang violence in their tree-storey home.
The couple moved into the tree after they were evicted by their landlord – they were unable to pay the rent. Daniels and Solomons lived on the streets for a few months.
“We didn’t have a place to stay after we were put out,” Daniels told. “There was a pallet in this tree which was left there by the children who used to play in the tree and so we decided to move in. We then decided to make the tree our home because here we don’t have to pay rent.”
The couple said their tree house is cozy.
“Everything is closed up, so it’s really warm. We also don’t worry about load shedding because we use a candle,” Daniels joked.
Solomons said that on windy days they can feel the branches sway from side to side then she holds onto Daniels.
The couple even used to have a neighbour in their tree: “Our neighbour lived on top but he’s in jail now.”
When correspondent visited the couple, they were on their way back from fetching their five-year-old son from school. The boy currently stays with his grandmother.
The couple is desperately looking for jobs: “We must get out of this tree so we can give (our son) a better life,” said Daniels. “He really wants to stay with us but we can’t live here with him.”
Source: Iol
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