April 2011

Tshwane to become largest city in South Africa

April 29, 2011 - 13:05

Pretoria - The City of Tshwane will become the largest metropolitan municipality in the country after the 18 May local government elections when it incorporates the Metsweding District Municipality.

This was confirmed by the city's Executive Mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa when presenting his first budget speech and the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) for the 2011/12,2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years on Thursday.

"When Metsweding with its local municipalities, Nokeng tsa Taemane and Kungwini become part of the city, the new City of Tshwane will become the largest metropolitan municipality in South Africa, comprising of an area of 6 368km2 and a population of just over 2.5 million."

He said this formed part of the proposed amendments of borders by the Gauteng Provincial Government, which will lead to the disestablishment of the Metsweding District Municipality.

This will also make the City of Tshwane the third largest city in the world in terms of land mass, after New York and Yokohama in Tokyo. The reconfigured Tshwane will also move from the current five regions and 76 wards to seven regions and 105 wards.

City of Tshwane to assist thousands of indigent households

April 29, 2011 - 13:04

Pretoria - The City of Tshwane has set a target of registering 150 000 indigent households by 2016, according to Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa.

He said the council would do this by increasing the number of registered households by 90 000, 110 000 and 130 000 in the 2011.12, 2012/13 and 2012/14 financial years respectively.

Ramokgopa announced this when he tabled his budget of R66.3 billion over the medium term on Thursday.

He said the current number of indigent households on the register had been adjusted to 63 000 due to the exiting of some households from the programme. This would "leave enough room for indigent households in the Kungwini and Nokeng tsa Taemane areas," he said.

The mayor was referring to the two local councils which will be incorporated into the city of Tshwane after the 18 May local government elections.

The city will spend R411.8 million, R564.5 million and R745.9 million for the 2011/12,2012/13, and 2013/14 financial years to assist poor households with services.

By Nthambeleni Gabara

- BuaNews

Single tariff structure on the cards for Tshwane

April 29, 2011 - 13:02

Pretoria - Tshwane Executive Mayor, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, has tabled a R66.3 billion budget for the next three years incorporating the proposed single tariff structure for municipal services.

The city is currently faced with the challenge of three different tariff structures for property rates, electricity, refuse removal, water and sanitation.

"The budget we table today incorporates the proposed unified property rates. Furthermore, we regard a single tariff structure as essential. It is our considered view that we are creating one city, and one system. If we fail to do that, it may lead to a fractured system and the same experience that we had in 2000 when the current city was founded," he said.

Ramokgopa tabled his budget and the Medium-Term Revenue and Expenditure Framework (MTREF) for the 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 financial years on Thursday.

After the 18 May local government elections, the city will grow from having 76 wards to having 105 wards when the Metsweding District will be incorporated. The two local municipalities in the Metsweding District are Kungwini and Nokeng tsa Taemane.

WA New Award Cycle - Submit Your Projects Now!

April 29, 2011 - 12:35

20+10+X Architecture Awards 11th Cycle - Deadline: 22 July 2011 

Join the community for free and get your work recognized by the international public!

World Architecture Community invites all world architects/offices to create a page on http://www.worldarchitecture.org and submit their projects/buildings to participate in the 11th Cycle of WA Awards 20+10+X. All projects uploaded to the portal are considered in the scope of WA Awards. 

See ALL WINNERS /SELECTED PROJECTS of the previous cycles.

All projects under all categories uploaded to the portal will be considered as candidates for this award.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Participate for FREE! The aim of the WA Community Awards is to highlight and publish remarkable projects that might otherwise remain unnoticed by the international public yet have the potential to inspire exciting questions about contemporary architectural discourse. ALL PROJECTS uploaded to the portal are considered as candidates for WA Awards, so we invite architects, architecture students from ALL COUNTRIES to submit their buildings (realized or not) of ANY TYPE for the appreciation of the WA Community.

All projects submitted or updated by their architects after 22 April 2011 will be evaluated for the WA Awards 11th Cycle.

Firm Invests U.S.$65 Million On Terminal

April 29, 2011 - 12:24

Nigeria: Firm Invests U.S.$65 Million On Terminal - Ports & Cargo Handling Services Ltd., one of the port concessionaires, said it has invested 65 million dollars (N9.7 billion) to develop its terminal in the last five years. [AA Urbanisation]

RB Commissions 68 L/Stone Police Houses

April 29, 2011 - 12:23

Zambia: RB Commissions 68 L/Stone Police Houses - President Rupiah Banda has commissioned 68 newly constructed Zambia Police Service houses in Livingstone's Maramba Township with an assurance that it is Government's policy to provide shelter to all Zambians. [AA Urbanisation]

Poor State of Roads a Major Hurdle in Survival Struggle

April 29, 2011 - 12:23

Kenya: Poor State of Roads a Major Hurdle in Survival Struggle - Four women traders with one thing in common - disgust at the state of the roads that link them to their clients. [AA Urbanisation]

Old Council Houses to Be Demolished

April 29, 2011 - 12:22

Kenya: Old Council Houses to Be Demolished - Old government houses along Nairobi's Jogoo Road will be demolished to pave the way for low-cost modern units. [AA Urbanisation]

Bloated House Set to Cost Sh11 Billion

April 29, 2011 - 12:21

Kenya: Bloated House Set to Cost Sh11 Billion - The reality of funding two houses of Parliament will begin to be felt next year, with the cost expected to hit the Sh11 billion per year mark on salaries alone. [AA Urbanisation]

Building Lagos Light Rail System

April 29, 2011 - 12:20

Nigeria: Building Lagos Light Rail System - Since the disclosure by Governor, Babatunde Fashola, a year ago that plans were underway for Lagos State to secure operators to invest in the provision of coaches for its planned light rail transport, residents have been waiting for the maturity of the programme. [AA Construction]

Sh150 Million Needed to Construct Shrine in Subukia

April 29, 2011 - 12:19

Kenya: Sh150 Million Needed to Construct Shrine in Subukia - The Catholic Church is appealing for funds to construct a shrine estimated at Sh150 million at Subukia in Nakuru. A prayers meeting-cum-fundraiser is scheduled to take place at the National Marian Shrine in Subukia on May 7. [AA Construction]

Government to Spend K5 Billion On Local Courts

April 29, 2011 - 12:19

Zambia: Govt to Spend K5 Billion On Local Courts - THE Government will spend K5 billion on the construction of ten local courts in Central Province. [AA Construction]

Zambia: State to Build More Silos

April 29, 2011 - 12:18

Zambia: State to Build More Silos - THE Government has embarked on a project to rehabilitate and construct grain storage facilities countrywide at the total cost of more than K500 billion. [AA Construction]

Gambia: The Multi-Billion Dollar Project

April 29, 2011 - 12:18

Gambia: The Multi-Billion Dollar Project - Realities revolving round The Gambia becoming a beacon of hope, a well developed nation and a shining example worthy of emulation within the sub-region and beyond has been illustrated in the recent laying of a foundation stone for yet another multi-billion dollar development project in the country. [AA Construction]

Gedem Construction Company Implements Major Projects

April 29, 2011 - 12:17

Eritrea: Gedem Construction Company Implements Major Projects - Gedem Construction Company implemented various construction and infrastructure projects in different parts of the country over the past 20 years, stated Mr. Mebrahtu Mael, general manager of the Company. [AA Construction]

Eritrea: Bridge Constructed in Keren Town

April 29, 2011 - 12:16

Eritrea: Bridge Constructed in Keren Town - A bridge has been constructed in Walik administrative area, Keren town, at a cost of over 4.5 million Nakfa, according to Eng. Michael Girmai from the infrastructure development department in the town. [AA Construction]

SC2011 Spain-China Architecture Competition

April 29, 2011 - 12:16

SC2011 Spain-China Architecture Competition - FUTURE is launching an international ideas competition to identify the best design concepts with the challenge to develop visionary urban  proposals with the intention of stimulating contemporary cities, in this case 4 different locations: Hangzhou, Nanjing, Madrid and Barcelona. ...25.04.2011 [WAC Latest News]

Kenyatta Market Razed by City Council

April 26, 2011 - 20:51

Kenya: Kenyatta Market Razed by City Council - KENYATTA Market traders woke up to a shock on Friday morning when they found their stalls razed by City Council of Nairobi askaris. Fruits, vegetables, furniture and four refrigerators in Coca Cola kiosks were destroyed. [AA Urbanisation]

Ministry Decries Costly Housing

April 26, 2011 - 20:50

Kenya: Ministry Decries Costly Housing - The government has urged property developers at the Coast to focus more on building low-cost properties to cater for the low-income earning citizens. [AA Urbanisation]

CB Minister Fumes Over Itawa Complex 'Encroachment'

April 26, 2011 - 20:49

Zambia: CB Minister Fumes Over Itawa Complex 'Encroachment' - COPPERBELT Province Minister Mwansa Mbulakulima has ordered that construction works of a lodge and a house within Itawa Housing Complex premises in Ndola be halted immediately. [AA Construction]

Eritrea: Minister Outlines Accomplishments in the Sector of Public Works

April 26, 2011 - 20:48

Eritrea: Minister Outlines Accomplishments in the Sector of Public Works - The Minister of Public Works, Mr. Abraha Asfaha, said that advanced infrastructure and construction works have been accomplished over the past 20 years aimed at ensuring socio-economic development. [AA Construction]

Government to Set Up Construction Firm in Athi River

April 26, 2011 - 20:48

Kenya: Government to Set Up Construction Firm in Athi River - The cost of construction in Kenya is expected to further come down following the successful procurement of a state-of-the-art construction factory from Italy by the government. [AA Construction]

Cost of Building to Go Down, Says Shitanda

April 26, 2011 - 20:47

Kenya: Cost of Building to Go Down, Says Shitanda - The cost of building in Kenya is expected to come down following successful procurement of a state-of-the-art factory from Italy. [AA Construction]

Competition - Close the Gap

April 26, 2011 - 20:46

Competition - Close the Gap - Close the Gap, an international design competition sponsored by Transportation Alternatives and d3, invites architects, landscape architects, urban designers, engineers, and students worldwide to broaden the dialogue of alternative solutions for sustainable urban living.  The competition focuse ...25.04.2011 [WAC Latest News]

SC2011 Spain-China Architecture Competition

April 26, 2011 - 20:28

SC2011 Spain-China Architecture Competition - FUTURE is launching an international ideas competition to identify the best design concepts with the challenge to develop visionary urban  proposals with the intention of stimulating contemporary cities, in this case 4 different locations: Hangzhou, Nanjing, Madrid and Barcelona. ...25.04.2011 [WAC Latest News]

Zambia: RB Housing Stance Wins Praise

April 23, 2011 - 00:17

Zambia: RB Housing Stance Wins Praise - A LUSAKA-based lawyer has praised President Rupiah Banda for directing various boards of parastatal companies to offer their housing units countrywide to sitting tenants and to write off outstanding debts, and described Ndola Catholic Diocese Bishop Alick Banda's criticism of the decision as strange.¨ [AA Urbanisation]

SUI Probes Dodgy Housing Contracts

April 23, 2011 - 00:16

Zimbabwe: SUI Probes Dodgy Housing Contracts - THE Special Investigating Unit (SIU) is examining "questionable" housing contracts totalling R2bn, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale said on Tuesday. [AA Urbanisation]

Namibia: Founding Father Supports Construction of Kempinski

April 23, 2011 - 00:14

Namibia: Founding Father Supports Construction of Kempinski - Former President, Dr Sam Nujoma, has come out in support of the developers of the Kempinski Strand Hotel in Swakopmund, saying that the public outcry regarding the construction of the hotel has defeated government objectives. [AA Construction]

Six Dams to Boost Farming in Kieni

April 23, 2011 - 00:13

Kenya: Six Dams to Boost Farming in Kieni - More than Sh600 million will be used to construct six dams in Kieni East and Kieni West districts. Kieni MP Nemesyus Warugongo said the funds have been donated by the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa. [AA Construction]

Japan Grants $U.S.10 Million for Modernization of Professional Centre

April 23, 2011 - 00:12

Angola: Japan Grants $U.S.10 Million for Modernization of Professional Centre - The Vocational Training Centre for Civil Engineering of Viana will get a USD 10 million funding, announced, Thursday in Luanda, the secretary of the Japanese embassy in Angola, Reiko Murakami. [AA Construction]