Affordable housing projects are among some of the high-impact interventions that government intends executing “swiftly and effectively” to support a rapid economic rebound.
These projects have the potential to stimulate growth anddevelop other economic sectors. This is in addition toaddressing informal settlements, dilapidated townshipsand rural housing that provide sub-standard living conditions,while also undermining efforts to contain the spread of Covid-19.Affordable housing projects will also create many directand indirect jobs in a country that has been grappling with high unemployment for many years.
The situation has beenseverely exacerbated by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.Unemployment levels are at their highest at about 30.8%,exceeding the first quarter of 2020 figure of30.1%.A total of 18 housing projects, which together make up morethan 190 000 residential units, have been gazetted by government.This is a significant undertaking that will also rely heavily on acoordinated approach to training in various building trades.Tjeka Training Matters’ state-of-the-art training centre inRandfontein, Gauteng, has helped build a robust pipeline ofbuilding skills since it commenced operations in 2012.
The trainingcentre is also now prepared to receive more learners ahead ofgovernment’s large infrastructure-investment drive.It has trained employees from some of the country’s foremostcontractors, participants in the building construction supplychains and government bodies. This is in addition to the manyindividuals who have launched their careers in the constructionindustry by enrolling directly in various training programmesavailable at the facility.
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By David Poggiolini
Article and Image Source: SA Affordable Housing Magazine
