Housing in Southern Africa July 2015

Bricks & Paving

Clay pavers for Ballito’s walkways Entering the bustling coastal town of Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast, pedestrians are welcomed by the recently completed walkways made up of Corobrik’s range of clay pavers.

the perfect choice for an outside area that will have to endure high levels of foot traffic. The pavers undergo an intense firing process, and offer outstandingdurabilitywhile retaining colour over time. “In many of the inner city and urban landscape upgrades across South Africa, the colourfast hues of fired clay have provided stylish, urban environments.” He said clay pavers are also a safe choice as they are smooth, easy to walk on and skid resistant in wet weather. Zayne Sayed, Contracts Manager of road earthworks and road construction company, Afriscan installed thepavers. Sayedcomments that themain challengewas to ensure the safety of the pedestrians while working. The construction team needed to remain focused on the work during the period of high traffic volumes in Ballito. ■

A total of 3 600m² Burgundy pav- ers havebeenused to construct the sidewalks and islands along both sides of Ballito Drive, extending from Greenfields Road near the new N2 interchange, all the way to the M4 intersection. Dave Duke of SMEC South Af- rica, engineering and development company says, “Ballito has experi- enced phenomenal growth in recent years and required a major road and sidewalks upgrade to provide for in- creased traffic and ensure pedestrian safety. Duke says that the the trans- formation of the old low-volume, rural-type access road into a new, vibey, urban environment required

improved aesthetics.” SMEC South Africa started the project on August 2014 and completed it in June 2015. Corobik’s Burgundy pavers were chosen to create a rich colour, con- trast and herringbone pattern for the urban environment. Duke says the herringbone pattern was selected because of its increased interlocking strength that ensures the movement of pavers is limited and the risk of lifting is reduced. Depending on future urban design, upgrades and budget availability, Duke adds that the paving could be extended to other parts of Ballito. Corobrik’s Director of Sales Allin Dangers, says the clay pavers were

July 2015