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Construction News

AfriSam expects ‘tough 2019’ amid continuing political, policy uncertainty

By: Simone Liedtke 21st February 2019 Construction materials company AfriSam CEO Rob Wessels expects “a tough 2019”, especially amid ongoing political and policy uncertainty. Wessels was, on Thursday, joined by political analyst Aubrey Matshiqi and AfriSam sales and marketing executive Richard Tomes at a briefing post Finance... →

Zambia, Zimbabwe shortlist foreign firms to build hydro plant

By: Reuters 21st February 2019 Zambia and Zimbabwe have shortlisted American, European and Chinese companies to build the Batoka Gorge hydro power plant, the ministry of finance said in statement on Wednesday. Preparatory studies, including engineering feasibility, for the 2 400 MW power station will be completed by end of the... →

ANC Gauteng calls for accelerated release of provincial land for student accommodation

By: News24Wire 21st February 2019 The ANC in Gauteng says one of the ways that tackling the rising lack of student accommodation for higher education students can be fast-tracked is if the provincial government releases land and property it owns. This would be through a rapid land release programme, the subcommittee on education,... →

Industries and municipalities contribute to Vaal river pollution, SAHRC hears

By: Schalk Burger 20th February 2019 There is continued unlawful spillage, mainly sewage, into waterways that run into the Vaal river from the Emfuleni region, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) was told on Wednesday, during the final sitting of its inquiry into the contamination of the river. South African National... →

R100bn to be injected into infrastructure fund over ten years

By: Simone Liedtke 20th February 2019 National Treasury will be reprioritising resources towards President Cyril Ramaphosa’s infrastructure fund and away from the wage bill, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said on Wednesday, with government committing R100-billion over the next decade towards the building and operation of key... →

Municipalities should not approve building plans which may devalue surrounding properties, ConCourt rules

By: News24Wire 20th February 2019 The Constitutional Court has ruled that municipalities are obliged to consider the possibilities that a new development could devalue nearby properties before approving building plans. The court said that when a proposed building is being considered, the decision-maker should check against... →

AfDB optimistic about Eskom’s turnaround prospects

By: Terence Creamer 19th February 2019 The African Development Bank (AfDB), which has extended billions of rands in loans to Eskom, says it is optimistic the actions being taken to turnaround the embattled South African power utility will bear fruit. Power, energy, climate and green growth complex VP Amadou Hott told Engineering News... →

Photo by Creamer Media
AfDB power, energy, climate and green growth complex VP Amadou Hott

M&R expects significant improvement in interim HEPS

By: Nadine James 19th February 2019 JSE-listed engineering group Murray & Roberts (M&R) expects a significant improvement in total earnings per share (EPS) and headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months ended December 31. Basic EPS for the period are expected to increase by between 57% and 75% year-on-year to between 44c... →

Clough set to acquire Saulsbury’s oil and gas unit, EPC portfolio

By: Nadine James 19th February 2019 Murray & Roberts (M&R) subsidiary Clough will acquire Houston-based engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor Saulsbury’s Gulf Coast downstream and chemical business unit, as well as its EPC portfolio, for $5.2-million. In the statement issued on Tuesday, M&R CE Henry Laas... →

Balwin Rentals to acquire 4 544 rental apartments

By: Nadine James 19th February 2019 JSE-listed Balwin Properties’ subsidiary Balwin Rentals has secured a right of first refusal to acquire 4 544 rental apartments that will be developed by Balwin. The developments are Greenpark, comprising 1 056 apartments, in Boksburg, which is expected to be completed by December 2021; Greenlee,... →

Africa has opportunity to supply more gas to China

By: Marleny Arnoldi 18th February 2019 Gas demand is expected to overtake coal demand globally by 2030, says Standard Bank Southern Africa oil and gas head Paul Eardley-Taylor. Speaking at Africa Gas Forum, on Monday, he stated that global energy demand was increasing by 1.3% a year, while gas demand was increasing at between 1.7% and... →

Aveng to sell Infraset to Colossal Africa Consortium

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 18th February 2019 JSE-listed Aveng has entered into a binding term sheet for the sale of the Aveng Infraset businesses, comprising the South African division and the Infraset business of the foreign subsidiaries of Aveng Africa, to the Colossal Africa Consortium. Infraset was identified as a noncore asset during... →

Vukile appoints Laurence Cohen CFO designate

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 18th February 2019 Real estate investment trust (Reit) Vukile Property Fund has appointed Laurence Cohen as CFO designate, effective March 1. He will succeed Vukile’s FD Mike Potts and be appointed to the Vukile board of directors on July 1, after Potts’ planned retirement on June 30. →

Laurence Cohen

70 schools in SA red-flagged for structural defects

By: News24Wire 18th February 2019 A tragedy similar to the one at Hoërskool Driehoek is possible at 70 schools in South Africa, after they were red-flagged for structural defects. On February 1, the country mourned the death of four pupils after a concrete slab above a corridor at Hoërskool Driehoek in Vanderbijlpark collapsed.... →

M2 motorway to be closed until Oct to allow for bridge rehabilitation

By: Simone Liedtke 18th February 2019 The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) will be closing the M2 motorway between the Crown interchange and Martizburg street to allow for bridge rehabilitation to resume. The road closure will be in effect from 06:00 on February 28 until the end of October. Work on both carriageways is expected to be... →

Photo by Simone Liedtke
Damages to the underside of the Selby section of the M2 bridge

Gift of the Givers given green light to drill boreholes in water-scarce Makhanda

By: News24Wire 15th February 2019 The Makana municipality has given the green light to disaster relief organisation Gift of the Givers to start drilling boreholes as a medium-term solution to the Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) water crisis. The town has been without water for the better part of February. →

City wants your comment on new strategy to drought-proof Cape Town

By: News24Wire 15th February 2019 After a drought almost left Capetonians queuing for a mere few litres of water per person per day, the City of Cape Town wants your comment on a proposed R5.4bn strategy to avoid another possible "Day Zero". The proposed strategy, if accepted after public comment, presents ways of meeting growing... →

Tanzania hydropower dam to cost more than double government estimate – study

By: Reuters 15th February 2019 Tanzania's Stiegler's Gorge Dam, due to be built on a Unesco World Heritage site, will cost more than double the government's estimates, an independent study showed on Thursday. In December, Tanzania signed a deal with two Egyptian companies, El Sewedy Electric Co and Arab Contractors, to build... →

Cesa optimistic after president’s address

By: Halima Frost 15th February 2019 The 2019 presidential address of industry body Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) president Neresh Pather, which he delivered with cautious optimism, calling for a transparent drive for the betterment of the sector, sent out a strong message about the future of the civil engineering and... →

NERESH PATHER Procurement policies need to be formulated to embrace the long-term needs of projects

SA company receives multibillion-dollar contract

15th February 2019 Construction and engineering company Clough, a wholly owned subsidiary of South African engineering company Murray & Roberts - and part of the Clough Salini Impregilo Joint Venture (JV) - has been selected as the preferred tenderer for the multibillion Australian dollar civil works for the... →

SO MUCH DAM WATER The Snowy 2.0 project with reuse water through a pumping system to keep the grid running

Operations to be ramped up at edible-oil plant

By: Halima Frost 15th February 2019 Civil and structural engineering firm ADA Consulting is set to complete the upgrade of edible-oil supplier CEOCO’s Boksburg plant, in Gauteng by September. ADA Consulting MD Paul Maitre tells Engineering News that the project, although well on its way to completion, needs “an extra boost just to... →

NO CROP CIRCLE The circular foundation where the storage silos will be placed can be seen from an aerial view of the plant

Hostile construction environment to persist until infrastructure spend recovers

By: Nadine James 15th February 2019 Construction is a depressing place to be at the moment, says Hogan Lovells partner and construction head Clive Rumsey, citing the lack of large infrastructure projects, deriving from lacklustre economic growth and a backlog in tender adjudication, as some of the reasons why the sector is... →

Green solution used for retaining walls

By: Halima Frost 15th February 2019 Geotextiles manufacturer Fibertex SA is working on a project that entails the supply of more than 12 000 geosynthetic sand container (GSC) bags that are being used as a green wall solution rather than using conventional retaining blocks. The GSC bags – being supplied to a project in Salt Rock, on... →

RETAINING THE GREENERY A green-wall solution was found to make retaining walls more aesthetically pleasing

Open day highlights new offerings from Upat

15th February 2019 Last month construction material and fastener distributor Upat hosted an open day at its head office in New Doornfontein, Gauteng, where customers were given a foretaste of the latest innovations which will be introduced locally in 2019. Upat provides solutions for construction, general industry,... →

MEASURING UP The new Stabila app makes measuring information quicker to archive and easier to access

Concrete paver launched at Las Vegas Expo

15th February 2019 At the World of Concrete 2019 Expo held in Las Vegas last month construction solutions provider Wirtgen Group introduced the new AutoPilot 2.0 – a pour in place concrete paver – showcased three Wirtgen slipform pavers and a texture curing machine, as well as displayed an aftermarket specialist... →

PAVING THE WAY The mobile paver has a 3D integrated control system for varying offset applications

Rubber company to focus on automotive sector

By: Cameron Mackay 15th February 2019 Premium rubber products manufacturer Hudson Rubber plans to focus on the localisation of rubber products for the automotive sector this year. Following its merger with rubber retail and wholesale specialists Pro-Auto Rubber’s manufacturing operation in November 2016, the most significant... →

Photo by Bloomberg
VITAL INDUSTRY The rubber industry is linked to the state of the economy, as it services various sectors of the economy

Transport projects in Africa provide fillip for infrastructure development

By: Schalk Burger 15th February 2019 Transport infrastructure projects comprise 40% of the 482 infrastructure development projects surveyed in Africa, and represent a critical element for supporting further infrastructure development, says Deloitte Infrastructure and Capital Projects East and West leader J-P Labuschagne. The... →

J-P LABUSCHAGNE The magnitude of African infrastructure development plans necessitates significant capital management skills

Hospital group’s impressive energy savings journey recognised

By: Schalk Burger 15th February 2019 Private healthcare company Netcare Group replaced 108 000 inefficient lights and light fittings with modern energy efficient alternatives, and reduced its light-load by 40%, offsetting its hospitals’ carbon footprint by 16 000 t/y of carbon dioxide, says Netcare Group CEO Dr Richard Friedland.... →

Sanral, Nafbi sign MoU to develop small contractors, accelerate BEE implementation

By: Simone Liedtke 14th February 2019 State-owned South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) and nongovernmental organisation, the National African Federated Building Industry (Nafbi), on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at developing small contractors within the South African construction industry.... →

Photo by Simone Liedtke
Sanral CEO Skhumbuzo Macozoma (left) and Nafbi president Aubrey Tshalata (right) during the signing of the MoU agreement on Thursday

Huawei to build data centres in South Africa

By: Reuters 14th February 2019 China's Huawei will build two data centres in South Africa from March, it said, as part of plans to expand cloud services across Africa. "The company is working with South African partners for the construction of the data centres in Johannesburg initially and later Cape Town," Huawei said in a... →

The future of e-tolls is a political decision, says Sanral’s Kannemeyer

By: Irma Venter 14th February 2019 The decision on the future of electronic toll (e-toll) in Gauteng is a political one, says South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) engineering executive Louw Kannemeyer. Speaking at the Transport Forum, held in Johannesburg on Thursday, he told Engineering News Online that opposing... →

Emira delivers positive dividend growth, facilitated by portfolio repositioning

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 13th February 2019 Diversified real estate investment trust (Reit) Emira Property Fund achieved a 3.1% year-on-year increase in distributions for the six months ended December 31, 2018. In addition to a positive improvement in distribution growth and having met market guidance, Emira CEO Geoff Jennett on Wednesday... →

Moody’s lowers Hyprop’s credit rating

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 13th February 2019 Moody’s Investors Services (Moody’s) has lowered Hyprop’s rating from Baa3 to Ba1 with immediate effect, Hyprop revealed in a statement on Wednesday. Concurrently, Moody’s has lowered the long-term national scale issuer rating to Aa3.za from Aa1.za and has affirmed the short-term national scale... →

OR Tambo Western Precinct construction to start before end-Feb

By: Marleny Arnoldi 12th February 2019 Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) on Tuesday announced the first phase of its Western Precinct development at the OR Tambo International Airport, east of Johannesburg, would start this month and would be complete by the end of 2020. The R4.5-billion mixed-use Phase 1 development would... →

OR Tambo's Western Precinct Phase 1

Raubex warns of 20% drop in FY earnings

By: Simone Liedtke 12th February 2019 Infrastructure development and construction materials group Raubex has warned that its earnings for the financial year ended February 2019, will fall by at least 20%, owing to continued weak trading conditions in the South African construction industry, particularly in the road construction... →

EAAB to drive transformation of the South African estate agency sector

By: Marleny Arnoldi 11th February 2019 Estate agents in the property sector have long been bound by “dinosaur” legislation and the profession has remained untransformed since the advent of democracy in 1994, Estate Agency Affairs Board (EAAB) transformation committee chairperson Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw said on Monday. “The Estate Agency... →

Photo by Dylan Slater
Estate Agency Affairs Board transformation committee chairperson Eugenia Kula-Ameyaw

Marriott teams up with Kuwait Projects on St Regis resort in Morocco

By: Reuters 11th February 2019 United Real Estate, a unit of Kuwait Projects, and Marriott International said in a joint statement on Saturday that they had agreed to open a resort near Marrakech. Marriott said in October it had signed deals with partners to increase its hotels in Africa 50% by 2023, opening new ones in Ghana,... →

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Agriculture Construction Gold Port Business Education Eskom Financial Mining Platinum Power Technology Building Environment Industrial Projects Rental Tourism Water Coal Gas Resources Sustainable Waste Engineering Finance Flow Ghana PROJECT Road ... more

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