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Northern Cape housing sector uplifted by mining

10th May 2013

  

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Owing to increased opencast mining activities in the Northern Cape, driven by mining giants Assmang and Anglo American, the coinciding need for mine site accommodation has grown over the last few years.

This is pushed by the ever-growing need for new employees, as manganese and iron-ore production volumes continue to increase at a tremendous speed, and to respond to the revised Mining Charter published by government in late 2010.

Therefore, the two companies, which are the two biggest players in the South African mining sector, are in the throes of creating new, and upgrading existing, accommodation, with a number of housing projects on the drawing board and under construction.

Corobrik Free State and Northern Cape sales manager Gary Westwood states that Anglo American’s Kumba Iron Ore oper-ation, which is located in Sishen, near the town of Kathu, is believed to be one of the seven largest openpit mines in the world. It produced 38.9-million tons of iron-ore in 2011.

“Kumba is currently building 60 mine management houses with our Blue Barley Travertine and Roan Travertine face bricks. Further, a contract for the construction of a 47 950 m2 housing project has been awarded to construction company Steffanuti Stocks and is scheduled to begin before year-end,” he says.

In addition, production at the new Kolomela mine, in Postmasburg, came on stream in May, last year, and is expected to add additional production of 13-million tons a year. “This expansion saw Corobrik delivering about two-million Corngold Satin bricks for the building of 400 staff houses. The project has been divided into three projects, namely Postdene, Airfield and Boichoko,” he adds.

Quoting the revised Mining Charter, Westwood points out that, during the apartheid era, the mining sector was known for appalling living conditions, which led to a myriad of social ills – including the destruction of the social fabric of communities, substance abuse, as well as the contraction and spread of diseases.

“A review in 2009, prior to the amendment of the charter, indicated that many mines were making solid efforts to upgrade housing, with many moving away from controversial hostel systems to create quality family homes.

“To build on this, new policy guidelines have since been put in place to ensure that accommodation was not only consistent with international best practices, but also facilitated home ownership for all mine employees by 2014. It is a stipulation that home ownership must be both affordable and sustainable,” he states.

Westwood adds that, to meet the aims of the Mining Charter, the use of clay brick in housing projects provided affordable and sustainable housing. “A clay brick house meets the aspirational requirements of the prospective homeowners to live in ‘proper’ houses and the dignity associated with that.”

Miners keen to be housed may consider themselves fortunate that South Africa has not compromised and digressed from its well-entrenched masonry tradition and all the associated benefits that clay brick brings to house construction, he states.

“Brick fits all three dimensions of sustainability. At a social level, nobody wants the stigma attached to living in a prefabricated box and there is no good reason that they should. Clay brick construction is proven economical and its record of performance, robustness and its durability assures a low life-cycle cost.

“Clay bricks also have mineral properties that meet all necessary requirements for healthy living, as clay bricks do not release toxic fumes under normal, or fire, conditions. Further, it also has natural sound insulation properties to support quiet indoor environments. Therefore, clay bricks add sustainable value in a unique holistic context.”

Westwood adds that, in light of the fact that the region borders the Kalahari desert and has some of the most acute temperature fluctuations in the country, the energy efficiency that results from the use of clay brick is particularly important.

“The real benefits of clay brick construction are to be realised in our long, hot summer months when the natural thermal properties of clay brick help satisfy the impact of high outdoor temperatures indoors,” he states.

“The value that thermal mass clay brick walls provide is that it slows the heat flow to the inside by six to eight hours over the hottest parts of the day, moderating internal conditions and providing target thermal comfort for longer, reducing artificial cooling interventions. “Miners won’t have the problem of overheating inside, which is widely associated with insulated lightweight walled alternative building technologies, such as light steel frame building.

“Further, the use of clay brick in this instance complements the priority being given to the use of solar power in these projects” he adds.

Westwood notes that one of the most critical housing projects in the Northern Cape – and one of the greatest challenges faced by the mining industry as a whole – is the resettlement of residents to facilitate the expansion of a mine.

“Plans are being finalised to relocate the entire town of Dingleton, situated 12 km south- west of Kathu, to allow further expansion at the Sishen mine. This will require the building of more than 500 houses as well as schools, police stations and commercial properties.”

Future Projects

Westwood points out that while a recent fall in manganese prices has forced Assmang to delay its capital projects in Black Rock and Hotazel, the company believes that these projects – which include 200 mine houses, a gym, a new guest house and accommodation for 40 students – will go ahead towards the middle of 2013.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

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