One of the biggest challenges facing the South African government is to meet an ever-growing need for housing. In the Eastern Cape, Hydraform has been able to help in this respect while also creating jobs and developing skills along the way.
Over the past several years, the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) has been acquiring agricultural land with the intention of handing it over to emerging farmers together with appropriate skills development and funding.
In the Eastern Cape, not far from Grahamstown, the DRDLR had identified 27 displaced families to be the recipients of new homes. Hydraform was given the opportunity to deliver a proof of concept package involving Hydraform technology that would not only deliver 27 quality homes but also skill these families and community members for future opportunities, ensuring a more sustainable upliftment for this community.
Sustainable upliftment
As part of the delivery, Hydraform provided training on blockmaking and construction to 31 members of the community as well as to individuals from the department’s National Rural Youth Service Corps (NARYSEC). Basic machine maintenance training was also provided to ensure that the Hydraform machines are kept in good repair.
However, since a home is more than four walls and a roof, Hydraform has extended its offering beyond just services and training, moving into construction services. DRDLR has made funding available to provide an off-the-grid solution to the community. This entails drilling and equipping the site with a borehole, installing rainwater harvesting tanks and implementing a waste
management system – the ongoing maintenance of which creates jobs in the community. Each house has also been equipped with solar power and a small television set.
As part of the offer, two Hydraform machines will be handed over to the NARYSEC team for future projects to continue employing their newly acquired skills for sustainable job creation and upliftment.