South African John Roston Smith specializes in thatched roofs, which are gaining popularity in other parts of the world. WSJ's Patrick McGroarty visits with him at several work sites. John Roston ...

There are wide varieties of thatch used in South Africa today, said Bev Walker, A.C.E.’s project manager, who is South African and has been in the thatch business 17 years.

It’s a reality that thatched roofs are extremely popular in South Africa, both within many rural communities and a number of upmarket developments. Constructed of soft material, such as straw ...

• Every thatched roof deserves a good brush every 5-8yrs to ensure no deep rotting and thatch degeneration occurs. Brushing helps realign parts of the roof and gives the roof a clean and fresh look.

When a double-storey thatched roof house was struck by lightning and caught fire the Knoppieslaagte community pulled together and helped save the family and their belongings worth thousands of rands.

Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa board director Marcel Wood was commenting after a fire destroyed 76 homes in St Francis Bay, in the Eastern Cape, many of them with thatch roofs.

John Roston Smithwas building a thatched roof at a lodge in South Africa's Nambiti game reserve when a herd of Cape buffalo charged through, sending his crew scrambling into the rafters.

It’s a reality that thatched roofs are extremely popular in South Africa, both within many rural communities and a number of upmarket developments. Constructed of soft material, such as straw, reed, ...

Thatched roofs have continued to be a reliable roofing option in many housing development plans. April 20, 2021 ...