KaiKai is a Richtersveld project from which the community must benefit.

History of property development elsewhere in South Africa has shown that communities do not benefit automatically. A project like KaiKai must plan and design the benefit to local communities.

We have formulated rules to create benefit. One of the rules is that only natural stone procured in the Richtersveld region may be used in KaiKai. Natural stone imported from India, Italy or outside our region will not be acceptable.

Lifestone is a stone quarry close to Steinkopf, 90 kilometres from Port Nolloth. It is a company kick-started by funding from the Northern Cape Government and is currently endeavouring to place its product in the broader South African market, with the intention to eventually export.

Its most important product is an attractive quartzite tile manufactured from quartzite slabs mined on the Steinkopf Plateau. Quartzite is a durable mineral found in layered formations of varied thickness. The quartzite is usually decorated by Mother Nature with fossil-like patterns and is locally known as “picture stone.”

Lifestone cuts these quartzite slabs into square tiles. KaiKai and Lifestone have now developed a product called KaiKai Quartzite, which is a by-product of the production of these tiles.

Only KaiKai Quartzite will be used on the exterior walls of KaiKai homes.

During November and December 2005 we experimented with the KaiKai Quartzite by building a sample wall attached to the KaiKai sales office. We also had an area of approximately 40 square meters tiled with Lifestone quartzite tiles.

Our purpose was to judge the aesthetics of the quartzite on an appropriate scale and to gauge the market’s reaction thereto.

The reaction was overwhelmingly positive leading to quite a few immediate property sales. We are now designing a show house which will incorporate the KaiKai Quartzite.

In the meantime KaiKai and Lifestone are in the process of developing a range of products to be used on the interior walls and floors of houses. More about this in the future.

Hand-packed KaiKai Quartzite wall

Late afternoon view of wall specimen to be introduced into KaiKai architecture with quartzite tiles in the foreground.

Shawn Carstens (right), MD of Lifestone and Percy Paulsen (left), sales manager

KaiKai sales office in the early morning fog

close-up of KaiKai wall