Joshco and developers taking challenges in their stride
Update on progress of Joshco housing project in Princess
As with many a construction project, delays are an inevitable part of the process.
Through forethought and mitigation, keeping the wheels in motion becomes a skill as important as bricklaying and cement-mixing. Stakeholders of the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) project between Harry Road and Vlakvoeltjie Street took a tour of the site on August 3 to gauge the progress.
Together with Enza Construction’s Hannes Pieterse and Joshco’s Maki Thellane, Ward 71 councillor René Benjamin discussed the ever-present challenges faced in meeting the needs of the community, both expectant social-housing recipients and the local SMMEs partaking in the project. The need to evenly distribute the opportunities provided as well as streamlining the workload is a sophisticated juggling act.
A key facet of Joshco’s administration of this project and those like it is a programme that educates SMME owners on balancing labour and budgeting requirements. The programme helps the owner evenly allocate human resources to tasks so that distribution of skilled and unskilled labour is well weighted. “It helps the SMME owners to know what is required at each phase so that they do not overspend on wages and salaries,” Maki said.
Ensuring that those who enter the site in any form leave the project better suited to continue an upward trajectory is paramount to Joshco. “We aim for the upskilling of workers as well as the upliftment and empowerment of all involved to improve the lives of of those who have worked on the project, as SMME owners and their labourers undergo extensive training and assessment,” added Maki.
The project is to provide 330 homes for successful applicants, and while the project now aims to be ready by May 2022, hopes for earlier completion are strong. Applications have been streaming in but some questions have been raised on their legitimacy as many have featured the same faded letterhead. Applications will be thoroughly audited, and prospective applicants are urged to follow the correct channels.
