Aerial view of the stream diversion at Eskom's Kendal power station
Lubocon Civils has achieved the highest grading from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), opening the door for the black-led multidisciplinary contractor to bid independently on bigger projects.
The achievement of Grade 9 Civil Engineering, or 9CE, status puts the company on a level to compete among the big players in the industry, says Lubocon Civils CEO and co-founder Lungisa Tshele. It can now bid independently for projects whose value exceeds R200-million, where previously it had done this as part of joint ventures.
The level 9CE indicates that the company has developed the highest level of expertise, experience and capability in the construction industry, with the CIDB judging it as capable of successfully undertaking large and complex construction projects, on time and on budget.
Lubocon Civils was started nine years ago by quantity surveyor Tshele and civil engineer co-founder Bongani Msimango. The company says it has prioritised its skills base and the transfer of skills, by employing in-house engineers and other professionals, including those registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa, and a number working towards registration.
With its early work conducted mainly for local municipalities, Lubocon Civils has expanded into a range of projects from road contracts on provincial highways, to water and mining infrastructure, as well as work for the private sector, in industries such as mining.
Lubocon Civils is accredited for ISO 9001 quality systems and ISO 14001 environmental management standards, and the company says it is putting in place the ISO 45001 standard for occupational health and safety.