Uploaded on 2018-03-01 by Tim Ewart

South Africa like other African countries has a massive infrastructure gap. Fortunately as one of the developing country, it is in the fortunate position that it manufactures two of the primary construction materials - Steel & Concrete. However, while that puts the country in a fortunate position, one must concede that these two industries are some of the highest polluting. As for the other construction related materials in the attached picture (scaffolding, safety netting, bricks, concrete piping), these are also fabricated in the country. Where South Africa does manufacture certain heavy industry equipment (predominantly mining equipment) high lift equipment such as the mobile crane, are imported to the country. Presently, primary construction materials in the urban residential, commercial and industrial arenas, is still primarily bricks and mortar. There are however isolated projects aimed at establishing eco villages, where the focus with regards to building materials is towards various other sustainable building materials. The Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch has been quite central to this.