May 2012

Housing in Southern Africa's May issue features Cosmo City, the first blueprint for a sustainable integrated human settlement piloted by the City of Johannesburg with Gauteng's Department of Housing and Developer Codevco (Basil Read). Malibongwe and Beyond, Basil Read's new Uptown project at Cosmo City will provide beneficiaries of RDP houses with two additional rental units attached to each property. This will provide the beneficiaries with an additional income source from the rental stock. The magazine has a number of features on energy efficient technologies including ceiling insulations, solar and cost effective building systems that are popular with community projects and mining housing initiatives.

Malibongwe and beyond

Cosmo City, north west of Randburg, was the first blueprint for a sustainable integrated human settlement piloted by the City of Johannesburg, with Gauteng's Department of Housing and developer Codevco (Basil Read). A recent independent socio-economic study of Cosmo City assessed the development value at R15 billion. The next development in the north western node is Malibongwe Ridge, which will provide housing for the 3 000 informal settlements residents at Itsoseng. With Township Environmental Impact Assessment approval in place the only constraint is the budget. The project includes 1 324 Gap market units and 303 bonded on the 164 ha site. Services such as electricity, water, rates and taxes will be prepaid.

Community opt for Stumbelbloc

Stumbelbloc has fast become first choice in hollow core construction blocks for the simple reason that the system is extremely economical. It is easy to use and the blocks are extremely durable. An American aid organisation recently built 16 homes for Aids orphans in Welkom, using Stumbelbloc's system, on land donated by the Harmony Mining Group. The versatile interlocking hollow core construction blocks can be used for construction of residential, retail, commercial and light industrial buildings.

GPF's new lease on life

The Gauteng Partnership Fund has a new lease on life. Originally the Public Private Partnership facilitator and broker was established by government with R450 million and had a pre-determined lifespan. The development financial institution provided products to the banking sector and developers to mitigate risk in the lower end of the housing market. GPF aims to deliver over 1 000 units per year and almost 4 000 by 2015.

Energy efficient showhouse

The GHW Group aims to make inroads in RDP, community and mining housing projects to deliver alternative energy efficient houses. Housing in Southern Africa visited their Alberton plant. The showhouse is really impressive. The design, shape and size of the new alternative energy house includes a raft-foundation slab of concrete reinforced with cross-braced steel. The wall panels are 1.2m x 2.4, 2.7 or 3m consisting of fibre-cement outerboards filled with polyurethane. The Group offers a variety of windows from mild steel, wooden or aluminium frames and all the windows are fitted with blinds. The outer doors are solid oak, fitted with aluminium handles and five-lever locks and interior doors are standard hollow-core.