SA Affordable Housing March - April 2020 // ISSUE: 81 | Page 15

COVER STORY
and others. The machines vary in production capacity
from 35 drops an hour through to 100 drops an hour.
• Roof tile machines: The starter pack is an entry level small
turnkey plant with a daily production of 500 ‘Double
Roman’ concrete tile roofing per eight-hour shift. The
other available roof tile machines have varied in daily
production between 1 000 through to 20 000 roof tiles
per day per eight hour shift.
Hydraform Ya Batho’s construction support services include:
construction project management; block yard set-up; training and
skills development; after-market support; and soil testing.
“Training takes a number of forms. There is the machine
training, which covers machine operation, as well as the mix
design and brick making. Then there is the construction aspect
using the Hydraform technology,” says Hlalele.
THE TSHWANE PROJECT
Hlalele says that while the current project is a 100%-subsidy
development, several affordable housing and even upmarket
developments have elected to use the Hydraform blocks due to
its combination of speed, affordability and environmental
friendliness.
Monty Mothobi, managing director of Hydraform Ya Batho,
explains that while the company primarily is a manufacturer of
its equipment, in the case of the Tshwane Mayoral Housing
Project consisting of 40 x 50m² units of two bedroom and open
plan kitchen and lounge using Alternative Building Technology,
the company was called in by the main contractor Khulane
Quality Construction to provide technical assistance. The project
is located at Extension 19, Saulsville, Atteridgeville, and the
client is Tshwane Municipality.
He explains that first choice for the housing material had been
prefab concrete slabs, but after two show houses were
constructed it was met with a poor response from the local
community. Alternative technologies were consequently called
to construct show houses, including one by Hydraform (and
another being polystyrene material, which the community
similarly did not favour). Of the three technologies then on
display, Hydraform’s received the most positive feedback, with
Mothobi explaining what the primary criteria affecting approval
ratings among the community was the solidity of the Hydraform
interlocking blocks. Also affecting Hydraform’s eventual winning
of the tender was that it erected the superstructure (not the
entire house) in just four days. This was constructed by
Hydraform Ya Batho itself, with the contractor having built the
foundation. With the envelope complete, Khulane then
appointed sub-contractors for the rest of the unit: the roof,
plumbing and electrical work, and other finishes such as glazing
and plastering.
“The pricing of the various show houses was similar, and what
weighted in our favour was the strength of our structure, the
speed of construction and the considerable local employment we
facilitated. All the block makers and brick layers were employed
from the local community, because our system can be rapidly
learned,” says Mothobi. “There are a lot of construction steps that
can be omitted due to the technology of our blocks as opposed
to prefab. For example, you do not need to plaster inside if you
don’t wish to, and even if you do it only requires 2mm of plaster
as opposed to the more usual 8-10mm plaster. We also have a
variety of quality finishes which are economical and cost saving.”
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
Hydraform M7MI Super interlocking block making machine.
One of the 40 houses under construction.
The Hydraform interlocking blocks require a curing period of
between seven to fourteen days before they can be used for
construction. Curing is the process whereby the blocks are
continuously kept moist, ensuring the rapid and steady increase
in strength. The first 20 units were almost complete at the time
of interview, and work was starting on the next 16 (with the
remaining four being the show houses).
The considerable community involvement meant that
Hydraform Ya Batho only needed two of its supervisors to train
and supervise the block making, and two more skilled artisans
and a foreman to supervise the bricklaying. From the local
community, 18 unskilled locals (including eight women) for block
making and six bricklayers (who also had to be trained on the
Hydraform building solution) were recruited for the duration of
the project.
Environmental concerns, especially energy and water
efficiency, are top of mind in any development today and Hlalele
points out that the Hydraform block, being made of the oldest
locally available building material – earth/ soil stabilised with
cement – is one of the most environmentally-friendly building
materials in the world. It requires minimal use of transport to site,
therefore having a negligible carbon footprint. “In addition, being
made from natural earth, it has excellent and proven thermal
properties to suit different climate conditions: it makes the inside
of a home cooler in summer and retains warmth in winter.”
Mothobi suggests the Hydraform block is gaining traction in
residential developments because it aligns with the Department
of Human Settlements’ strategy for mixed-use developments and
use of local communities. “There’s three key aspects they look at:
the socio-economic benefit; the economic advantages or cost;
and the environmental footprint. Our product ticks all boxes in
this respect.”
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