From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. Kusile power station project general manager Abram Masango spoke to Schalk Burger about the Kusile construction project and explained how it’s managed to remain on schedule for first synchronisation in 2016.

Schalk Burger:
The 2 500 ha Kusile power station being built in Mpumalanga sees 17 000 people from 120 companies enter the site each day. It is located east of the coalmining town of eMalahleni.

Kusile power station project general manager Abram Masango gave Engineering News some insight into what is required of a project manager to ensure that so many people, companies and cultures operate together smoothly.

Masango mentioned that the project manager must be accessible to all stakeholders and, so doing, create channels of communication through which all parties can make their concerns known and through which consensus can be reached on matter affecting several parties.

Beside creating and maintaining communications channels, the project manager must also manage the expectations of the culturally varied teams, including performance expectations and community development.

Masango explains some of the reasons why a project manager on a large construction site must be hands-on and involved.

Kusile power station project general manager Abram Masango:
I’ve got different disciplines, construction, contract management, commercial claims, safety department together managing the entire project.
It is always very hectic from day-to-day, as you can see when looking at the number of people we have here on site.

Every day, every morning the different construction managers and contract managers are sitting with different contractors having their toolbox talk that takes, about 30 minutes. During this toolbox talk they talk about safety issues, where they do the risk assessment, where they do the job observation, where they discuss the day-to-day activities that need to be done in that day without compromising safety.

I am very hands-on, personally, because if you are not hands-on, it is difficult to manage this type of a project because you’ve got all these diversities in this project. We’ve got people who are coming from other countries, they are here. We’ve got different people in this country. And then all of them you have to integrate and make sure that they are managed and managed properly.

Shannon de Ryhove:
Other news making headlines this week: The impact on jobs is still uncertain as Sasol gets set to implement its streamlined model; MTN South Africa lags behind has international operations shine; And, Sasol eyes northern Mozambique’s gas ‘monetisation’ prospects.

Energy and chemicals group Sasol will pull the trigger on its streamlined operational structure on July 1, with CEO David Constable forecasting a minimum of R3-billion in sustainable yearly savings as a result of the reorganisation.

Sasol CEO David Constable

Telecommunications giant MTN has reported higher earnings for the year to December as its international operations bolstered its performance.

MTN group president and CEO Sifiso Dabengwa

Sasol says the gas discoveries in the north of Mozambique are large enough to support significant additional “gas monetisation” options over-and-above the liquefied natural gas opportunities currently being considered.

Sasol group executive for South African energy Bernard Klingenberg

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.