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August 2015
Housing
nowa key requirement for any builder
to be registered with provincial hu-
man settlements departments’ data
base for contractors that are pre-
approved.”
The CIDB certification will en-
able registered home builders reg-
istered on the NHBRC database to
provide bulk services to provincial
departments and not only build the
residential component. Both entities
collaborate on training programmes,
certification processes and deal with
the three spheres of government.
GRADING SYSTEM
The NHBRC has listened to sector
players and the state entity has gone
back to the drawing board, is current-
ly consulting widely with the sector
on a builders’ grading system. Mnyani
says that the NHBRC’s research unit
will ensure that the evaluation pro-
cess, grading criteria and builders’
concerns have been addressed and
that the framework is generally ac-
cepted in the sector. “Builders raised
their concerns during the consultative
process on non-compliance issues,
regulations and disciplinary hear-
ings. These need to be addressed.
Some of their concerns are valid
and we cannot have a ‘one size fits
all’ grading criteria - otherwise new
builders, or those on a lower grading
will be unable to competewith bigger
companies. It is a valid point and we
need to relook at this.”
EPHP
In the Enhanced People’s Housing
Process (EPHP) in rural and peri-
urban areas, the NHBRC provides
provincial government departments
in the sector with full-time engineers,
who form part of the planning team.
“Right from the start the NHBRC
has had a voice in the planning
process and there has been real ap-
preciation at provincial and local mu-
nicipality level for the advice offered
by the engineers on projects during
the approval process. We have seen
a greater collaboration between the
three spheres of government, which
has lacked in the past, as some proj-
ects were not enrolled.”
This will also enable the NHBRC
to support government’s 1,5 million
housing target to be reached by 2019.
1,5 MILLION HOUSES
With the NHBRC’s technical capac-
ity and project management office,
the state entity is becoming a valu-
able resource for the Department of
Human Settlements. Mnyani points
out, “We make sure that contractors
meet the home building regulations
and that we are assuring that the
houses built are of a good qual-
ity. Our reports provide the Ministry
with data checks and balances on
the number of houses opportunities
being delivered. The NHBRC’s train-
ing programmes provide registered
home builders with the requisite
skills, to deliver quality housing and
build capacity. We are now planning
to reach more homebuilders so that
they can also benefit from the various
training programmes underway in
various provinces.
BUILDERS’ MANUAL
The NHBRC has revised the Home
Builders Manual which will be ga-
zetted and approved by government.
The NHBRCwill be launching the new
manual that incorporates the SANS
10400 XA, which is provided by the
South African Bureau of Standards.
Mnyani says it will benefit the home
builders as the manual is simple and
easy to understand, irrespective of
the builders’ technical abilities.
“Previously, the formulaewere highly
technical and we have simplified this
by visually explaining the formulae
in drawing form. There has been a
positive response from the sector,
and for the NHBRC this is exciting, as
it is something that individuals can
understand and not something cre-
ated by bureaucrats.”
He goes on to explain that the
NHBRC has been collaborating with
the Green Building Council of South
Africa (GBCSA) in order to establish a
star rating system. “We are looking
various incentives for the builders
in order to undertake more hous-
ing projects with energy savings
mechanisms,” saysMnyani, “andhave
presented a plan which will benefit
home builders. It will help people
plan better, save on electricity as well
as offer other incentives.”
MYTHS
Mnyani dispels the myths and per-
ceptions that Innovative Building
Technologies (IBTs) or Alterna-
tive Building Technologies (ABTs)
are not equal to brick and mortar
homes. “This is simply untrue. We are