An incredible shack in Cape Town is going viral and changing perceptions!

Photo Cred: Youtube Screengrab

The self-taught builder cannot read or write but was able to design and build the amazing “palace” by himself.

Western Cape, South Africa – The most incredible interior-designed shack in Cape Town has gone viral and is changing the way we all think about what it means to live in an informal settlement.

Cape Town etc. broke the story of Fernando Mkhabela, a builder who has broken all the boundaries with his fantastic home in Joe Slovo.

Joe Slovo is an informal settlement in Langa, Cape Town. Like many other informal settlements, it was named after former housing minister and anti-Apartheid activist, Joe Slovo. With over 20,000 residents, Joe Slovo is one of the largest informal settlements in South Africa.

South African photographer Joshua Rubin, who you may remember from the video of a Cape Town man taking his family’s helper for her very first driving lesson which went viral in 2017 – has created another viral video, this time focusing on Mkhabela’s beautiful creation.

According to the video, Rubin met Mkhabela, a self-taught builder, plumber and electrician, after he had raised enough money to help build a better house for Christopher, another South African in desperate need of help. Mkhabela had offered to help build Christopher’s home and offered for Ruben to visit his shack to see his “work”.

“We went back to his shack on the second floor of a container, and when I saw it, I was blown away! It has running water, electricity and the architecture is amazing! The best part about it is he did it all himself. We became good friends, and I can’t wait to do more work with him,” said Rubin.

The incredible home which he calls his haven has electricity, running water and is tiled. The self-taught builder cannot read or write but was able to design and build the amazing “palace” by himself.

Mkhabelo’s favourite aspect of design and building is ceilings. He loves to create unique designs for ceilings as he loves looking up to beauty.

The talented builder is trying to make a better life for himself, and he is planning on moving out of the area as soon as he can – because of the crime – but is very content to live in such a beautiful space until he can.