Housing in Southern Africa

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July 2015
Infrastructure & Mixed Use
The development is on track
to break ground in 2018, with
infrastructure services for the
first phase of construction of 5 000
houses.
Michael Vorster of Aurecon, the
civil engineers for the project, says
that one of the main challenges of
the project was coordinating with all
the stakeholders involved in order to
source and gather the information
needed for the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) report.
He explained that, as with any
project of this size, everything, from
socio-economic and water resources
to archaeology, biodiversity and the
economic environment, needs to be
analysed, assessed and planned. This
part of the project requires input from
numerous consultants, engineers,
municipal departments and provin-
cial departments, in order to create
not only the EIA but also to assist with
cost estimates for the client.
“Aurecon has had considerable
experience in similar infrastruc-
ture projects over the years, which
enables us to act as an effective fa-
cilitator between various stakehold-
ers and drive the project forward so
that other key aspects, such as town
planning and fundingmodels, can get
underway,” he says.
Besides the planned development
being able to make a considerable
dent in themetro’s housing shortage,
the construction phase will create
5 000 jobs per month.
The project’s property developer,
Nu-Way Housing Development, Ex-
ecutive Director, Jordan Mann says,
“We are very pleased with the work
that has been done and the progress
that has beenmade. We look forward
to a successful development that will
change the lives of many people in
the community.”
Approximately 3 200 ha of land
has been earmarked for the de-
velopment, which will consist of
a number of facilities including a
large shopping centre, office parks,
a railway station, schools, a techni-
cal college, a university, a hospital
and other community facilities.
Coega Ridge aims to become South
Africa’s largest mixed-use residential
development. Aurecon is proud to be
part of this project. ■
Eastern Cape tackles housing backlog
Nelson Mandela Bay’s housing
backlog of 87 000 units is set
to be relieved by the massive
R20 billion Coega Ridge mixed-
use residential development,
situated adjacent to the Coega
IDZ outside Port Elizabeth in
the Eastern Cape Province.
International consultancy and
construction company Mace has
formed a training partnershipwith
the Chartered Institute of Building
(CIOB) Africa, a first for the continent.
The partnership effectively extends
the Institute’s training platform to
Mace employees based on the African
continent. This allows access to inter-
nationally recognised practices and
certification in construction excel-
lence. Eventually any individual who
undertakes the training will become
a recognised chartered member of
the CIOB.
Craig Morrison, Operations
Manager, sub-Saharan Africa for
Mace says: “As we already have an
existing partnership with the CIOB
in the UK, we felt it was important to
provide our employees in Africa with
an opportunity to become members
of the body.”
The CIOB is recognised throughout
Africa and often, asMorrison remarks,
potential international clients operat-
ing on the continent require profes-
sional membership. “The CIOB gives
our staff that level of training which
also strengthens our continued
professional development (CPD)
practices, whether it is knowledge
sharing sessions, site tours or formal
training,” he says.
Liezl Botha, Regional Manager of
CIOB Africa says: “Our partnership
with Mace is a major step towards
creating crucial awareness in South
Africa and the rest of the continent
around our training platform and
internationally recognised member-
ship. We are opening doors to com-
panies and individuals to compete
in the international construction
marketplace; a crucial differentiator.”
With a branch office based in Jo-
hannesburg, and centres scattered
across South Africa, CIOB Africa sup-
ports a growing membership across
the continent. For further information
go to ■
Training partners