SA Affordable Housing November - December 2018 // Issue: 73 | Page 27

PROJECTS
Struggle icon’s social
housing village
Chris Hani Village is a new social housing project in
Germiston, Gauteng.
By Dineo Phoshoko
T
he Chris Hani Village project is one of two that forms
part of the city’s greater strategy of GEAR 2030 –
focusing on urban renewal and urban regeneration of
inner cities.
The project was a collaboration of various stakeholders
including Ekurhuleni Housing Company (EHC), City of
Ekurhuleni (COE), the Gauteng Provincial Human Settlements
Department and the Social Housing Regulatory Authority
(SHRA). The ward councillor and the community were also
included in the development of the project.
“With the project being a social housing project, we work
very closely with the Social Housing Regulatory Authority
— an institution that is responsible nationally to regulate
the implementation of social housing,” explains Pheladi
Mojapelo, EHC development manager. The SHRA provides
funding for the implementation of such projects.
The project was initially referred to as the Germiston Fire
Station social housing project as it was located adjacent to
the Germiston Fire Station. When the project was launched
by MMC Human Settlements on behalf of Councillor
Mzwandile Masina, Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni in April
2017, it was renamed Chris Hani Village. The project was
launched at a time that coincides with the commemoration
of the late struggle icon’s legacy which is celebrated
annually in Ekurhuleni during the month of April.
The project started in November 2015 when the City of
Ekurhuleni appointed contractors to start working on the
project. The project was implemented in two phases, with
144 units delivered during Phase 1 and 200 units to be
delivered as part of Phase 2 of the project. Phase one was
completed in March 2017 and EHC commenced with the
tenanting of the units, which are 98% full.
Phase two involves the building of the remaining 200
units, including a crèche and commercial units. The
commercial units consist of small shops that will be
available for rental to people interested in leasing
commercial space from EHC. Phase two of this project is yet
to be completed and is currently at implementation stage.
According to Mojapelo, phase two was expected to be
completed by March 2018, however due to certain
challenges experienced during the project completion date
is revised to the end of May 2018.
The initial budget for this project was R60-million
(excluding VAT) and final cost is R62-million. On average, the
cost for individual units is between R380 000 to R400  000.
BUILDING AND DESIGN
One of the four-storey blocks at Chris Hani Village.
www.SAAffordableHousing.co.za
The housing units consist of four-storey walk ups including
the ground floor – available in bachelor, one-bedroom and
two-bedroom units. Also included in the units is a bathroom,
kitchen and living area. The exterior finishing of the units is
a combination of face brick as well as plastering.
The interior includes tile flooring, which was selected
instead of carpets used in previous projects.
“With the development of the new projects, long term
benefits with regards to issues of maintenance were
considered in determining the finishes to be used in the
project,” explains Mojapelo. The use of tiles instead of carpets
for example, means long term saving on the replacement of
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