Housing in Southern Africa December 2015

News

Youth contractor delivers 115 houses The Deputy Minister of Human Settlements, Zoe Kota-Fredericks has called on young people to workwith government in building quality low cost houses.

T he Deputy Minister was accom- panied by the Executive Mayor of the Matlosana Local Munici- pality, Mike Khauoe, at the launch of the youth build programme in Kanana near Orkney. At the handover of 115 houses built by a youth contractor, she said that the Department of Human Settlements will continue to provide decent quality houses. Government want to see young people andwomen forming cooperatives, in order to get access to housing opportunities. Thomas Littler, the Provincial and National Best Youth Contractor Award winner at the Govan Mbeki Housing Awards 2015, was awarded the con- tract to build 187 houses in 2013. So far, Littler has delivered 115 houses. He said that he heeded the call by

The Deputy Minister, Zoe Kota-Fredericks, with Thomas Little r

government to become employers instead of relying on government for employment. After establishing his own company, he invested in skills development for the youth and says that the world would prosper if there is a concerted effort to support emerg- ing youth contractors. Government’s Youth Build programme aims to fa- cilitate the formation of youth owned entities; Initiate legal contracting

processes, agreements and arrange- ments between youth contractors, provinces, municipalities and main contractors; Develop an emerging contractor incubator training and mentorship programme; Facilitate the participation of youth contractors in the Govan Mbeki Human Settle- ments Awards and other excellence platforms; and housing allocations to youth owned contractors. ■

R165m for student accommodation

A veng Grinaker-LTA has been awarded a contract worth R165 million for the construction of a 602 unit, seven storey student boarding house with three levels of basement parking. The site is within walking distance of the University of Cape Town and the new accommodation is specifically targeted at students enrolled at the

University. The project is a good fit within Aveng Grinaker-LTA’s growing portfolio of coastal projects, some of themost significant being theDr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, the extension to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and the Aspen Pharmacare’s manufacturing facility in Port Eliza- beth. The site was recently handed

over to Aveng Grinaker-LTA’s Coast- al division during November 2015 and is scheduled for completion by November 2016. The multidisciplinary company offers a range of standalone or in- tegrated services which range from building, civil engineering and earth- works, to mechanical and electrical engineering. ■

December 2015