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2014

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The prestigious national government Govan Mbeki Awards 2014 showcases excellence in the housing sector and acknowledges, s t a k e h o l d e r s , b a n k i n g institutions, the top metros, municipalities, provinces, developers and media.

Minister Lindiwe Sisulu

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At the awards evening held on August 14th, the Minister of Human Settlements, Lindiwe

Sisulu captivated guests with her speech and together with her Deputy Minister, Zou Kota Fredericks, award-ed worthy recipients with Housing’s premier housing awards, named after ‘Oom Gov’, ANC stalwart, Govan Mbeki.

The annual awards are the high-light on the housing event calendar. Dignitaries. MECs, provincial and national leaders took to the stage at the glittering gala event held at the Sandton Convention Centre.

Minister Sisulu in her address told guests, “Today is a joyous occasion. We will only concentrate on our achievements and by the look of our awards, there is a great deal that we can be proud of.”

“So, today is a happy event of a gathering of people whose interest it is to tirelessly serve South Africa, to ensure that each child can go to school – a racially integrated school within 5 km of their home and every adult person has access to a clinic within 5 km of their home. Where every community is serviced by a highly mobile and agile police service, where there are amenities for our youth and every citizen understands their responsibility to report crime to protect our children and are also responsible for a clean environment.”

“This may not happen during our tenure at Human Settlements, but I am certain that we are all commit-ted to laying the foundation so that one day, those who come after us, will have the humility to say ‘those people who strove to make a better life for us’.”

“We now celebrate some of those

Minister

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Minister rewards excellence

Ephainette Mbeki

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people and we rejoice with them in their success and hope it encourages them to do even better. To those who may not receive an award today, next year might be your turn. Celebrate with us for those who have earned these awards and tomorrow they will rejoice with you when you too are recognised for your work.”

The Minister conferred a special Lifetime Award to the late Ephainette Mbeki for her commitment and support to her community. “We thought that this would be fitting for a woman whose entire life was dedicated to fighting for our democracy and a better life for all. We want to recon-firm that we remain firmly in her footsteps and those of her late husband ‘Oom Gov’, both of whom were champi-ons and served the interest of the people until their last day came. Our thanks go to the Mbeki family, who al-lowed us when we started with this Awards process in 2006, to name the event after an outstanding stalwart. We enjoyed total support from the late Ma Mbeki and we are grateful for that.”

The Minister also acknowledged the sad loss of Patrick Magebhula who passed away on August 4, 2014. “We honour him as an internationally recognised champion and pioneer of the empowerment of the poor and his contribution to the Federation of Urban Poor and SDI.”

“I want to take the opportunity to recognise the ground-breakers who have led and given direction to the portfolio we now call Human Settlements. In particular our first Minister of Housing, Joe Slovo, who conceptualised and launched the Botshabelo Accord. This became a historic agreement to all stakehold-ers, including trade unions, business and communities, laying a foundation for us to understand our obligations towards the reconstruction of our country.”

The late Minister Joe Slovo re-ceived the Lifetime Achiever Award. She also thanked former Director General Billy Cobbett, a constant compass and a supporter of housing

initiatives and work. The Minister and her new team of MECs have committed themselves to building 1 million houses and creating a fur-ther 500  000 housing opportunities within the next five years. “This is a very tough call, but we are up to it. Our departments and entities are reshaping and understanding that

we are in fifth gear.” She says that before we become too complacent, she is tempted to introduce a new award category, “This would be that of the ‘worst performer of the year’, if only to make sure that no-one would want to see themselves going up to the stage to receive it. This may be an incentive for all of us to commit ourselves to excellence, because our people expect nothing less. The worst performer however need not worry too much, as he or she would invariably get a prize – an amount of R5 000 to buy the necessary energy boosters. We can ‘boo’ him or her all we want, but they will receive their prize and would never want to walk that road of shame again.”

The Human Settlements Indaba to be held on September 25 and 26 will be an opportunity for all stakehold-ers and partners to thrash out chal-lenges and solutions in the sector. At the end of the event the Minister would like all stakeholders to recom-mit to the Social Contract signed in 2005, which is to work in partnership with government. Minister Sisulu

says that suppliers and manufactur-ers who want to showcase their work and innovations should attend and support the indaba.

She reminded the audience that when women put their mind to something that it happens. When they build, they build with the same meticulous care with which they raise

a child. “And I would still say this, even if I was not a woman myself. They need support, because the world is far from fair for women.”

With almost R2 billion al-ready spent on rectifying houses, the intention is to scrap this programme and en-sure that the onus is on each and every contractor to build properly or return to repair. These funds, says the Minister, should be used to build new houses for those on govern-ment’s housing waiting list.

The recti f ication pro-gramme was only meant to cover houses that were built before the NHBRC was estab-lished.

“The NHBRC has been up and running for some time, hence my reluctance to continue using tax pay-ers’ money to rebuild houses. For all of us sitting here and who are taking part in any contract, please know that you may not continue without the required certificates from the NHBRC. Let’s cut the waste.”

In 2006, government approved housing for military veterans, and now aim to provide the first 5 000 for veterans in September.

Minister Sisulu says that in future, the Govan Mbeki Awards will have to be more inclusive than merely build-ing houses.

The contractor who builds the best roads in human settlements is as important as the contractor who built Cosmo City. Those who establish vegetable gardens or install electrical fittings contribute to making human settlements a better place to live. And more importantly, also need to feel appreciated and acknowledged for that.

Her final comment was to con-gratulate all the winners, “May they be an inspiration to all others.”

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Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality met its tar-gets and provided 15 000

households with access to basic services including water, sew-erage, electricity and refuse removal. It also met the metro’s targets.

This included providing 4 398 water connections, 5 094 house-holds with sanitation services, 2  010 street lights and 22 high mast lights. The metro also increased the number of public social and recreational facili-ties and added two additional sports fields. In terms of roads and maintenance, the metro surfaced 45,11 km roads, 7,7 km gravel roads and 2,3 km tarred roads. Job creation: the metro fell slightly short of its 6  000 target but delivered 5  876 job opportunities. Finally, the metro spent their entire budget of R1 061 188 000 for 2012/13.

Best Metro – Tshwane

Port Elizabeth’s social housing development, Walmer Link, was recognised as the Best

Social Housing Units in the national Govan Mbeki Awards 2014.

The well located project provided 347 one and two bedroom affordable rental units in the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality. The devel-opment contributed significantly to socio-economic aspects through its BEE and SMMEs as well as the targets for the disabled.

With a total budget of R104 067 884, construction cost R78 741 668, which resulted in a savings of almost 25%.

The Eastern Cape development provides inclusionary cross-subsi-dised residential accommodation for low and middle income earners. It addresses affordability and govern-ment’s aim to restructure urban areas and densification. The social housing project also meets the regulatory and legislative framework for sustainable growth.

Best Social Housing

Motheo Construction received the Govan Mbeki Award 2014 for the Best Non Subsidy

Contractor. The company has built over 72 000

homes and delivered over 5 500 Com-munity Residential Units around the country.

Motheo has consistently rolled out projects of scale in partnership with government and social hous-ing providers such as Joshco, Sohco etc. The BEE construction group was

Best Non Subsidy Contractor

established in 1997 by Dr Thandi Ndlovu. The predominantly black female-owned construction company offers a turnkey housing solution for design, construction, project man-agement and financial modelling, which has enabled housing associa-tions that lack the experience, to get their project up and running.

Ndlovu has played a leading role and is one of the founder’s in the South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) organisation.

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KwaZulu-Natal Province has been recognised as the Best Province of the Year, in the

national prestigious Govan Mbeki Awards 2014.

The province has delivered quality housing despite the challenges of ter-rain, climatic conditions and flooding. It has performed consistently well in terms of all government programmes and the award for excellence is well deserved.

The province’s priority project, Cornubia, also received recognition as the Best Priority Project in the Govan Mbeki Awards 2014.

The public-private partnership between the eThekwini Municipality and Tongaat Hulett, borders Ottawa, Mount Edgecombe and Umhlanga suburbs. The integrated mixed use mixed residential human settlement

is well located within close proximity to the central business districts of Phoenix, Ottawa, Verulam and the King Shaka International Airport.

The exciting north coast estate will provide 24  400 residential units on the 1 200 ha development.

The project boasts residential, commercial, light industrial, as well as social and recreational facilities, within the ecologically sensitive open spaces.

The housing component includes a mix of rental, subsidised and af-fordable housing opportunities, with densified housing in close proxim-ity to commercial areas. The rapid bus transit routes will service the

development with transport nodes between Umhlanga to Phoenix and Dube Tradeport in the north.

The project rolled out 482 units to beneficiaries from neighbouring informal settlements and all three tiers of government are instrumen-tal in providing bulk infrastructure, water, electricity, sewerage, access roads, schools and amenities. The next phase will include 2  186 units, of which 623 are currently under con-struction. Stands have been allocated for Cornubia Industrial and Business Estate and this is currently being developed, as well as three factories.eThekwini Municipality acquired 659 ha of land valued at R336,8 million.

Best Province – KwaZulu-natal Best Priority Project

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Namibia Stop 8, Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP) received the Govan

Mbeki Awards 2014 as the Best En-hanced PHP.

The project was funded through

Best Enhanced PHP

Thembalethu received the cov-eted Govan Mbeki Award 2014 for the Best Informal Settle-

ments Upgrading. The George Mu-nicipality project required upgrading for 12 informal settlements and two greenfield developments. The mu-nicipality fast tracked the project us-ing three programmes – the Access to Basic Sanitation (ABS), the Enhanced Service Site (ESS) and USIP grants. All of these programmes were initiated to work in parallel to each other to ensure speedy delivery.

Security of tenure - the municipal-ity registered beneficiaries for hous-ing subsidies. There are rental agree-ments for those who did not qualify in the subsidised pre-screening process.

Title deeds will be provided to hous-ing beneficiaries.Infrastructure - almost 100 house-holders, who lost their informal structures during flash floods, were provided with basic services from the Emergency Housing Funding Pro-gramme. A further 29 infor-mal settlements were given access to basic services at a ratio of 1:5 for sanita-tion and 1 water tap per 25 households. The provision of waterborne toilets ratio of 1:1 households. The reloca-tion plan includes demol-ishing shacks and building housing. The municipality will supply all the building

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houses often compare favourably and in fact improve on the standard subsidised house.

The PHP recipients favour wooden doors and window frames, 50m², larger windows, panelled external

doors, lintels above all openings, air vents, wood-en trusses, bargeboards and fascia boards. The units are fully plastered in the interior and exte-rior and fittings include ceramics, baths and taps and steel kitchen sinks.

The Housing Steer-ing Committee and the Community Construc-tion Management Teams reported that there was a greater sense of own-ership and people take pride and responsibility for their new homes. The project yielded 96 houses

and beneficiaries and com-munity members cleared the sites, mixed concrete, laid roof tiles with semi-skilled labour employed from the local community.

Beneficiaries also contributed to funding security for the site. The proj-ect met all the critical policy elements and is indeed an Enhanced People’s Housing Process (PHP).

The project delivered a sustain-able and environmentally friendly human settlement.

Best Rural Project

The R2,1 billion Vulindlela Rural Enhanced People’s Housing Process (EPHP)

on Ingonyama land will provide 25 000 sites for housing.

The Development Right Agree-ment to undertake the project was signed by the Ingonyama Trust Board and Vulindlela Devel-opment Association. The project will provide housing in all nine wards. The Vulindlela Develop-ment Association has appointed NURCHA to manage all fund-ing for this project with nine amakhosi within the Vulindlela Traditional Council including iNkosi NW Zondi, the late iNkosi SG Zondi, iNkosi ES Zuma, inkosi uMlaba and iNkosi uNgcobo.

The project has created 1 906 job opportunities and rolled out 19 267 units. A further 2 500 units have still to be completed. There have been a number of challenges including electricity supply, building materials and skills training for the local com-munity members. Most of the construction materials are being produced on site, including win-dow frames, steel fixtures and concrete blocks etc. The rural project incorporates community empowerment aspects of the EPHP housing programme.

Best Informal Settlements Upgrading

the Community Resource Organisa-tion (CRO), to build units using the People’s Housing Process (PHP) EPHP programme.

Beneficiaries are required to participate in the building process (through the principle of ‘sweat equity’). Housing recipients are pro-vided with skills training and build-ing materials. This results in lower construction costs and often better quality housing. It also ensures that the subsidies are used efficiently. The

materials on the allocated sites.The municipality has appointed

a consultant, who will oversee the communication between communi-ties and local authority. Densification and stand sizes have been negotiated with the communities.

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Although there have been seri-ous challenges and fragmented planning and delivery with the

city boundaries the city is moving forward on a positive note. It is clear that further responsibilities within local government must be accom-panied by the requisite support and financial capacity to ensure that the process strengthens and does not weaken municipalities. A risk register has been developed and training on systems has been implemented and oversight committees are in place. The Urban Developments Settlement Grant is being managed by the metro for bulk services.

Government is convinced that the City of Johannesburg is able to perform the Level 2 accreditation functions with the necessary sup-port of the province. It is also aware that the decision on accreditation takes place within a far larger con-text, government will address how best to undertake urban planning, management and development in South Africa and the role of the metro municipalities.

Calgro M3 is one of the big devel-opers in the affordable housing market in Johannesburg. The

two main developments by Calgro M3 are Fleurhof and Jabulani where FLISP is made available to qualifying beneficiaries

The Fleurhof integrated residential housing development is on track to deliver 9 300 full and sectional title residential units over the next six years.

Fleurhof Ext 2 is located south west of Johannesburg and next to Fleurhof Ext 1 residential development. This project is one of the largest integrated housing developments in Gauteng. The 440 ha comprises various types of residential units and forms of tenure that have specific economic target markets – fully subsidised RDP/BNG housing, Gap, social rental, affordable rental and affordable housing.

There are 241 completed units

aimed at the GAP market for entry-level affordable housing, which costs from R261 000. There is considerable demand for entry level GAP market and this is being developed in part-nership with International Housing Solutions (IHS) and the City of Johan-nesburg with FNB, who have provided the development finance.

Calgro’s Jabulani CBD project situated in the heart of Soweto, ad-jacent to the Jabulani Mall and hos-pital, is being in a joint venture with Inkanyele Projects.

The development will consist of 4 199 sectional title residential units offering secure apartment living with high quality finishing and accessibil-ity to a variety of major transport nodes. The R1,35 billion develop-ment will comprise social housing, rental units and GAP units and fully bonded. Selling prices range from R260 000 to R400 000. To date, 21 FLISP

beneficiaries have been assisted.The project partners include the City of Johannesburg, who are the land owners, NHFC, who provide the FLISP funding to qualifying ben-eficiaries, Inkanyele Projects, Inter-national Housing Solutions, private equity funder; Gauteng Provincial Government-Subsidy provider and Calgro M3.

The project includes infrastructure such as roads, water, sewer, reticula-tion and storm water facilities and the extension of Westlake Road linking Soweto with the northern suburbs. There are plans for four mixed use business centres, seven creches, five places of workship, one community centre, three schools and between 20 and 30 parks.

Fleurhof and Jabulani are the biggest FLISP developments in the country, which will deliver affordable on massive scale.

Best FLISP projectfleurhof

Best Municipality Level 2 Category A

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Govan mbeki 2014 WinnersLifetime Achiever AwardsGovan Mbeki FamilyJoe Slovo FamilyBest Performing Province KwaZulu-NatalBest Metropolitan Municipality TshwaneBest Priority ProjectCornubia, KwaZulu-NatalBest Rural ProjectVulindlela, KwaZulu-NatalBest Informal Settlements UpgradeThembalethu, Western CapeBest Social HousingWalmer Link, Eastern CapeBest Community Residential UnitsMasimong, Free State Best Enhanced People’s Housing ProcessNamibia Stop 8 EPHP, KwaZulu-NatalBest Finance Linked Individual Subsidy ProjectFleurhof, GautengBest Woman ContractorMasiqhame Trading 28cc, Western CapeBest Non-Subsidy ProjectMotheo Group, GautengBest Accredited MunicipalityLevel 1 – Category BPolokwane, LimpopoLevel 2 – Category ACity of Johannesburg, GautengLevel 2 – Category BSteve Tshwete, MpumalangaLevel 2 – Category CFrancis Baard, Northern CapeBest Human Settlement InstitutionRural Housing Loan FundBest Banking Institution in Human SettlementsStandard BankBest Supporting Sponsor of Human Settlements ProgrammesGroup Five MotlekarBest Media HouseHousing in Southern AfricaSuccessful Student from Scholarship ProgrammeMcetwa Kwazalela, Eastern Cape

Govan mbeki 2014 Winners

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