Incentive for Property Developers Who Save Energy

Cape Town — The Department of Energy plans to offer a rebate for property developers who fit energy saving features in buildings.

Tabling the department's Budget Vote on Tuesday, Minister of Energy Dipuo Peters said there were still many hotels that didn't have energy efficient systems that for example turned off power automatically in a guest's room when they left to go out.

She said the offer presented an opportunity for businesses and homeowners to invest in metering systems which could automatically switch off electricity when it wasn't needed.

Nelisiwe Magubane, the department's director general, said R5.3 billion had been set aside in allowances. (Read more...)

BuaNews (Tshwane)

Crackdown on housing projects

MEC for Human Settlements, Maggie Govender, has ordered a house-by-house inspection for targeted housing projects in KwaZulu-Natal thought to be sub-standard.

This includes Shauwn Mpisane's housing project in Umlazi, where homes were showing damage and retaining walls were bulging.

Govender has signed a Service Level Agreement with the National Home Builder's Registration Council (NHBRC), which will finally see shoddy contractors being named and shamed in the province.

The process is set to start within weeks once the NHBRC is given a list of targeted housing projects seen to be failing.

It will then conduct a forensic inspection on what needs to be rectified and report back to Govender to crack the whip and turn their recommendations into action. (Read more...)

By Zohra Mohamed Teke
www.iol.co.za