SA Affordable Housing January - February 2020 // ISSUE: 80 | Page 9

NEWS
Corobrik chosen in new Gauteng social
housing development
T
maintenance – the dust and dirt of everyday living will not
show up against the brickwork, retaining a clean aesthetic
for longer,” explains Killian.
Anca Szalavicz of ASA Architects, tasked with designing
the development, concurs, saying the lack of ongoing
maintenance and durability made Corobrik’s face brick the
best choice: “We used two different face bricks – Montana
Light and Protea Travertine – to create some form of
contrast within the design. Because of the high number of
units, the design hinged on creating small, manageable,
semi-private courtyards. Some of the blocks have
vaulted roofs which gives the development quite a
unique appearance.”
Corobrik’s Commercial Director, Musa Shangase, explains
that while affordability was always key in bridging the social
housing gap, the demand would not be met without quality
homes being constructed.
“We work closely with Joshco and the City of
Johannesburg and applaud the choice of superior products
for all their developments,” says Shangase. “Our extensive
face brick range ensures costs are kept down because there is
no future plastering or painting maintenance needed, but the
aesthetics are in no way compromised. The clay bricks are all
visually attractive and have been so well used in the
Turffontein design. It’s important that people feel proud of
their homes.”
here is a housing backlog of about 2.3-million homes
with Gauteng requiring 600 000 new homes to meet
the need. The backlog in Gauteng – according to a
report by the PSAM (Public Service Accountability Monitor)
– keeps growing because people migrate to the country’s
economic hub in search of employment.
Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco), the City
of Johannesburg’s entity mandated to provide and manage
affordable rental housing for the lower income market,
worked with the Social Housing Regulatory Authority (SHRA)
on the construction of Gauteng’s Turffontein development.
The development, in Corobrik’s Montana Light and Protea
Travertine face bricks, is one of many social housing
developments addressing this challenge.
“Turffontein is one of the areas identified for city’s
development under Joshco’s social housing delivery
programme and also earmarked as a development node,”
explains Joshco’s Nico Killian: contracts manager. “The plan is
to develop a total of 528 housing units in addition to
communal rooms as emergency housing.”
As a preferred supplier of quality face bricks for many
social housing developments, Corobrik’s products were,
once again, selected for the construction of the 5.0150ha
Turffontein development, which consists of 525 units, 21 of
which are transitional housing units. “Corobrik’s range was
chosen for the outer skin of the building as it is very low
Because of the high number of units, the design hinged on creating small, manageable, semi-private courtyards.
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JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2020
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