SA Affordable Housing January - February 2019 // Issue: 74 | Page 13

ADVERTORIAL - COVER STORY
60% of the workforce came from the local community.
RIVERSIDE
This is a greenfields residential development undertaken by
developers Valumax and situated between Steyn City and
Diepsloot in Fourways. Tri-Star has successfully completed
the first phase which comprised the construction of 562 GAP
and bonded free-standing houses, 457 multi-storey
walk-ups for rentals and 344 multi-storey RDP walk-ups
for government.
The market is divided into three segments comprising
bonded houses, rentals and RDP walk-ups.
During construction of the units Tri-Star made use of raft
foundations, pre-stressed slabs and specialised teams that
were established to achieve ‘line of balance’ programmed
milestones, which in turn helped the project to meet the
‘fast track' programme; they completed the entire project in
just 18 months. Ready mixed mortar and plaster was used to
give consistency in terms of quality. These interventions
lead to reduced wastage, convenient supply and easier
site distribution.
“Having entered the affordable housing market, we were
met with various challenges especially when dealing with
local communities and assisting in the creation of jobs. Our
commitment to our clients includes employing at least
30 to 50% of the workforce from the local community and we
were able to achieve 60%,” says director Maurice Williams.
“In the process we mentored and transferred skills to
local staff and contractors, which saw unskilled labourers
transforming into semi-skilled workers, teaching these small
contractors how to plan, execute and manage their small
businesses,” Williams adds.
During the project Tri-Star trained more than 1 000
people in various fields.
“Understanding the local environment assists greatly in
solving problems but once the subcontractor has bought
into your modules, it becomes very easy to manage and
assist them. We ensured that we placed a local contractor
next to one of our own contractors which helped to assist
the local contractor in becoming more efficient in his work,”
Williams explains, adding, “The local contractor saw our
contractor as his mentor. This arrangement also showed him
that our business model was working, and, that by sticking
strictly to our terms of quality, material usage and correct
production targets each day, the subcontractor could make
good money.
“Supervision by local subcontractors was often lacking
but the continuous enforcement of discipline made them
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
The ‘H’ block design enables Tri-Star to deliver high density
housing while maintaining enough open space on site for
communal areas.
realise that Tri-Star was there to assist,” says Williams. “By
showing commitment to the use of local contractors, training
and mentoring them, you find that disruptions on site are
kept to a minimum because people are informed of what
and where you are using them and if they perform, then they
know that there is continued future work for them,” he says.
THE VILLAGE
The Village is a greenfields development which Tri-Star
developed and constructed for International Housing
Solutions (IHS). The project comprised of a mix of 284 units
(two bed and two bath, two bed and one bath, one bed and
one bath) targeting the upper end of the affordable housing
market. The project was Edge Certified (Green Building
Council) and was a resounding success that achieved up to a
100% rental rate within five months of completion.
The ‘H’ block design enables Tri-Star to deliver high
density housing while maintaining enough open space on
site for communal playgrounds and braai areas.
“The project was constructed in dolomite compromised
soil conditions which meant that each building’s footprint
had to be drilled to ensure that it complied with the
Department of Geosciences requirements. Structural rafts
with encased pipes were designed for each block,” says
Francois Ellis the structural engineer.
Units were finished to a high standard and included
designer kitchens, Wi-Fi access and nano meters to control
and monitor electricity and water consumption.
“Building and developing affordable housing is an essential
part of the future of our country, as well as the world. It is
here to stay and we are pleased to have added this ‘string to
our bow’. It has been a rewarding experience to see the
development of local people and the upliftment of
communities,” says CEO Derek Wheals.
For more information, visit:
www.tri-starconstruction.co.za.
JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2019
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