EDITOR ’ S COLUMN
Change is constant
Every day we are faced with change – weather , traffic conditions , legislations and so on – change is the only constant thing we can ever be sure of . As I ’ m writing this ( in early June ), a huge debate rages about changing the name of the Cape Town International Airport and three other airports that need to be renamed .
Another announcement is that petrol is increasing to a whopping 82 cents a litre , pushing the price up in the Gauteng hub to R15.79 a litre for the first time in the history of South Africa . The price of diesel is up by 85 cents .
Unfortunately this will have a ripple effect on costs in the building industry , transporting goods to and from site will be more expensive , which will result in price increases for building materials and eventually it will filter down to home buyers who will have to apply for larger bonds . We are facing some tough times , but South Africans always rise above these situations .
A change that is long overdue , and a very positive one , is that women in construction are taking their place at the boardroom table . As South Africans we celebrate women ’ s month in August , and we spoke to some of these formidable entrepreneurs who received awards at the African Construction and Totally Concrete expo that recently took place at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand . Read more about this on page 17 .
IMD
The editorship of South African Affordable Housing has also changed hands . From now on , I will be at the helm of this exciting magazine . I have more than three decades of experience in the journalism sector and – with the majority of my time spent in the construction , building and plant hire industry – I am no stranger to business-to-business journals . This is your journal , your input is extremely important to us ; please do not hesitate to contact me with any news , events , new developments and letters to the editor .
Stepping away from the doom and gloom ( petrol increase ), we report on a very exciting development in this issue . The Tirong Affordable Housing Estate , just outside Fourways , Gauteng . Although this is earmarked for the affordable market , this development has the look and feel of an upmarket estate . See more on page 26 .
Cherry Ellis : Editor
We value your input ; contact me at : cherry @ interactmedia . co . za .