An assessment of the viability of labour intensive township development in the Cape Metropolitan Area

• Main Author: Steunenberg, Hendrik Stephanus
• Other Authors: Lister, Gordon
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2014
• Subjects: Engineering Management
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8480

Includes bibliographical references. === Labour intensive construction, generally defined by authors as the economically efficient use of labour to produce the quality of product as demanded by the specification (and allowed by the funding available), ensures that significantly more labour is used per unit of expenditure than in conventional construction. Labour intensive municipal infrastructure projects have been implemented in South Africa since 1985, but it is only in recent years that large township development projects in the Cape Metropolitan Area were undertaken with a purposeful exchange of machines for people. This thesis aims to assess the viability of labour intensive construction methods when applied in township development in the Cape Metropolitan Area. Case study methodology was used to design the study and gather and analyse data to reach meaningful conclusions. Six cases where labour intensive construction methods are used to provide municipal services, were investigated. After analysis, the findings were synthesised and recommendations presented. The objectives of the thesis were to investigate the factors; cost, time and quality when labour intensive construction methods are used. Contractual arrangements, possible social benefits and communication were also identified as areas to be investigated. The findings were compared with the industry's norms for conventional construction methods in order to evaluate the viability of labour intensive construction.