Esor Construction, through subsidiary Safdev Tanganani, is the turnkey contractor and developer of a R2 billion integrated housing and infrastructure development in Diepsloot, Johannesburg. The 237 ha project will ultimately see the construction of 9 000 houses of various typologies and tenure options, three schools, five multi-functional nodes, three shopping centres, five neighbourhood parks, a magistrate’s court and a hospital. “We started constructing two landmark and iconic pedestrian bridges across William Nicol Drive to the value of R52 million in July 2013. These bridges form part of the bulk infrastructure for the development and will link the current Diepsloot to the new,” Duncan says.

“Currently we are utilising our civils capabilities for the two pedestrian bridges while our building skills will be deployed for some of the top structures. There is not a single free standing top structure in the entire development as everything will be either semi-detached or multi-storey units. In fact the bulk of it will be three storeys, making it one of the highest density integrated developments in Gauteng at the moment. That is the way that designs are moving and is inevitable given the extreme shortage of well located land and the exorbitant costs of providing bulk services.” Duncan adds that Diepsloot has been classified as one of the top seven National Priority Projects in South Africa at present.

“We manage all the sub contractors, whether electrical, civils or building, while the professional team at this stage is managed by Gauteng Province through its appointed Project Manager. Another requirement from Province is that 30% of the work by value has to be undertaken by local resources.” Duncan says that Esor Construction brings in the necessary supervisory skills and then deploys small focused teams to acquire skills as they carry out the actual work. However, the pedestrian bridges are challenging monolithic structures that are being built largely without the involvement of smaller contractors. “The pedestrian bridges presented an engineering challenge in that it is tricky and difficult work undertaken at a substantial height over a major road.”

The presence of threatened giant African bullfrogs on site has necessitated onerous requirements in terms of the environmental management plan. “The idea is that as we start building on site, through some ‘structured coercion’ the bullfrogs will migrate down to the vlei portion of the site that has been designated as a wildlife reservation for their preservation.” Due to the extent of the project it has also not been decided yet as to whether or not the infrastructure and housing components should be tackled jointly or separately. “From a contractor’s perspective it will be wonderful just to complete the infrastructure for the entire development before building the first house.”

Duncan says the South African housing market is showing green shoots at present. “We are still sitting with a very under supplied market especially on the affordable housing side. There are signs of growth in that projects are being kick started and the banks are lending again. The government also has to deliver in terms of its national housing budget.” Looking at some of the latest trends in the housing sector, Duncan says that the Diepsloot development will incorporate a large number of so called CRUs or Community Rental Units in order to cater for the bottom end of the market. “Rental is becoming a bigger and bigger component of the affordable and subsidised housing markets.”

Duncan concludes that the Diepsloot project is a landmark integrated development not only for Gauteng but for South Africa as a whole. “It is developments such as these that are advancing the affordable and subsidised housing markets in the country. There are a number of trends being pioneered at Diepsloot, such as the Total Street Concept, where the entire road servitude is paved in order to accommodate pedestrian walkways and cycle and traffic lanes. “Such extensive blacktop is more expensive but it is a far better concept in terms of urban planning as it definitely enhances the living space of the residents.” Duncan adds that the fully subsidised housing units at Diepsloot will feature insulation and even double glazing, in addition to a 20 m2 rental unit attached to each 40 m2 house to order to create micro landlords and help generate additional income for residents.