Tag Archive: housing and human settlements
March 14, 2013 6:58 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
In support of 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence, an international campaign focused on raising awareness about this issue, leading manufacturer of steel and aluminium products in South Africa, Duro, contributed to the building and donation of four two-bedroomed homes for disadvantaged families in Sokhulumi Village near Bronkhorstspruit in Gauteng. Duro partnered with the Department of Human Settlements, the City of Tshwane and South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) in this project. The company donated a variety of high quality, durable steel door frames, combination doors and window frames for the houses.
February 20, 2013 8:45 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
As a solutions-driven company, Lafarge, a world leader in building materials, manufactures innovative products designed to meet the needs of the building and construction industry.
November 14, 2012 9:28 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The City of Cape Town’s Human Settlements Contact Centre in Manenberg has recently been awarded a 4-star Green Star SA rating. It is the first newly built municipal building in South Africa to achieve a Green Star SA rating.
October 8, 2012 9:24 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) recently brought together members of the building industry at its 107th annual congress, convened under the theme Building South Africa. Invited speakers and panel discussions looked at future infrastructure trends, growth opportunities and the challenges and changes experienced in the construction sector. Experts from South Africa and other African countries shared their knowledge and highlighted the need for collaboration among stakeholders to promote the industry. Environmental issues and sustainability in building were a key focus as was the important role the industry can play in South Africa’s economic growth.
September 26, 2012 9:40 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Duro, one of the leading manufacturers of steel and aluminium building products in Southern Africa, has supplied windows and doorframes to phase 3A of the housing development currently under way in Langa, Cape Town. The development is being undertaken by the Provincial Department of Human Settlements and the City of Cape Town.
September 26, 2012 8:45 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Speaking at the handover of 49 houses at Mantheding Village outside Polokwane in Limpopo in July, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said the provision of bulk infrastructure remains one of the major challenges in delivering houses in rural areas.
Sexwale stressed, however, that this challenge did not mean that people in villages should be excluded from receiving houses.
September 26, 2012 8:38 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Well-known Cape property developer, Garden Cities, has expanded its Pinehurst, Durbanville and Sunningdale, West Coast developments significantly with the construction of several new residential villages at the two estates. In line with the company’s commitment to build quality homes with quality fittings, Cobra Watertech’s Dura range of taps and mixers were specified for the bathrooms and kitchens in all the new homes.
September 26, 2012 8:31 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The people living in South Africa’s second oldest township, Ngangelizwe in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, are happy with the installation of concrete block paving (CBP) on some of their roads and footpaths. In fact, such is their enthusiasm for concrete block paving that when the Eastern Cape Department of Roads and Transport proposed switching to asphalt instead of CBP in 2009/10, objections from the community led to a compromise. This saw tarring being restricted to a ring road around the township while four internal roads and some adjacent pavements were surfaced with CBP.
August 14, 2012 8:20 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
National Minister of Human Settlements Tokyo Sexwale has again raised the possibility of establishing a state-owned construction company, calling for debate on the idea.
Sexwale was addressing stakeholders in the construction industry in Pretoria recently when he reiterated the idea that he first mooted in his Budget Vote speech in parliament earlier this year.
August 14, 2012 7:36 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Saint-Gobain Gyproc is committed to manufacturing products that contribute to the reduction of energy usage in homes and address the need to combat South Africa’s mounting energy crisis, as detailed in the recently published legislation.
Gyproc uses mainly natural materials in the manufacturing of its products and recycled materials in its production processes. As a company Saint-Gobain saves more energy per year than it uses to produce its products.
July 9, 2012 10:22 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
ABP Building Products, specialist in the design, development, manufacture and marketing of alternative building systems that support energy efficiency, has changed its name, because of a naming rights conflict, to Eco Building Systems.
Rodney van Dam of Eco Building Systems says, “We focus primarily on using expanded polystyrene systems (EPS) to provide building products that withstand the impacts of rising building, energy and labour costs. With the promulgation of new energy efficiency legislation in the National Building Regulations, our products are playing a greater role in the South African building environment.
July 3, 2012 7:18 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale http://www.dhs.gov.za/live/ recently launched the R300-million high-rise Masimong Community Housing Project in Welkom in the Free State. The project is being undertaken as a partnership between government and the private sector, a response to the minister's call for more involvement in housing delivery from those outside government.
July 2, 2012 12:07 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture, initiated in 2009, seeks to identify and honour outstanding South African architectural projects that reflect sustainable outcomes. This year, following a vigorous adjudication phase, 12 qualifying entries have been announced for the 2011/12 awards programme.
The entries will be exhibited at the South African Institute of Architects Architecture ZA 2012 Biennale, to be hosted by the Cape Institute for Architecture in September, in the run-up to the announcement of the award-winning projects in October.
Entries for the 2011/12 AfriSam-SAIA Award for Sustainable Architecture were submitted under two categories – one for built work that has been beneficially occupied since 15 March 2011 and the other for works of social importance, including research.
May 22, 2012 12:15 pm
Published by Ruan van Heerden
Ahead of the presentation of the Human Settlements Budget Vote 2012-13 to the National Assembly last week (9 May 2012), Minister of Human Settlements, Tokyo Sexwale, highlighted the progress the department has made not only in the continuing development of housing and human settlements but also in rooting out the corruption that has, over past years, undermined the delivery of decent housing.
Interestingly, Minister Sexwale raised the question of whether government should not be turning to sizeable, established contractors and their BEE partners rather than the “wheelbarrow and bakkie brigade” to support its housing delivery commitments. He said that while some emerging contractors are genuinely committed to building houses of sound and long-lasting quality, many had shown themselves to be fly-by-nights, abusing taxpayers’ money and government’s resources.
May 22, 2012 11:58 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The R487-million Jabulani Housing Project in Soweto, launched at the end of March, will see the development of 1 919 community residential and RDP housing units completed over the next few years – replacing the existing hostels on the site which are to be demolished over time. The new housing units will provide a more family-oriented environment for hostel dwellers and people from other income groups.
May 22, 2012 11:19 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
At the 4th annual convention of the GBCSA (Green Building Council of South Africa) held in Cape Town last year, several residential green building retrofit projects were announced by GBCSA CEO Brian Wilkinson, including a British High Commission-sponsored ‘green street’ retrofit in KwaZulu-Natal, coinciding with Durban’s hosting of COP17.
Energy performance and the use of the most appropriate green building materials are key to sustainable building – in housing as in other sectors.
May 22, 2012 11:06 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
A new home built by Corobrik in Lwandle, Strand, is a “dream come true” for disabled resident Angelina Msizi – and a tangible way for Corobrik to show its support for the rights of women and children. The house is a part of the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements new Siyazama housing project which consists of 82 units.
Speaking at the official handover ceremony in April, which was attended by Bonginkosi Madikizela, Western Cape Minister of Human Settlements, Corobrik director Bertha Zwane said that the house had been built both as a way for the company to give back to those in need and to demonstrate the appropriateness of double skin clay brick construction with a face brick exterior wall as a ‘best solution’ for sustainable housing in terms of economic, social and environmental considerations.
May 17, 2012 11:52 am
Published by Ruan van Heerden
The Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) is offering architect-designed plans for a 40m² subsidy house, at no charge, to anyone wishing to use them. This initiative is seen by the CMA as one which, if adopted by the construction industry, will improve the quality and building productivity of subsidised housing significantly. Dubbed ‘The CMA House’, the project was officially launched by CMA director, Hamish Laing, at the South African Housing Foundation Conference in September last year.
Laing says the use of modular concrete masonry forms the backbone of The CMA House.
