Informal¹ small brickyards in the Free State townships are enhancing local economic development

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Date
2006
Authors
Steÿn, Das
Jooste-Smit, Petria
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
English: This article explores the role that small scale informal brickyards can play in providing bricks to the local housing market and in doing so create jobs for the local people. Most of these bricks are burned in kilns. The authors look into the possibility of introducing the manufacturing of raw earth bricks to these existing brickyards. Earth has a long tradition in South Africa (SA) and around the world. Many buildings such as mosques and houses were built with earth. Today an estimated 30% of the world’s population still lives in buildings made of earth. This is also the case in many townships around Bloemfontein. The poorest people live in self made earth houses. The production of raw earth bricks can play an important role in the development of the local economy. Case studies provide examples of the impact that such small and micro enterprises have on development. The impact on the environment and land use factors of the location of the brickyards are discussed. A scenario is sketched in which the economic impact of earth bricks are compared with other bricks like burnt and cement bricks and cement blocks. Some suggestions on how these brickyards can be supported by local government and planning policy to make them sustainable are discussed.
Afrikaans: voorsiening van stene aan die plaaslike behuisingsmark ondersoek asook die werk wat daaruit geskep word vir die plaaslike bevolking, Meeste van die stene wat deur die werwe vervaardig word, word in oonde gebrand. Die outeurs kyk na die moontlikheid om die vervaardiging van rou grondstene deur hierdie werwe, bekend te stel. Grond het ’n lang tradisie in SA en in die wêreld. Baie geboue soos moskees en huise is van grond gebou. Vandag woon ’n geraamde 30% van die wêreld se bevolking in geboue van grond. Dit is ook die geval in baie nedersettings om Bloemfontein. Die armste mense woon in grond huise wat hulle self gebou het. Die produksie van rou stene kan ’n belangrike rol speel in die ontwikkeling van die plaaslike ekonomie. Presedent Gevallestudies voorsien voorbeelde van die impak wat sulke klein en mikro besighede op ontwikkeling kan hê. Die impak op die omgewing en grondgebruik faktore van die posisies van hierdie steenwerweword bespreek. ’n Scenario word geskets waarin die ekonomiese impak van grondstene vergelyk word met die van gebrande stene, sement stene en ook sementblokke. Aanbevelings word gemaak oor hoe hierdie steenwerwe deur die plaaslike regering en beplanningsbeleid ondersteun kan word om hul meer volhoubaar te maak.
Description
Keywords
Informal brickyards, Free State townships, Economic development
Citation
Steÿn, D., & Jooste-Smit, P. (2006). Informal¹ small brickyards in the Free State townships are enhancing local economic development. Acta Structilia: Journal for the Physical and Development Sciences, 13(1), 82-105.