Vital project delivers new homes for informal settlement families

Spanning 26 hectares, the Boystown social housing development in South Africa’s Western Cape provides safe, affordable accommodation in a community setting.

The project team at SMEC worked with delivery partner Martin & East to form the turnkey operation, Vula Joint Venture (JV), to successfully deliver this important community development. The homes, which are painted in aesthetically pleasing earthy tones, are 40 m2 in size with properties varying between 100 m2 and 125 m2

SMEC was appointed in 2010 and was responsible for the design of all civil, structural, some electrical and geotechnical services, as well as construction monitoring. Construction was phased across three stages, with the handover of the final stage completed in September 2022.

Large quantities of bulk earthworks were required to deal with previous informal rubble, prepare the site and facilitate the new road network. Three new stormwater retention ponds have been introduced to improve water management and water run-off quality.

In addition to carrying out the structural design for the housing, the town planning layout was amended by SMEC to avoid any roads running parallel to the development’s boundary wall, which is adjacent to the heavily trafficked N2 highway. Serving as a safety measure for residents, this large boundary wall also acts as a barrier to noise pollution from the highway and nearby airport.

Funding mechanisms

During the project, SMEC assisted the client – Western Cape Department of Human Settlements – in applying for a Municipal Infrastructure Grant and associated funding as part of the Upgrading of Informal Settlement Programme (UISP). The development also contains infrastructure for three pockets of public open spaces for recreation, three worship sites, two commercial sites and space for four designated community facilities.

Stakeholder engagement strategy

Decanting and temporary relocation of residents was a key consideration for the project to navigate tension and unrest. SMEC, as part of the Vula JV, worked closely with the client and the Housing Development Agency to develop a detailed stakeholder engagement strategy. This included the creation of a project steering committee to maintain continuous, regular communication with the local community and beneficiaries. Community faction disputes resulted in many implementation delays and interference in the completion of the project. However, local community participation, patience and perseverance were key to the project’s ultimate success. The project also provided job opportunities and training, helping the local community to gain experience in the construction industry. Reflecting on the completion of the project, Johan Basson, function manager: Urban Development at SMEC, stated, “The completion of Boystown provides a benchmark for quality, low-cost housing solutions in South Africa. SMEC is proud to contribute to vital social inclusion for residents, with new roads and services providing critical infrastructure for the local community.”

PROJECT PHASES:

In turn, Minister of Infrastructure for the Western Cape Tertuis Simmers, commented that, “This handover marks the end of what has been a challenging yet fulfilling journey, as we have successfully assisted qualifying beneficiaries. I would like to extend my gratitude to all stakeholders, particularly the contractors and communities for ensuring that the handovers could occur.”

• Boystown Housing Development Phase 1: 503 units - Completed 2012

• Boystown Housing Development Phase 2: 460 units - Completed 2019

• Boystown Housing Development Phase 3: 328 units - Completed 2022

In addition, 101 serviced plots were handed over without housing units

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