Housing in Southern Africa June 2016

News

Cornubia skills training

I t is a joint venture initiative be- tween National, Provincial De- partment of Human Settlements, eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat Hulett Development. The multi- billion rand project set on 1 300 ha is set to be eThekwini Municipality and the Province’s largest sustainable in- tegrated human settlement initiative. The mixed-use, mixed-income development incorporates industrial, commercial and residential space and will be developed over 25 years, to become a truly integrated human settlement. Several government departments with Tongaat Hulett Developments, are upskilling residents of Blackburn informal settlement in a bid to pro- vide job opportunities at the nearby multi billion rand Cornubia estate. The training course consists of one month of theoretical and practical training followed by two months of work experience. Blackburn informal settlement residents are learning the skills they need to find jobs as bricklayers. Government has sponsored the training programme while Tongaat Hulett Developments provides the platform for work opportunities. Training began with a job readi- ness programme earlier this year. After learning the theory, the local community members put their skills into practice, laying brick walls up to roof height and making provision for windows and doors. Training was provided by Elangeni TVET College at Tongaat Hulett De- velopments, Blackburn Estates SSIP (Socioeconomic Sustainability and Innovation Programme) Hub, located at the old Blackburn Primary School. After completing the training, delegates receive an NQF Level 2 certificate for the brickwork com- ponent of the community house building qualification. This includes health and safety in the workplace, excavating, setting out the site, cast- Cornubia affordable estate on KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast embraces partnerships across various spheres of government and the private sector.

another skill, such as plumbing, so that eventually they can become fully fledged contractors.” Gumede says that the idea is to bring together as many property value chain partners such as the con- tractors, lot purchasers, tenants and occupiers, training providers and gov- ernment by pooling resources, both financial and non-financial. He adds that the founding part- ners of the SSIP project in Cornubia includes the national and KwaZu- lu-Natal Departments of Human Settlements providing housing; the eThekwini Municipality which offers skills development, placement, busi- ness support and social services; and Tongaat Hulett Developments, which contributes to various SSIP elements. “This initiative is a fine example of a public private sector partnership that is helping to achieve govern- ment’s skills development objectives and provide employment,” said Beryl Mphakathi, Head of eThekwini Mu- nicipality’s Department of Housing. ■

ing a concrete strip foundation and providingmasonry work on solid and hollow units. C ommu n i t y memb e r s a r e equipped with protective clothing and are now set to start their work experience with local contractors, who have been commissioned to build the affordable houses on the estate. While gainingwork experience they earn a small stipend. “Candidates are being prepared to enter into employment as brick- layers,” says Joe White, Director of Catalyx, the implementing partner of the initiative. “We are in the process of liaisingwith thedifferent housing con- tractors to finalise their placements.” “Bricklaying emerged as one of the priorities when we workshopped the different skills that were needed at the Cornubia Industrial & Business Estate (CIBE),” says Bongani Gumede, Corporate Director of Tongaat Hulett Developments. He added, “We hope that those learning bricklaying will first gain experience and then learn

June 2016