June 2012

Housing in Southern Africa's June issue highlights Coega Ridge, one of the largest sustainable housing estates in the country. The 3 177 ha mixed integrated development is situated adjacent to the Coega Industrial Development Zone in Port Elizabeth. The county's most prestigious Govan Mbeki Human Settlement Awards took place at Gallagher Estate and honours those in the housing sector who promote best practice. Real and relevant, Housing in Southern Africa spoke to the National Home Builders Registration Council Acting CEO, Jeffrey Mahachi, on the regulator's future. Durban's upmarket North Coast suburb of Umhlanga will provide housing opportunities for first time home owners. Eskom has partnered with Cobra Watertech to rollout a mass residential programme which will replace inefficient water and energy devices at no charge.

Coega Ridge - a global benchmark!

Coega Ridge will be a benchmark, not only for other South African developers, but globally, of how to create an integrated, sustainable lifestyle for people irrespective of their financial or social status. Developing Coega Ridge into one of the largest housing estates in the country's history will bring back a living-space vibrancy that has been sorely missed in much of the country. The 3177 ha site is situated adjacent to the Coega Industrial Development Zone, 20km from Port Elizabeth's Central Business District.

The Govan Mbeki Awards

The prestigious national annual Govan Mbeki Human Settlement Awards honours those in the housing sector who promote best practice, as well as excellent projects, the best contractors, and municipalities who deliver and go the extra mile.

NHBRC's future

The National Home Builders Registration Council has an obligation, like any other regulator, to constantly ensure that it remains relevant and responsive to the needs of government, its customers and the home built environment as a whole.

Affordable housing in Umhlanga

Durban's upmarket North coast suburb of Umhlanga will provide affordable housing opportunities for first time owners. International Housing Solutions, private equity funder, is set to finance The Mews, a 477 sectional title affordable housing development in Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal.

Eskom opts for Cobra for Residential Mass Rollout

Cobra's eco-friendly shower technologies have been specified in Eskom's national energy efficiency programme. South Africa's plumbing and sanitary ware market leader, Cobra Watertech, has been selected as a national partner in Eskom's new Residential Mass Rollout Programme that aims to implement certain energy saving technologies in homes across the country.

The programme has been scheduled to run until December 2015 and it aims to assist homeowners with the opportunity to replace certain energy inefficient water and lighting devices in their homes with energy saving technologies, free of charge.