Namdock’s ‘naval offensive’ secures milestone Angolan Navy maintenance contract

In September 2019, in a milestone agreement, Namdock concluded a contract to maintain and repair the vessels of the Marinha de Guerra Angolana (MGA), the Angolan Navy. According to Namdock’s Commercial and Operations Manager, Willie Esterhuyse, although the contract has been concluded, the exact date when the vessels will be arriving in Walvis Bay has not been finalised, it is anticipated that this will be early in 2020. In terms of this agreement, Namdock will take two Angolan Navy vessels into its dry docks initially. However, there is a possible…

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Allied Mineral Products opens precast shapes manufacturing facility in South Africa

Allied Mineral Products opened the doors to its newest precast shapes manufacturing facility near Johannesburg, South Africa. This marks Allied’s sixth precast shapes location worldwide. Shapes manufacturing brings an added benefit to South African customers. Some benefits include foundry crucibles, furnace structural parts, EAF deltas and spouts, tilters and skimmer blocks, dampers and divider walls, incinerator shapes, and rotary furnace shapes. Allied’s engineering capabilities include designing and manufacturing complex shapes in virtually any size. Precast shapes can also be created from existing drawings or shapes. Allied Mineral Products is a…

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Excellent service ensures Rand-Air is the supplier of choice in South Africa’s dry docks

Those who have worked in shipyards, harbours and dry docks will be familiar with the pressure and constant urgency, which is exacerbated by frequent delays due to anything from weather to a backlog of vessels awaiting maintenance or repair. When it comes to corrosion control, it is not something one can simply postpone and do later. The shipping industry’s natural environment of saltwater means constant and precise corrosion prevention and maintenance is required. This is according to Craig Swart, Fleet Manager at Rand-Air, a hire industry stalwart and provider of…

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SAISC 2019 Steel Awards showcases local steel construction innovation mettle

Adversity often brings opportunities with it. South Africa’s steel industry has been going through a period of severe challenges, affecting the entire supply chain and seeing the most serious contraction for many years in the sector. Despite the prevailing ‘doom and gloom’, however, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) has remained true to its role of industry champion during this challenging time, focusing on innovation, positivity and creativity – particularly with regards to this year’s Steel Awards. This approach has borne fruit, with the SAISC 2019 Steel Awards…

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Government owes construction contractors R5.5bn

Government currently owes construction and building industry contractors about R5.5 billion and recent business failures and job losses in the sector have been blamed on the non-payment or late payment of contractors. Roy Mnisi, executive director of Master Builders South Africa (MBSA), says this practice by government departments and government entities is the number one challenge facing the industry. Read: Construction industry in survival mode Mnisi says there has been no improvement in this area year-on-year, despite government ministers in the built environment and even President Cyril Ramaphosa talking about the…

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The SAISC Steel Awards celebrates diversity in South Africa’s steel construction industry

The 2019 entries for the SA Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) Steel Awards contained an unprecedented level of diversity. This ranges from building type, size, ownership and construction/property value, from cost-effective to high-end. There has also been enormous diversity reflected in both the aesthetic and functional use of steel in construction: from light steel frame building, to metal roofing and cladding, and the use of heavy structural steel. The level of diversity this year is also reflected ‘behind-the-scenes’: in terms of age, gender, professional discipline and background of the many…

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How the construction ‘mafia’ business model jumped to other sectors

They started off invading construction sites in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), demanding 30% of the contract work. Then it spread to Gauteng, and has now gone countrywide. The tactic is working, and many contractors simply pay off the gangs rather than have building work disrupted. Sometimes they employ the locals, often at extortionate rates. They became known as the construction mafia, though they prefer to be called business forums. The business model is so successful that it is being replicated across the country in different sectors of the economy, as local community…

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How trailblazer Lebogang Zulu is changing the construction industry

Zulu has carved out a niche for herself in innovative building technology and is determined to transform the supply industry Trailblazing construction businessperson Lebogang Zulu has become the go-to person for fast and efficient delivery of construction projects, even for government. Zulu, who scooped a top sector award a fortnight ago at a prestigious ceremony at Emperors Palace, is, however, not known to many people outside the construction business. Born and raised in KwaThema in the east of Johannesburg, Zulu says she has always been assertive and passionate. During an…

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Rand-Air’s training – investing in the ‘art of management’ to remain fresh and relevant

For any company to function successfully – and continue to be fresh and relevant in today’s ever-changing and challenging economic climate – a range of skills such as those found in sales or in the technical disciplines are required. However, these will not be effective without effective management expertise to integrate and provide strategic direction and leadership – which is one of the scarcest skills in the corporate field today. The art of management is a very particular asset and requires a wide range of capabilities. In addition, companies usually…

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OPINION: Construction companies in SA are increasingly run by women – here’s why

Construction remains a male-dominated industry but there are signs that women are starting to become better represented in this sector – to its great potential benefit. Unsurprisingly, given the nature of the work itself, women are primarily making their mark in managerial and administrative roles, and a growing number of smaller construction companies are headed by women.Figures from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) show that 48% of the country’s construction enterprises are owned by women. However, the vast majority of these are very small companies – 95% fall within…

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