North West MEC for Human Settlements, Desbo Mohono, is leading a North West delegation on a two days' trip to Brazil as part of the department’s agenda to speed up housing delivery in the province.
A visiting Brazilian delegation had earlier made a presentation to the provincial government on the modern housing construction technology that is used in Brazil. The delegation informed MEC Mohono that this technology assisted Brazil to resolve its housing challenges within a very short space of time and that it might be the right technology to resolve North West’s housing challenges.
The technology involves steel and cement as major components of construction. Instead of using bricks, cement is used with steel as the holding infrastructure. The opportunities and benefits presented by this technology are:
- it is cheaper
- it delivers faster and is reliable
- it is labour-intensive, meaning it will create more jobs
- it provides possibilities for training and skills transfer
- it provides economic investment opportunities
During her visit in Brazil, Mohono and her delegation will explore these opportunities for the North West. The North West is faced with key challenges relating to housing delivery, the need to improve the quality and pace of delivery as well as addressing the current housing backlog. It appears that this technology is what the North West needs at the moment to resolve its housing backlog and the current construction challenges.
While in Brazil, the MEC will inspect houses that were built using this technology. She will also interact with relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries of that project with a view to understanding the impact of this housing technology and the contribution it has made to the housing programme of the Brazilian government.
She will also have discussions with the Brazilian construction company regarding the possibility of assisting in the North West.
Mohono and her delegation return tomorrow.
Enquiries:
Cornelius Tanana Monama
Cell: 082 578 4063
Tel: 018 387 3456
E-mail: cmonama@nwpg.gov.za
