18 / 40
May 2015
W
ith a backlog of more than
two million units, housing
remains one of the key is-
sues on the country’s agenda. In its ef-
forts to address the growing problem,
government has over the past few
years consistently increased budgets
to accelerate housing delivery so that
it can successfully house its increas-
ing population and stop the mush-
rooming of informal settlements.
The aim is simple - to transform
the housing landscape over the next
three to five years. Government has
allocated a sizeable housing budget
and the private sector is sitting up
and taking notice.
“Multi-million rand projects have
multiplied rapidly in recent years
and there is a growing demand in the
middle income market,” says Anton
vanVuuren, ManagingDirector of MDV
Developments, an affordable housing
developer.
The company has delivered thou-
sands of affordable homes and ac-
cording to Van Vuuren “It is, however,
all about quality. An impressive range
of stands and building packages
makes buying a house an exciting
experience for a customer. In the
affordable sector that house has
to stand the test of time. We don’t
build houses, we build homes that
do exactly that.”
With several projects in the pipe-
line, Van Vuuren andhis teamcareful-
ly select developments. “Our homes
are situated in or close to established
areas with proper infrastructure
and the all-inclusive product offer-
ing ranges between R250 000 and
R600 000.”
It is not an easy sector to service
and there is an increasing call on
companies to deliver quickly due to
the backlog and demand.
“Affordable housing is on a growth
spurt and with demand exceeding
supply, developers are having to
deliver houses at a fast pace and at
an affordable price.”
It’s not impossible and can be
done, but the one thing says Van
Vuuren, MDV will not compromise
on is quality.
“As a company we believe in leav-
ing a legacy of improving people’s
lives which is the ultimate goal every
time we take on a development,” he
says.
Van Vuuren and Financial Director
Rory McGuirk are firm believers that
adding extra value to their develop-
ments without necessarily passing
the cost on to the end-user is what
differentiates the company.
And they are slowly but surely
gaining ground.
MDV has partnered and contrib-
uted to the Klarinet project in Em-
alahleni in Mpumalanga. The project
received the Govan Mbeki Human
Settlements Award for the Best Na-
tional Priority Project for 2012 and
2013. MDV has constructed and de-
livered 300 affordable houses in the
Klarinet development with a further
300 units currently on offer.
“The Klarinet development truly
represents what we as a company
stand for and want to achieve in the
affordable housing sector,” says Van
Vuuren.
With affordable housing set to grow considerably over the
next few years, developers are going to be challenged to
deliver quality houses quickly and cost effectively.
Housing
Well priced afford