Engineering News

The Musina Mall, an extension of the Great North Plaza situated in Limpopo, looks to service cross-border trade as well as increase retail facilities to the local community through its current vast extension from 14 000 to 34 000 m2 . The R320 million mall which will be fully operational by April 2017, has created substantial employment to the local community during its construction.

“This was a project that offered us a few challenges, not least the intense heat that cracked windows and resulted in labour exhaustion, but also the removal of 12 0003
of concrete as well as a granite embankment. Indigenous trees comprising 26.5 tons and 3.5 meters deep also had to be removed” said Martin van Veelen, Managing Director of AJCOR Civil Projects based in Centurion, Gauteng.

“We sourced interlocking joint pipes (IJ) from Rocla for bulk internal stormwater applications on this project. This was due to the quality of the Rocla product. Additionally, their competitive pricing and close proximity to site resulted in reduced transport costs. Rocla supplied SC 75D IJ pipes in various sizes as well their 75 IJ pipes (Sil).

“We were very satisfied with the service from Rocla, and even though some of the IJ piping had to be manufactured to our specifications, Rocla were able to meet our short lead-in times and meet our deadlines with limited disturbance to our scheduling” said van Veelen.

Rocla Sales Representative, Sarel Pretorius, commented “Rocla’s interlocking joint pipe is a non-watertight pipe particularly suited for use in stormwater applications. The male/female type joint is formed inside the wall of the pipe, i.e. there is no widening of the pipe, and therefore the outside dimensions of the pipe remain constant. The joint itself is used for centering the pipe during laying operations making the process easier.”

“This vast Musina Mall project commenced in October 2015 and is due to be completed by March 2017. The project utilised 422.422 tonnes of IJ pipes from Rocla, all of which met the delivery deadlines of our customer AJCOR Civil Projects. We are proud to have been a partner to AJCOR Civils who faced unexpected environmental and weather challenges” concluded Pretorius.

Rocla manufactures precast concrete infrastructural products through an extensive network of factories throughout South Africa, Namibia and Botswana and can can design and manufacture products to specification.

Rocla is part of the IS Group of companies which includes Technicrete ISG and Ocon Brick.