imiesa november/december 2014
Post on 06-Apr-2016
319 Views
Preview:
DESCRIPTION
TRANSCRIPT
I S S N 0 2 5 7 1 9 7 8 V o l u m e 3 9 N o . 1 1 • N o v e m b e r / D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 4 • R 5 0 . 0 0 ( i n c l VAT )
The official magazine
of the Institute of Municipal Engineering
of Southern Africa
TTTTTTT
tttthhhhofofoofofoffEEnEEnEnEnE
uuuuuuuuththtthhththththhth
ofofofoffoffofoff
offofofoofooff SSSSSSSSSSouououoououINFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERYFRFRFRRFRAAFFFINNNNINI FFFF
Sinazo Sibisi, group executive of Infrastructure Delivery, Development Bank of Southern Africa
www.infrastructurene.ws
IINN TTHHEE HHOOTT SSEEAATT IIIITogether with Minister Pravin Gordhan, we have agreed that there is a need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to
municipal solutions.” Minister of Water and Sanitation Nomvula Mokonyane
iSiSiSiSiSinananananazozozozozo SSSSSibibibibibibiisisisisisiiii,i,i,
R 5 0 0 0 ( i n c l VAT )
The future of asphalt Right here, right now
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
Panel DiscussionSpecialised consulting for public infrastructure
Consulting EngineeringState of the industry
The ProjectsIMESA CESA Excellence Awards
HEAD OFFICE Unit 19 Alexander Park, 24 Alexander Road, Westmead, Pinetown, KZN, SA 3610 • Postnet Suite 23, Private Bag X4, Kloof 3640
t +27 (0)31 700 1177 • f +27 (0)31 700 9853 • Contact Daryl Spencer daryl.spencer@joat.co.za c 083 555 9996
NATIONAL OFFICES • Pietermaritzburg • Port Elizabeth • Johannesburg • Cape Town • Shelly Beach
In response to this approach, JOAT has invested in wide-ranging
technology and partnerships that can be harnessed for the
benefit of municipalities. Flow metering solutions (permanent
or temporary, monitoring or revenue-generating), data manage-
ment solutions (data loggers, GSM data loggers), control valve
solutions (pressure-reducing valves, pressure controllers, surge
control), leak detection solutions (leak detection equipment
and service) and energy efficiency solutions (variable speed
drives and system optimising) are all available to be presented
into cost-effective, custom-made packages.
JOAT has also expanded into the optimisation of energy
consumption in the water cycle and has a number of in-house
experts that can undertake energy audits and design energy
efficiency solutions for pump stations and treatment works. This
forms part of its overall approach to making the distribution of
water as efficient as possible.
THE JOAT GROUP OF COMPANIES has moulded itself into an
efficient and market-leading solutions-orientated team that pri-
marily addresses the optimisation of water supply to consumers
through the minimisation of water losses, application of appro-
priate technology, revenue improvement and energy efficiency.
The group’s key focus areas of operation are consulting and
operations engineering (essentially the reduction of nonreve-
nue water and stabilising of water supply), product sales and
support, energy efficiency and mentorship. JOAT’s passion and
vision is to ensure that municipalities become as efficient as
possible in delivering water to consumers and has adapted its
approach towards an outcomes-based partnership that has
shared responsibility and accountability. The ultimate objective
of any successful partnership with JOAT is to provide water ser-
vice authorities with an efficient distribution system that they
are fully equipped and trained to continue to operate.
IMIESA November/December 2014 1
VOLUME 39 NO 11 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014CONTENTS
28GOVERNMENT VOICESinazo Sibisi, group executive,Infrastructure Delivery
14 IMESA Excellence Awards
Capex investment in South Africa’s road-building industry is long overdue, with 80% of its core equipment still not technologically equipped to meet national standards. Ammann SA has established a market model in South Africa that enables contractors of all sizes to adopt new, economically accessible asphalt technologies, fully supported by training programmes and maintenance contracts. P6
Nomvula Mokonyane, Minister of Water and Sanitation, is determined to deliver on her mandate. She walks her talk, and IMIESA is honoured to have her in this month’s Hot Seat. P12
RegularsEditor’s comment 3
President’s comment 4
Africa round-up 8
Index to advertisers 88
Cover Story Ammann SA 6
Municipal FeatureThe Pilanesberg Bulk Water
Supply Scheme 10
Hot SeatNomvula Mokonyane – Serving from
the ground up 12
The IMESA-CESA Biennial Project Excellence Awards 2014Celebrating engineering excellence 14
Partnering for Infrastructure DBSA – Implementing infrastructure 28
Panel discussion 31
Consulting engineers 40
OT SSEATTTHHOOOH
Water & Sanitation The importance of independence 44
Filtration innovation for a
water solution 47
Sustainable sanitation project
in Malawi 55
Waste Management Finding the disposal solution 50
Human Settlement Developing Diepsloot 57
SHEQDam rehabilitation 59
Skills & Training Embracing the mentorship
of young engineers 61
IMESA training – A fruitful four days 63
Cement & ConcreteGreening concrete 67
Building an airport in St Helena 68
Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital
selects concrete supplier 70
Meeting deadlines with RCC 71
Reducing energy intensity 73
TechnologyPMSA – Quality control 75
Composites – A new material world 77
Implementing the smart grid 79
Construction Vehicles & Equipment Condensate separators
– Less is more 82
Advances in mass excavation 83
Compact in size, big on delivery 84
Power project gets a lift 87
68 CEMENT & CONCRETEBuilding an airpor t in St Helena
Is this your current situation?
Come over to the winning side,
www.sizabantupiping.co.za
insist on the new Molecor 500 O-PVC!
EDITOR’S COMMENT
IMIESA November/December 2014 3
To our avid readers, check out what we are talking about on our website, Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and have your say.
@infrastructure4 Infrastructure News
PUBLISHER Elizabeth ShortenEDITOR Nicholas McDiarmidEDITORIAL ASSISTANT Liesl FranksonHEAD OF DESIGN Frédérick DantonSENIOR DESIGNER Hayley MendelowDESIGNER Kirsty GallowayCHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan SnijdersSUB-EDITOR Beatrix KnopjesCONTRIBUTORS A Bowers, R Janse van Vuuren, N Mannie, H Muller & K van RijswijkCLIENT SERVICES & PRODUCTION MANAGER Antois-Leigh BotmaPRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline ModiseFINANCIAL MANAGER Andrew LobbanMARKETING MANAGER Hestelle RobinsonDIGITAL MANAGER Esther LouwADMINISTRATION Tonya HebentonDISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa MasinaDISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha PursothamSUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.zaPRINTERS United Litho Johannesburg +27 (0)11 402 0571___________________________________________________
ADVERTISING SALESJenny Miller Tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223___________________________________________________
PUBLISHER: MEDIA No. 4, 5th Avenue, Rivonia 2056PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 Fax: +27 (0)11 234 7274/5 E-mail: nicholas@3smedia.co.za www.3smedia.co.za
ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: R550.00 (INCL VAT) ISSN 0257 1978 IMIESA, Inst.MUNIC. ENG. S. AFR.© Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.___________________________________________________
IMESA CONTACTSIMESA Administration Officer: Narisha SoganP O Box 2190, Westville, 3630Tel: +27 (0)31 266 3263Fax: +27 (0)31 266 5094Email: admin@imesa.org.zaWebsite: www.imesa.org.za
BORDER BRANCHSecretary: Melanie MatroosTel: +27 (0)43 705 2401Fax: +27 (0)43 743 5266E-mail: melaniem@buffalocity.gov.za
EAST CAPE BRANCHClarine ColtmanTel: +27 (0)41 505 8019Fax: +27 (0)41 585 3437E-mail: clarinec@africoast.com
KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCHSecretary: Rita MatthewsTel: +27 (0)31 311 6382Fax: +27 (0)31 701 2935
NORTHERN PROVINCE BRANCHSecretary: Rona FourieTel: +27 (0)82 742 6364Fax: +27 (0)86 634 5644E-mail: imesanorth@vodamail.co.za
SOUTHERN CAPE KAROO BRANCHSecretary: Henrietta OliverTel: +27 (0)79 390 7536Fax: 086 536 3725E-mail: imesa.southcape@gmail.com
WESTERN CAPE BRANCHSecretary: Erica van JaarsveldTel: +27 (0)21 938 8455Fax: +27 (0)21 938 8457E-mail: erica.van_jaarsveld@capetown.gov.za
FREE STATE AND NORTHERN CAPE BRANCHSecretary: Wilma Van Der WaltTel: +27(0)83 457 4362Fax: 086 628 0468E-mail: imesa.fsnc@gmail.com
All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of contributors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers.
Cover opportunity In each issue, IMIESA offers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will afford the advertiser the cover story and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact Jenny Miller on tel: +27 (0)11 467 6223.
STARTING WITH Duncan Daries;
IMESA’s new president was inaugu-
rated on 28 October during the opening
session, which was also the occasion
to reflect on the last two years of Frank Stevens’s
presidency. One of the fundamen tal challenges
faced by municipal engineers is managing their
professional outputs in a system dominated by
politics. The last two years, under Stevens’s
presidency, has seen the voice of municipal engi-
neers get stronger in this context, with meaning-
ful engagement, partnerships and activities with
bodies like SALGA, CoGTA, the Water Research
Commission and the Presidential Infrastructure
Commission. These have led to significant activi-
ties previously referred to in this publication; but
what is increasingly striking is how the institute
is strengthening its position and – ergo – that of
its members, through technical consideration,
engineering expertise and sound professional
value. Leaving the politics to the politicians, while
advocating for technical and planning excellence,
may seem like a longer route, but it is surely the
only feasible one.
Daries picked up this theme in his opening
remarks, noting the consolidation of IMESA’s
progress through a review of its governance
with the aim of increasing inputs and com-
munication of each Executive Council portfolio.
He also emphasised the critical importance of
furthering IMESA’s relationships with strategic
partnerships, especially at this juncture at which
national government is committing resources and
structural revisions towards cleaning up failing
municipalities and addressing the chronic lack of
engineers in rural areas.
Daries pointed out that IMESA will increase
its reach to these municipalities in an attempt
to connect what technical staff they do have
with fellow professionals. Taking its technical
role to the next level, IMESA is rolling out its
Sustainable Infrastructure Asset Management
(SIAM) programme. This undertaking, which incor-
porates the IMESA Infrastructure Management
(IMM) software, as well as the Asset Management
Programme Learning Environment, is a powerful
example of the wide impact IMESA can have on
the future prosperity of the country. Already rolled
out across the Free State, with most municipali-
ties having already created an asset register, the
software and training tools will not only enable the
custodians of the country’s assets to know exactly
what assets they own and what condition they are
in, but will render this data into powerful tools
from which accurate, meaningful budgets can be
developed. This process is crucial in unlocking the
value of the assets we already have, and plays a
vital role in turning political attention to the power
of maintenance. This programme was made pos-
sible by the Global Asset Management Group, and
Roger Byrne, former AMG manager provides ongo-
ing support to the institute. IMIESA magazine will
be running a series of articles on SIAM, providing
relevant touchpoints to connect readers to the
relevant individuals.
In this issue, we provide full coverage of the
IMESA CESA Excellence Awards, which were
packed with high-quality entries, with most cate-
gories attracting upwards of nine entries each. In
our net edition, we will publish a full conference
review, with special interviews and highlights,
and a guide to the presentations.
I would like to thank IMESA’s KwaZulu-Natal
local organising committee for producing this
year’s conference, and congratulate LOC
chair Jannie Pietersen and his team for an
excellent event.
Nicholas McDiarmidEditor
IMESA
The official magazine of the Institute
of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa
INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT • MAINTENANCE • SERVICE DELIVERY•
I S S N 0 2 5 7 1 9 7 8 Vo l u m e 3 9 N o . 8 • A u g u s t 2 0 1 4 • R 5 0 . 0 0 ( i n c l VAT )“Sasol’s needs are being met and so are government’s, so it is a real win-win
situation” Maureen Mboshane, president of public and regulatory affairs, Sasol
MEDIA
in the HOT SEAT
Open for business
in the Western CapeSPRAYPAVE
Cement and
concrete
SARMA Readymix
2014
Civil engineering
State of the
industry
Panel discussion
The road to
excellence
osac
IMESMESIMIMEMEMESAESMESESESASAASASA
• E ICCRRVVISEER ELIVERYDE• CEVIICRRVSEER EICCRVRVVISEER ELIVERYDEELIVERYDE
’s, so it is a real win-w
ory affairs, Sasolaffairs,
ory Sasoly affairs,
ory Sasol
iiHHSESSE
n fooorr bbbuussinness
e WWeeesststteerrn CapeRAAYYYYYPPPAAAVE
w
ininHHSESE
win n n
in the in the HOT HOT SEATSEATeerinngg
the
As another year draws to its close, public sector engineers gather to make sense of challenges, harness change and progress, and map the future of building a better nation. The IMESA 2014 conference braved the challenges and our municipal engineers are made of the right stuff.
The right stuff The right stuff – reinforced engineering– reinforced engineering
Introducing the new
I AM ASSUMING that there
is a need to introduce
myself and offer the follow-
ing short resume:
Born in Cape Town on 19
July 1957, I matriculated from
Alexander Sinton High School in
1975. I studied civil engineering
at the University of Cape Town
1977 to 1980 and obtained a
BSc degree. This happened in
the days when a
permit from the
Department of
Coloured Affairs
was required
to allow me
to study at a
‘white’ university.
Starting in December 1980,
I have only worked for one
municipal employer, but under
various restructured administra-
tions as follows:
• Divisional Council of the Cape
from 1980 to 1987, as a
graduate and senior engineer
based in Constantia and
Elsies River
• Western Cape Regional
Services Council (Cape Town)
from 1987 to 1994, as sen-
ior and principal engineer
based in Constantia and
Elsies River
• Interim Cape Metropolitan
Council from 1994 to 1996,
based in Elsies River
• City of Tygerberg from 1996
to 2000, as area civil engi-
neer: South
• City of Cape Town from
2000 to 2005, as area civil
engineer: South and interim
district coordinator for the
Durbanville Transport, Roads
and Stormwater District
• City of Cape Town from 2005
to 2013, as manager: opera-
tions and assets in the Roads
and Stormwater Department
• City of Cape Town from 2013,
as manager: infrastructure
and plant maintenance in
the Asset Management and
Maintenance Department of
the Cape Town DoT.
My formative years with the
Divisional Council of the Cape
gave me great exposure to
developmental engineering
in a planning, design and
construction environment
via internal depot staff and
external contractors.
I was exposed to the supervi-
sion of experienced profes-
sional engineers of the calibre
of Rory Gilmore, Roy Mee, Tony
Murray and Mohammed Gatiem
Kriel (all IMESA members at
some time). This enabled me
to obtain my Professional
Engineer (Pr Eng) registration
in 1988.
Enhancement of my engineer-
ing management experience
occurred within the city of
Tygerberg, under the guidance
of Kevin Ketterer and Alwyn
Laubscher, a former presi-
dent of IMESA. It was also in
Tygerberg that I became active
as a member of IMESA and
rubbed shoulders with col-
leagues such as former presi-
dents Maurice Pollet and Johan
de Beer.
I am married to Vanessa and
have two sons and a daugh-
ter. In my younger days, I was
active in soccer and cricket,
but lately have substituted
that with golf. I am an ardent
Manchester United
football fan, but
the Stormers and
Cobras are close to
the heart.
A passion for asset
managementThe City of Cape Town has seen
fit to appoint me in an opera-
tions and asset management
role, based very much on the
exposure and experience gained
under the previous adminis-
trations. However, I need to
acknowledge that I have had
the luxury of the support of
highly skilled and competent
professional subordinates as
well as fellow managers and a
director whose support I value.
It is with pleasure that I pen my first article as president of IMESA.
First of all, I want to extend my thanks to the outgoing Executive
Council members who have shown faith in me to head up this
esteemed institute. Special thanks to outgoing president Frank
Stevens for his calm yet astute leadership over the past two
years. We are very grateful to Frank, who has cemented
partnerships with other voluntary associations as well as
government bodies active in the built environment.
IMESA’s initiative with respect to the International Infrastructure Asset Manual and the courses being
offered is giving effect to putting asset management high on the agenda of municipalities.
4 IMIESA November/December 2014
PRESIDENT'S COMMENT
Duncan Daries, IMESA president
president of IMESAHere I must mention the late
Faried Allie (ex-SAICE presi-
dent), with whom I formed a
strategic partnership in develop-
ing the Roads and Stormwater
Department’s structure and
protocols with respect to ser-
vice delivery.
Presently within the City of
Cape Town, asset manage-
ment is very much part of
my responsibilities and I am
proud of the fact that IMESA’s
initiative with respect to the
International Infrastructure
Asset Manual and the courses
being offered is giving effect
to putting asset manage-
ment high on the agenda
of municipalities.
Consolidation, strategic partnerships and municipal outreachMy goal for IMESA is first of
all to consolidate our posi-
tion by being the voluntary
institute of choice for profes-
sionals and graduates within
the municipal environment, by
offering them appropriate sup-
port in continued professional
development, and through an
upgraded website with appro-
priate knowledge sharing and
networking opportunities.
My second goal is to con-
tinue the excellent work under-
taken by previous presidents
in partnering with relevant
volunteer sister institutes,
as well as associations such
as SALGA and MISA. We con-
tinue to reach out to munici-
palities who do not have any
representatives as members
of IMESA, as there surely is a
need for technical staff to net-
work with fellow professionals.
Stemming from our last execu-
tive meeting, we will review our
governance framework (constitu-
tion and by-laws) to consolidate
portfolios on our Executive
Council to ensure greater input
and interaction with the general
council of IMESA.
I look forward to a fruitful
and eventful two-year term as
president of IMESA.
IMIESA November/December 2014 5
PRESIDENT'S COMMENT
CAPEX INVESTMENT in South
Africa’s road-building industry is
long overdue, with 80% of its core
equipment still not technologi-
cally equipped to meet national standards.
Ammann SA has established a market model
in South Africa that enables contractors of
all sizes to adopt new, economically acces-
sible asphalt technologies, fully supported
by training programmes and maintenance
contracts. Beyond meeting national stand-
ards, there are cost and efficiency benefits
to investing in these technologies that far
exceed initial outlay, with numerous benefits
throughout the value chain.
6 IMIESA November/December 2014
COVER STORY
The case for new asphalt
AMMANN
Ammann’s Mini Paver is ideal for
smaller contractors, and effective for both small- and medium-
sized contracts
A rapid increase in the adoption of new asphalt technologies will have a radical impact on South Africa’s economy, and is a capital investment that makes sense for road contractors large and small. Rocco Lehman, MD of Ammann SA, unpacks a power ful business case with maximum benefit to all stakeholders.
Driving for better roadsA third of all asphalt produced in the United
States last year was done so using warm-mix
technologies and as much as 73.5 million
tonnes of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP)
was used in new asphalt pavement mixes.
Globally, the trend towards new asphalt tech-
nologies is being driven by environmental
legislation, effective resource management
and simple economics.
The picture in South Africa is no differ-
ent: Sanral’s standard specifications and
design parameters on some selected con-
tracts insist on a minimum 40% RAP in new
replacement pavement mixes, on the back of
environmental legislation geared at optimis-
ing both aggregate and bitumen resources.
“Bitumen in South Africa is becoming
increasingly expensive and in short supply,
and the local price is linked to global prices.
Using 40% RAP shaves 15% off the cost
of asphalt, while easing demand,” explains
Lehman. “It also eliminates a significant por-
tion of the logistics costs; heating, storing
and moving asphalt is a significant propor-
tion of the cost of the final product.”
Aggregates make up more than 90% of
asphalt roads, and unlocking the value of
recycled asphalt is dependent on new asphalt
technologies. “RAP contains high-quality
aggregates, which should not be wasted; but
again, the quality is enhanced when using
the right technologies,” explains Lehman.
Government is reinforcing the coun-
try’s transition to a low-carbon, resource-
efficient and climate-resilient nation, and
while Sanral is already specifying RAP, the
Presidential Infrastructure Commission
is setting clear targets for the use of
Innovative Building Technologies (IBTs),
which are already a requirement in its social
infrastructure projects.
“Road contractors who have not yet started
investing in new asphalt technologies should
start doing so now,” advises Lehman.
The wider costsThe impact of poor practice in road building
on South Africa’s economy is phenomenal.
“The Gauteng Freeway Improvement
Project was a massive investment by Sanral,
funded by the South African taxpayer,” says
Lehman. “While it’s an impressive road
network, it’s been a challenge due to time
constraints, and road repairs started the
very same year the project began.
“Working with old equipment and manual
processes is costing the South African tax
payer massive amounts, in both monetary
terms and impact.” Not only is the road work
IMIESA November/December 2014 7
COVER STORY
itself doubling up, the impact on commuters,
emissions and logistics is a highly significant
driver of inflation. TomTom’s latest global
traffic index puts the cost of congestion to
the South African economy at R60.35 bil-
lion annually – excluding the cost double-up
costs of the road repairs.
Renewing the industry While macroeconomic drivers for new
asphalt technologies are clear, the micro-
economic advantages for road contractors
are equally compelling. “Asphalt contrac-
tors carry much of the risk in road-building
contracts,” explains Lehman. “In simple
terms, the contractor gets paid for what he
makes. This may seem straightforward, but
the value chain is complicated and fraught
with pitfalls.
“Considering that 85% of the cost of an
asphalt job is tied up in materials, a failure
in the asphalt mix is irretrievable and a
high loss to absorb, especially when RAP is
added,” continues Lehman. “Getting the mix
right is a precise procedure that does not
tolerate estimates well.” Old asphalt plant
technology is putting their business at risk
for no good reason.
“Amman’s asphalt plants are an inte-
gration of mechanical and technological
components – they are ‘smart’ plants. The
monitoring capability is precisely integrated
with the mixing mechanics, which in turn
are integrated with automation and control
technologies. Simply setting the right param-
eters guarantees a perfect mix, every time,”
enthuses Lehman. A capital investment that
reduces a contractor’s risk from 85% to
almost zero should be an imperative. “The
savings on process costs alone more than
justify the business case,” he explains.
Building the value chainIt’s not just Amman’s larger equipment
that has a contribution to make to road-
building industry. Walk-behind rollers are
especially important for smaller contrac-
tors. “Ammann’s ARW 65 walk-behind roll-
ers are sophisticated compactors that can
form the basis of a new contractor’s future
fleet, delivering profes-
sional results on smaller
construction projects,”
explains Lehman.
“The Mini Paver is an
excellent entr y-level
machine, which, at around the same price
as a medium-sized family car, is a serious
asset for an entry-level contractor. Add a
small compaction machine and you have
everything you need to fulfil a maintenance
contract.” Although it is a smaller machine,
it can be used for small- to medium-sized
contracts and will become part of a bigger
fleet for entrepreneurially
minded contractors build-
ing a quality business.
Partnering with the smaller contractorAmmann SA is passionate about the role
of the smaller contractor in the local road-
building industry, and the immense value
they can bring to maintenance of the
country’s roads, providing they have the
right equipment. “The industry needs the
smaller contractors, and ensuring they have
the right equipment for the right job is just
first part of what Ammann does. We provide
as much training and support as needed to
ensure the machines keep working in the
right way.”
Apart from packaging training, support and
maintenance of its products into the capital
cost, Ammann SA offers business support
as well. “We have the skills and capacity to
help smaller contractors access funding from
potential investors, such as the Industrial
Development Corporation, assisting them
with technical presentations and support for
their business cases,” explains Lehman.
Adding value through support, training and manufacturing Ammann SA is far more than an equipment
supplier; it is a company that has been
constituted locally in such a way as to add
value to the entire industry – for contractors
and project owners alike. “In establishing
Ammann SA, we ensured that its manage-
ment and leadership were made up of peo-
ple of who represented a broad skills base
that understands the road-building process
from the point of formation to the final
product,” says Lehman. “This allows us to
optimise the value intrinsic to the machines
we sell through proper product selection and
ongoing support.”
Ammann SA’s management team has
more than 100 years of collective experi-
ence in road building, with members who
have worked in spheres, mix designs in labo-
ratories and machine maintenance. “There
is a limited amount of expertise in the
country” explains Lehman. “Our collective
expertise is the practical edge we have in
the market, allowing us to trouble shoot
and fix problems for our clients, from both
a practical and a theoretical vantage point.
Lehman stresses that this pool of knowledge
is also available to local authorities and road
building agencies.
Ammann SA has geared itself up to provide
and support training for its products, both
in South Africa and the rest of sub-Saharan
Africa, from a unique vantage point that is
guided by its team’s intricate knowledge of
road building in general, and the local condi-
tions in particular.
Ammann SA also adds value by continu-
ously localising manufacturing, while main-
taining European standards. “We consider
local manufacturing to be an important
contribution to the economy, keeping the
costs of our plants down, while ensuring we
meet European standards,” says Lehman.
The company recently supplied an asphalt
plant of which more than a third was
locally manufactured.
“By offering these high standards at local
prices, Ammann SA is becoming an impor-
tant economic contributor,” he concludes.
Ammann Construction Machinery South Africa229 Hull road, Rynfield Benoni
t +27 (0)11 849 3939c 078 488 2945
info.aza@ammann-group.comwww.ammann-group.com
ELB Equipment – A division of ELB Equipment Holdings (Pty) Limited
Reg. No. 1954/003028/0714 Atlas Road, Anderbolt Boksburg
South Africat +27 (0)11 306 0700
www.elb.co.za
IMIESA offers advertisers an ideal platform to ensure maximum exposure of their brand. Companies are afforded the opportunity of publishing a two-page cover story and a cover picture to promote their products to an appropriate audience. Please call Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223 to secure your booking.
technology
Ammann SA’s ASC 110 Compactor is an intelligent compactor that can be run with non-intelligent compactors
OPPOSITE Ammann SA’s ASC 110 and AV 95-2 compactor is an intelligent compactor
INFRASTRUCTURE NEWS FROM AROUND THE CONTINENT
KENYAWorld’s largest geothermal plant opened Kenyan presi-
dent Uhuru Kenyatta recently
opened the 140 MW Olkaria
IV Geothermal Power Plant in
Naivasha, Kenya. Expected
to reduce the cost of electric-
ity in Kenya, the plant is par-
tially funded by the German
Development Cooperation, and
the German government contrib-
uted more than KES10.1 billion
(about R1.2 billion) to Olkaria I
and IV for construction and drill-
ing. The money will fund the
addition of another 210 MW to
the national grid through both
power plants, supplying electric-
ity to more Kenyans.
“The support of the geo-
thermal plants in Olkaria is a
good example of the strong
partnership between Germany
and Kenya to promote renew-
able energies,” said Lars
Wilke, head of the German
Development Cooperation.
Germany intends to provide
more than KES10.5 billion to
renewable energies and energy
efficiency between 2014 and
2017 as part of its contribu-
tion to the national ‘5000+
MW’ goal.
GHANAFunding approved for the Kasoa Interchange project The Parliament of Ghana has
approved a $172.6 million
credit facility agreement for the
design and construction of the
Kasoa Interchange and ancil-
lary works.
The agreement between the
government and Deutsche
Bank, New York branch, and
its affiliates will see the Kasoa
Interchange project move
forward. Work on the project
includes the construction of
a 200 m interchange bridge,
a new roundabout, drainage
and public lighting, 2 000 m
of Accra-Cape Coast Highway,
local roads within the catch-
ment of the interchange and
1 640 m of roads towards
Nyanyano and Bawjiase.
James Klutse Avedzi, chair-
man of Ghana’s Parliamentary
Finance Commitee, described
the project as critical since
it would improve traffic flow,
reduce congestion and stimu-
late local economic growth
between the Accra Metropolitan
Area and the Central Region.
The House also approved
a contract with Brazilian con-
struction company Construtora
Queiroz Galvão SA for the The Olkaria IV power plant
Accra street resurfacing pro-
ject. The project, expected to
cost over $40 million, will be
used to resurface selected
major and minor arterial roads.
NIGERIA ICRC addresses obstructions to PPP in Nigeria The
Infrastructure Concession
Regulatory Commission (ICRC)
has begun aggressive moves
to address obstructions to
public-private partnership (PPP)
projects in Nigeria.
The move is part of
the National Integrated
Infrastructure Master Plan to
bridge the prevalent infrastruc-
ture gap in the country, which is
estimated at about $2.9 trillion.
In a statement at the open-
ing session of a PPP advanced
technical workshop, organised
in collaboration with the World
Bank Organisation, chair-
man of the ICRC governing
body Senator Ken Nnamani
said the major impediment
to PPPs is capacity for
project development.
The workshop was intended
to enhance the capacity and
institutional strength of the
ICRC, agencies of government,
and state PPP units to ensure
that PPP projects are bankable.
AFRICASpeaking at the United Nations annual consid-
eration of the landmark
New Partnership for Africa’s
Development (NEPAD), UN
General Assembly president
Sam Kutesa stressed the cru-
cial role of internal and exter-
nal partnerships in sustaining
Africa’s progress in meeting its
developmental targets.
With the adoption of NEPAD’s
Programme for Infrastructure
Development in Africa in July
2012, African leaders laid a
foundation for the development
of critical regional and conti-
nental infrastructure, he said.
“Africa needs hydropower
dams and transmission lines to
facilitate production. It needs
roads, railways and ports to
facilitate commerce and trade.
It needs core information and
communications technology
infrastructure to support trade
in goods and services, as well
as governance structures,”
Kutesa added.
Kutesa noted that over
the last 12 months, of the
51 NEPAD projects and pro-
grammes envisioned, 16
national and regional projects
were identified as quick wins
for financing and implementa-
tion. He said it is important
that the Comprehensive Africa
Agriculture Development
Programme (CAADP) continues
to receive attention as a guid-
ing framework for the develop-
ment of this sector.
“These projects and others
will require enormous amounts
of resources, but financing
by governments alone is not
enough. Other sources of fund-
ing, especially from the private
sector, including specialised
funds, should be tapped into,”
said Kutesa.
“Strengthened bilateral and
regional cooperation to develop
AFRICA ROUND-UP
UN General Assemby President Sam Kutesa believes erasing infrastructure deficit is key to Africa's development
8 IMIESA November/December 2014
joint cross-border projects will also be
important going forward,” he continued,
adding that improving access to sustain-
able sources of clean, reliable and afford-
able energy will also be crucial to Africa’s
economic and social development.
SOUTH SUDAN $1 Billion for road construction in South Sudan
The South Sudanese government has ear-
marked $1 billion for the construction of
two highways. Information Minister Michael
Makuei Lueth said a loan from China will
cover the costs.
“A loan of $1 billion from China Exim
Bank will cover the cost of the Juba-
Magala-Gamenza-Bor road and Juba-
Teregeke-Yirol-Rumbek road,” Leuth said.
“It may not be enough but resources will
continuously be mobilised to complete the
two highways,” he added following a coun-
cil of ministers’ meeting.
The 192 km Juba-Nimule highway con-
structed with funding from USAID, at a
cost of $220 million, is currently the only
paved road in the country.
Leuth said the construction of the 194
km Juba-Bor and 618 km Juba-Rumbek
roads will boost road networks in the coun-
try. He did not reveal when actual road
construction would commence or which
companies will implement the multimillion
dollar project.
TANZANIAIMF backs borrowing for infrastructure projects Speaking in Dar es Salaam,
visiting IMF director for Africa Antoinette
Monsio Sayeh said that borrowing to invest
in infrastructure is advisable to any govern-
ment. The country’s sustained economic
growth, which is above the 5.0% of sub-
Saharan Africa, is good for development
and the eradication of poverty, noting that
investment in infrastructure should also
target the agriculture sector.
The IMF chief also advised governments
to carefully consider their lenders to avoid
paying high interest rates. The country’s
discovery of huge natural gas deposits
demands improved infrastructure; hence
the government has an obligation to bor-
row wisely. The deputy permanent secre-
tary at the Ministry of Finance, Professor
Adolph Mkenda, noted that following the
natural resources boom, namely natural
gas, there are many international lenders
who are willing to assist with public invest-
ment in infrastructure.
Prof Mkenda said that the government is
ensuring that public procurement regula-
tions are followed so that there is real
quality and value for money in infrastruc-
ture projects. CRDB Bank MD Dr Charles
Kimei warned that economic slowdown
in the developed world has an impact on
lending rates. This may also affect coun-
tries such as Tanzania, which rely on exter-
nal sources to fund infrastructure.
Growth in sub-Saharan Africa is expected
to remain strong at 5.0% till end of
this year, and 5.75% during next year,
spurred on by sustained infrastructure
investment, a buoyant services sector and
strong agricultural production.
AFRICA ROUND-UP
$1 billion earmarked for construction of two highways in South Sudan
IMIESA November/December 2014 9
MUNICIPAL FEATURE
INCREASED WATER demands for
domestic consumption and mining
operations in the Magalies Water sup-
ply area within the Bojanala Platinum
District (Moses Kotane and Rustenburg
Local Municipality areas) and Waterberg
District, specifically Thabazimbi, resulted in
the need for major bulk water supply aug-
mentation in the Pilanesberg area.
Domestic consumptionHot spots in the Moses Kotane area include
Seolong, Ratau, Letlhakeng, Makweleng,
Witrandjie, Bapong, Phalane/Tweelaagte,
Witrandjie, Legkraal, Buhule, Sandfontein,
Welgeval, Dikwepi, Segakwaneng, Lerome,
Mabodisa, Ramoga, Mannamakgoteng,
Lesetlheng, Moruleng and east Mankwe.
The urgent need in these areas will be allevi-
ated by an increased bulk water supply of
8.8 Mℓ/d to be delivered by the Pilanesberg
North scheme and 5 Mℓ/d to be delivered by
the Pilanesberg South scheme, for the Ledig
and surrounding areas.
The whole of the Rustenburg and Royal
Bafokeng areas are seen as hotspots and
the urgent need in these areas will be allevi-
ated by an increased bulk water supply of
70 Mℓ/d to be delivered by the Pilansberg
South scheme. The needs in the Thabazimbi
and Northam areas will be alleviated by an
increased bulk water supply of 13 Mℓ/d to be
delivered by the Pilanesberg North scheme.
Department of Water Affairs The Department of Water Affairs is the spon-
sor of the project, through the Regional Bulk
Infrastructure Grant programme. To date,
government has committed grant funding in
excess of R770 million to the project.
This amount, together with the contribution
from Magalies Water and the mines, has not
only guaranteed financial resources for the
project but, more so, ensured that the imple-
mentation of the project is expedited for the
benefit of affected communities.
Infrastructure components of the scheme
currently under con-
struction (to be funded
by Magalies Water and
National Treasury through
the Depar tment of
Water Affairs):
Pilanesberg North schemeA bulk power supply
upgrade from Eskom
has been initiated and
will incur an estimated
cost of R125 million, to be completed by
middle 2015.
The high-lift pump station tender has been
awarded at a cost of R103 million. The con-
tractor has commenced and the project will
be completed by middle 2015.
The construction of the first planned
30 Mℓ/d module of the new Plant 4 of the
Vaalkop Water Treatment Works has com-
menced at a cost of R125 million and will
be completed by early 2015. The next three
30 Mℓ/d modules of the new Plant 4 of the
Vaalkop Water Treatment Works are in the
detailed design phase and, at an estimated
cost of R390 million, should be completed
by 2017.
The 21 km of 950 mm diameter rising
main from Vaalkop Water Treatment Works
to La Patrie tender has been awarded at
a cost of R186 million. The contractor has
commenced and the project will be com-
pleted by early 2015.
The 950 mm, 22 km gravity main from
La Patrie to Padda
tender has been
awarded at a cost
of R157 million.
The contractor
has commenced
and the project
will be completed
by early 2015.
The new 20 Mℓ reservoir at La
Patrie tender has
been awarded at a
cost of R39 million. The contractor has com-
menced and the project will be completed by
early 2015.
Pilanesberg South schemeThe 43 km of 1 000 mm diameter rising
main from Evergreen to Mafenya tender
has been awarded at a cost of
R350 million. The contractor
has commenced and the
The Pilanesberg Bulk Magalies Water provides bulk potable water for industrial and domestic use from its Vaalkop Water Treatment Works to Rustenburg, Moses Kotane and Thabazimbi as well as to mines in area. By Richard Janse van Vuuren
MAIN BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECTDomestic consumption:• Moses Kotane Local Municipality• Rustenburg Local Municipality
(including the Royal Bafokeng Administration)
• Thabazimbi Local MunicipalityIndustrial consumption:• Bakubung Minerals (Wesizwe)• Maseve• Platmin
Harnessing water in the majestic Pilanesberg
10 IMIESA November / December 2014
IMIESA November/December 2014 11
MUNICIPAL FEATURE
Water Supply Schemeproject will be completed by middle 2015.
The two new 26 Mℓ reservoirs at Mafenya
tenders are awaiting to be awarded and, at
a cost of R70 million, should be completed
by early 2016.
The 9 km of 600 mm diameter gravity main
from Mafenya to the mines and the Ledig
area in Moses Kotane near Sun City tender
has been awarded at a cost of R36 million.
The contractor has commenced and the pro-
ject will be completed by early 2015.
Phase 2 of the scheme• A bulk water pipeline from Tuschenkomst
to Ruighoek to relieve the water supply
constraints in Mabeskraal and surrounding
villages in the Moses Kotane local munici-
pality area is planned.
• A bulk water pipeline from Mafenya to
Phokeng and Thlabane in Rustenburg
to relieve the water supply constraints
in the Royal Bafokeng and surrounding
Rustenburg villages is to be laid.
• An upgrade of the bulk water pipeline from
Amandelbult to Thabazimbi to augment
bulk water supply to the Thabazimbi area
is intended.
• Upgrades of the bulk water supply system
towards Northam to augment bulk water
supply to this area will be undertaken.
Future Phase 3 of the schemeMagalies Water is currently investi-
gating the feasibility and scope of the
regional bulk water supply infrastructure
required to extend the scheme to Koster,
Swartruggens and other villages in the
Kgetleng River Local Municipality to relieve
bulk supply constraints.
Current statusCSVwater is responsible for the design of the
civil and mechanical works of the 60 Mℓ/d
upgrade of the Vaalkop WTW where it is
currently commissioning the first 30 Mℓ/d
module, with the second 30 Mℓ/d module
expected to be completed August 2015.
“The existing Vaalkop potable water treat-
ment facility, as operated and maintained by
Magalies Water, comprises a number of unit
processes able to receive and treat raw water
from the Vaalkop Dam. The treatment mod-
ules are sequentially numbered from Plant 1
to Plant 4, and treat raw water received to
potable standards as required by SANS 241,”
states Dr Michele Kruger, associate director
at CSVwater Consulting Engineers.
The treatment facility included for a
counter-current dissolved air flotation/filter
unit process.
“Due to the existing process employing this
technology, it was a requirement that the
contractor apply similar design parameters
for the extension. The contract therefore com-
prises the construction of the last 30 Mℓ/d
module of Vaalkop Plant 3 (Phase 1) and
the first 30 Ml/d module of the new Vaalkop
Plant 4 (Phase 2). The work for Vaalkop
Plant 3 (Phase 1) consists of the construc-
tion of a new 30 Mℓ/d flocculation unit, a new
30 Mℓ/d horizontal sedimentation tank and 2
x 15 Mℓ/d dissolved air flotation/sand filters,
while a 15 Mℓ reservoir will also be construct-
ed. The work to Vaalkop Plant 4 (Phase 2) will
include for the same unit processes as that of
Vaalkop Plant 3 (Phase 1),” explains Kruger.
Further construction activities will be the
installation of a new 1 500 mm raw water
rising main. “The rising main will deliver raw
water to the newly constructed inlet works
situated in a new chemical storage build-
ing. Design work is currently ongoing to com-
bine all the inlet works into one. Provision
will also be made for the current ozone at
Vaalkop Plant 1 to be extended as pre-ozone
to the new inlet works,” continues Kruger.
Indications at this stage are that additional
20 kg/h ozone will be required. Standby
options are also being considered. The
gravity pipeline connecting the sand filters
of Vaalkop Plant 4 (Phase 2) and the on-
site reservoir storage will be installed under
this contract.
VAALKOP WTW UPGRADE• Project manager organisation:
- Ossie Rossouw Management Services
• Lead design consultants & professional engineers: - S&W Limpopo (scope: water
treatment works to the Padda) - Thuthuka Group (scope: the Padda
to the terminal reservoir) - CSVwater Consulting Engineers
(scope: water treatment works) - DJJ Conradie (scope: mechanical,
electrical and instrumentation)
CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHTThe rising main pipeline to La Patrie
Vaalkop Water Treatment Works
An aerial view of the reservoir being constructed at La Patrie
IMIESA November/December 2014 11
12 IMIESA November/December 2014
It is apparent that your vision is driven by the daily realities of communities not yet experiencing access to clean water and sanitation; what are the main causes of this problem at this stage in our democracy? MNM
One of the good things about
the fifth democratic government
is that President Jacob Zuma
announced the setting up of
the new Department of Water
and Sanitation (DWS). This
was an acknowledgement of
the challenge we are facing. In
2000, government introduced
the Municipal Systems Act,
which gives municipalities the
authority to uplift communities
What has been a problem is
that many municipalities do
not have human capital that
can do the job. Also, money
that has been pumped into
municipalities is unable to
fulfil the demand because
of ageing infrastructure. In
some instances, it is because
of neglect of operation and
maintenance. In other cases,
it is because of corruption.
In some cases, rather than
investing in maintenance and
rolling out infrastructure, we
outsource the responsibility.
How will DWS work with the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the South African
A human dynamo, Minister Mokonyane’s presence has been rapidly and powerfully established in the public eye as well as in the professional infrastructure community. Mokonyane’s engagement with her portfolio and affected stakeholders, in both the public and the private sectors, operates at a level of activity that is difficult keep pace with.
HOT SEAT
Serving from the ground up
MINISTER NOMVULA MOKONYANE
Local Government Association towards strengthening struggling municipalities? We already
are. Together with Cooperative
Governance and Traditional
Affairs Minister Pravin Gordhan,
we have agreed that there is
a need to move away from a
one-size-fits-all approach to
municipal solutions.
Already, we have intervened
in the provinces. For instance,
in the North West, we will pri-
oritise Madibeng and Ngaka
Modiri Molema, and resolve the
Bloemhof situation. We are, how-
ever, doing good work in prov-
inces like KwaZulu-Natal, with
eThekwini Water and Sanitation
getting an international award
in Stockholm. In instances like
socially and economically.
The problems you find are
usually a reflection of what’s
going on in local government.
National government, in the
main, was focusing on bigger
projects, budget allocation and
the development of policies.
Through the presidency’s
20 Year Review, however,
we have reviewed the Water
Services Act.
What options are being considered? Most importantly, we are
revisiting powers, functions,
roles and responsibilities.
The Constitution of South
Africa actually places the
responsibility of providing water
on the central government.
Delivering a power ful budget speech in July, convening
the National Water Summit in August and delivering
one keynote speech after the next, the minister also
engages very publicly on the challenging issues that
present themselves almost daily. If that were not enough, she is
revealing a ‘people’s touch’ and can be found visiting communi-
ties across the country, getting to know their challenges at the
coalface in order to truly understand them. Minister Mokonyane
walks her talk, and IMIESA is honoured to have her in this
month’s Hot Seat.
Makana in the Eastern Cape, it
has a lot to do with corruption,
lack of accountability, political
interference and the lack of main-
tenance. There are no early warn-
ing systems to avoid situations
like the pipe that burst there.
When all is said and done,
we have managed to reduce
our backlog in water and sanita-
tion, despite these challenges.
Do you view the maintenance of existing infrastructure separately from the commissioning of new infrastructure? There is no point in us
not looking after our water
treatment works, and then
going out to look for VIP toilets.
That is not the right solution.
You should rather maintain
your water treatment works
and sort out your sewer pump
stations. Some of the problems
you find are caused by people
who want to benefit from
providing water and sanitation
services, where they buy some
of our communities to destroy
our infrastructure.
How can communities feel more empowered? In the first instance, you have
to earn community trust and
establish community buy-in
for all proposed solutions.
Sanitation and water provision
needs to consider the
communities’ understanding of
the challenges and needs first.
Involving them at the final stage
of delivering water services
is too little, too late, and
ultimately unsustainable.
Take the Jozini Dam for exam-
ple. For more than 30 years,
that dam has been a single-
purpose dam and we are now
c onverting it into a multipur-
pose dam, which finally services
local villages instead of only
distant communities. The chal-
lenges facing the nearby commu-
nity have been well documented,
and they deserve to benefit from
the infrastructure on their door-
step. Imagine the psychological
impact of knowing the infrastruc-
ture is right there, with all the
benefits being channelled off for
the benefit of others. The solu-
tion for this community had to
factor in the local dam, including
what it stood for in the hearts
and minds of those living near it.
Turning to the private sector, you are
the public and private sectors.
I noted at this forum that the
real value of the partnership is
in providing a two-way sounding
board that both the DWS and
the corporate sector should use
to improve water management.
We are so committed to this
that we have decided to assign
two senior members within the
department to drive the part-
nership, which at the moment
is well focused on water loss
management and which we hope
to see extend its commitment to
industrial water use efficiency
as well.
Thank you for finding the time in your extremely busy schedule to talk to us. In parting, do you have one final message? It’s time for Africa to find
solutions that are good for, and
benefit, us. While we appreciate
international support and
funding, there must be a skills
transfer to Africa.
HOT SEAT
scheduled to give the keynote address at Consulting Engineers South Africa’s annual conference; what is your key message to this industry? Cooperation
is very important; decisive
leadership and accountability
on how water is being used
is important. Government
resources are limited, so
the role of the private sector
in driving innovation is very
important. There is nothing
wrong with bringing in the
private sector in the supply of
water and sanitation, but the
most important thing is to make
sure that government has the
capability to drive that. Our
partnership with the private
sector as a whole is crucial to
addressing water security and
national development goals.
I recently met with the lead-
ership team of the Strategic
Water Partners Network, whose
multi-stakeholder forum is led by
OPPOSITE TOP Minister Mokonyane places community involvement as a priority in defining solutions that work for them
BELOW The Pongolapoort Water Supply Scheme is set to serve its own communities
BELOW RIGHT Minister Mokonyane celebrates the launch of the of the Bush Buck water scheme
“When all is said and done, we
have managed to reduce our backlog
in water and sanitation,
despite these challenges.”
IMIESA November/December 2014 13
IT IS A PLATFORM to showcase and
honour innovation, ingenuity and
originality in solving the problems of
communities around the country, and
the growing maturity of the partnerships
between local government, public utilities
and the private sector demonstrates the
robustness of the infrastructure sector in
South Africa today.
IMIESA congratulates all winners.
IMESA and CESA celebrate engineering excellence
PROJECT BRT Section 5 (City of Johannesburg)CATEGORY Roads and Stormwater – WinnerCOMPANY Nyeleti Consulting 1 THE JOHANNESBURG Development
Agency appointed the Luntek Consortium,
which consisted of UWP Engineers, Nyeleti
Consulting and Lonerock Construction, for
the detail design and construction of the BRT
Section 5.
The entire system is designed to assimi-
late into the existing infrastructure without
compromising safety and efficiency. New
drainage systems such as beanie kerbs were
used in the median to cater for stormwater
in restricted areas. The retaining wall system
had to be designed with reverse footings so
as not to encroach upon existing properties.
The IMESA Biennial Project Excellence
Awards 2014, in collaboration with
Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA),
is a celebration of the art and science of
infrastructure engineering.
WINNERS ROUND-UPThe new concept of clear view fencing was
applied over sections of the route to allow
for a feeling of open space. The pavement
structure was designed to cater for the heavy
load of the buses.
PROJECT Investigations and bulk stormwater upgrade to prevent flooding, Sydenham (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Roads and Stormwater – 2nd placeCOMPANY BMK Engineering Consultants2 BMK ENGINEERING was appointed by
eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s
Coastal Stormwater and Catchment
Management department to investigate and
upgrade the existing infrastructure in the
1 2
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
community of Sydenham, which experiences
extreme flooding. The final combined
stormwater bulk upgrade comprised of a
500 m long bulk pipe upgrade using 1.2 m
diameter concrete pipelines constructed
within servitudes between residential
properties, as well as a high school, that
eventually discharged into an approximate
450 m³ depressed attenuation area adjacent
to a rugby field.
The Sydenham design was split into three
phases, with Phase 1 being the bulk 1.2 m
pipe upgrade and the rugby field attenua-
tion, Phase 2 being the 300 m long concrete
culvert upgrade, and Phase 3 being the
22 000 m³ attenuation dam facility.
PROJECT Extension of Sandown Road (City of Cape Town)
14 IMIESA November/December 2014
IMIESA November/December 2014 15
ETHEKWINI
CATEGORY Roads and Stormwater – 3rd placeCOMPANY HHO Africa Infrastructure Engineers 3 THE NEW SANDOWN link was designed
to ease traffic flows in and out of the Table
View and Bloubergstrand areas, and provide
access across the Diep River to the city’s
central and northern suburbs. The M12,
when completed, will improve access to the
N2 (Cape Town International Airport and
Somerset West).
The 2.5 km long Sandown Road includes
a bridge over the Atlantis rail and forms the
first carriageway of the route that links Table
View with Durbanville Hills. As the route will
be used as a BRT corridor in the future, provi-
sions have been made to widen the sidewalk
to accommodate a cycle lane.
PROJECT Isando pedestrian bridge – the Walking Wonder (Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Structures and Buildings – WinnerCOMPANY SMEC South Africa4 THE EKURHULENI Metropolitan
Municipality appointed SMEC South Africa to
redesign the Isando pedestrian bridge.
The new bridge replaces two substandard
footbridges from the early 1970s with a
4.5 m wide walkway that accommodates
9 000 commuters crossing each day. With
a total length of 446 m, the bridge and its
approaches connect Isando rail station with
O.R. Tambo International Airport.
The central 126.4 m long section of the
bridge has a four-span configuration with
spans of 25.4 m, 14.8 m, 22.2 m and
64.0 m. The superstructure consists of a
continuous composite steel box girder with a
5.4 m wide concrete deck slab.
The 64.0 m long main span is supported by
two vertical planes of fanned cables that are
anchored into the back spans. A main feature
of the bridge is its two un-braced cigar-shaped
steel pylons. One leans forwards at 11
degrees and the other backwards, hence the
bridge’s name.
PROJECT Electron Road Waste Management Facility (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Structures and Buildings – 2nd placeCOMPANY Jeffares & Green 5 THE KEY FOCUS of the Electron Road
Waste Management Facility in Durban is to
provide a sustainable waste management
solution that reduces waste transportation
costs, and allows waste to be effectively
diverted from the Bisasar Road landfill, which
is nearing full capacity. The Electron Road
transfer station has been designed to transfer
1 200 tonnes each day. Innovations include
a special stormwater treatment process,
advanced control booths, a versatile loading
magazine and the first-ever use of the
modern-day Husmann compaction equipment
and related side-pushers.
PROJECT DCD Wind Towers factory (Coega Industrial Development Zone)CATEGORY Structures and Buildings – 3rd placeCOMPANY WorleyParsons6 THE DCD WIND Towers factory project
involved the construction of a factory that
is earmarked to manufacture tower sections
to the specifications of all OEMs in the
wind sector. The manufacturing facility
consists of a 23 m high x 255 m long x
77 m wide factory, a 3 500 m² storage and
canteen building, a 1 500 m² office building
and 26 000 m² of storage space for the
tower sections.
Some of the project challenges included
the following:
• high wind loads of the exposed terrain
• high loading of the overhead travelling
cranes (OTC) with 12 m lifting heights
• tight tolerance requirements of the OTCs
• an extremely tight construction programme
• flexibility to modify the facility for future
larger production that might be required by
a nuclear project.
PROJECT Ilembe Biogas Project (Ilembe District Municipality)CATEGORY Environmental Winner |
6
3 4
5
Community Upliftment – 3rd placeCOMPANY Khanyisa Projects7 THE ILEMBE BIOGAS Project aims to
install biogas digesters in the homes of the
rural community of Ndwedwe under Ilembe
District Municipality. The biogas digesters
were built from a combination of brick and
mortar, and include a fibreglass dome, an
LDPE greywater line and composite pipe for
the gas line to the kitchen. The 6 m3 digester
caters for up to 40 kg of organic material
daily and up to 1 000 litres of water via the
greywater system. Existing flush toilets were
connected to the digester as well.
The system can produce up to 2 m3 of
methane gas daily as well as nutrient-rich
effluent that can be used for fruit trees and
food gardens.
PROJECT Malmesbury Wastewater Treatment Works (Swartland Local Municipality)CATEGORY Envir onmental and Water and Wastewater – 2nd placeCOMPANY Aurecon8 AURECON INVESTIGATED various options
to extend the capacity of the Malmesbury
Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) from
5 Mℓ/d to 10 Mℓ/d and to convert it into
a biological nutrient removal process. The
solution proposed was to extend the WWTW
using a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and
a hybrid system, incorporating the existing
treatment works and a new MBR. The use
of the hybrid system resulted in all flow
up to the peak dry weather flow passing
through the membranes and only the peak
wet weather flow flowing through the existing
clarifiers. The new system also increases the
potential treatment capacity of the existing
site nearly threefold and produces an effluent
that surpasses the standards set by the
Department of Water Affairs.
PROJECT Kirstenbosch Centenary Tree Canopy Walkway (City of Cape Town)CATEGORY Environmental – 3rd placeCOMPANY Henry Fagan & Partners Consulting Structural & Civil Engineers9 THE KIRSTENBOSCH Centenary Tree
Canopy Walkway was designed to be as
delicate as possible so as not to disturb
the natural beauty of the gardens. For this
reason, it needed to be as inconspicuous as
possible and the colour of the bridge needed
to blend in with the treetops.
In order to adhere to these design ele-
ments, the engineers carefully planned the
route of the bridge, using unconventional
methods in its arrangement – such as a
single tube section to form the spine of
the structure and the bottom chord of the
truss, with two box sections for the handrails
instead of adding the deck and handrail on
top of a conventional structure consisting of
trusses or beams.
The bridge was also designed to allow
more movement than engineers would nor-
mally consider acceptable so as to enhance
the experience of visitors on the bridge. This
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
16 IMIESA November/December 2014
design also allows for a cleaner, and less clut-
tered appearance and feel.
PROJECT Preekstoel Water Treatment Works (Overstrand Local Municipality)CATEGORY Water and Wastewater – WinnerCOMPANY Aurecon10 AURECON WAS commissioned to design
and implement a biological filtration process
to treat borehole water at the Preekstoel
Water Treatment Works.
The biological filtration process has dis-
tinct operational, maintenance, water quality,
water loss, and operating and capital cost
advantages. The biofiltration process was
implemented at Preekstoel for the treatment
of borehole water in conjunction with the
conventional processes for the treatment of
surface water a first in South Africa.
The biofilters were designed with the same
layout and configuration as a conventional
oxidation system. The advantage of this
design is that in the unlikely event that the
process does not function as effectively
as expected, a conversion to conventional
chemical oxidation could be made using the
same infrastructure.
PROJECT Driftsands Wastewater Treatment Works (Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Water and Wastewater – 3rd placeCOMPANY Aurecon
7 8
9 10
As primary banker to major players in the public sector, Standard Bank is providing world-class expertise to finance local progress. This allows the industry to deliver the solutions that will uplift our country.
For more information visit www.standardbank.co.za/business
Partnering our skills with the public sector to manage, support and maintain the projects that move our country forward.
Authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP15).The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited (Reg. No. 1962/000738/06). SBSA 7906 02/14Moving Forward is a trademark of The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited. Moving ForwardTM
11 THE EXTENSION and upgrade of the
Driftsands Wastewater Treatment Works was
commissioned to alleviate the flow in the
upper Baakens sewer catchment area, one
of the three main catchment areas in Nelson
Mandela Bay, by diverting flow to Driftsands.
The existing capacity at the water treat-
ment works was 12 Mℓ/d and the incoming
average dry weather flow already exceeded
this on a regular basis. Engineers were
tasked with constructing three new 10 Mℓ/d
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
18 IMIESA November/December 2014
construction contractor made use of local
subcontractors, who were allocated batches
of houses.
During the construction phase of the top
structures of the project, the contractor
engaged in a number of community develop-
ment initiatives, which included training cours-
es for local subcontractors in entrepreneur-
ship, home industry, and home maintenance.
PROJECT Boloka Metsi project (Emfuleni Local Municipality)CATEGORY Community Upliftment – 2nd placeCOMPANY WRP Consulting Engineers13 THE BOLOKA METSI project is a water-
loss mitigation project for the greater Emfuleni
Local Municipality, targeted at 115 000
households in Evaton and Sebokeng. WRP
Consulting Engineers worked with the
municipality to identify priority areas targeted
to maximise water savings.
Interventions included plumbing and
fixture retrofits in both domestic and public
buildings, repairs to the distribution system
including meters, and valve audits and repairs
to manage pressure problems.
BEST IN CLASS
IMIESA was impressed at the number
and quality of entries and congratulates
all participants for demonstrating excel-
lence and ingenuity. South Africa can be
proud of its capabilities and commitment to
the role public sector infrastructure projects
play in delivering on the promise of a better
life for all.
It is the calibre of all the entries that sets
the standard for excellence. The following
projects give credit to the stature of this
year’s awards.
PROJECT Atlantis Corridor MyCiTi IRT system infrastructure: Blaawberg and Potsdam Roads (City of Cape Town)CATEGORY Community UpliftmentCOMPANY HHO Africa Infrastructure Engineers
14 THE PROJECT involved retrofitting two
dedicated bus lanes, and a 3 m wide,
parallel continuous non-motorised transport
facility. During the project, engineers
were faced with multiple challenges as
a result of working within an existing
urban environment.
Some of these challenges included
the following:
• existing underground services, in particu-
lar the Chevron pipeline and stormwater
lines, which had to be accommodated
• existing bridge infrastructure (over rail
line and the Diep River), which could
not be widened due to budget and
programme constraints
• the relocation of informal residents
and containers trading from within the
road reserve
• accommodation of existing businesses’
activities and access during construction
on the existing corridors.
Through this project, areas previously sub-
jected to ad hoc land or transportation uses
have been formalised and enhanced by
world-class public transport network facili-
ties, services and urban park landscaping.
PROJECT Thembalethu traffic circle (George Local Municipality)CATEGORY Roads and StormwaterCOMPANY Aurecon15 THE GEORGE Local Municipality
commissioned Aurecon to design and
construct the traffic circle on Nelson
Mandela Boulevard, serving as the current
border marker of the settlement, as well
as a temporary holding facility for the
11
13
14 15
treatment lanes. In order to achieve the
10 Mℓ/d lane, the existing emergency bypass
channel was utilised as a fourth screen lane
and a new bypass facility was constructed. It
also required the construction of a third grit-
removal facility. All these new features were
constructed under live sewer flow conditions,
including the connection between existing and
new facilities.
PROJECT Wolwedans human settlement development project (Mossel Bay Local Municipality)CATEGORY Community Upliftment – WinnerCOMPANY Aurecon12 THE MOSSEL BAY Local Municipality
appointed Aurecon to assist with the design
and construction of 675 fully serviced sites
with 40 m2 houses (two bedrooms complete
with bathroom, solar water geyser and
electricity). The steep slopes on some of the
greenfield development sites required skilled
engineering solutions for house foundations,
the installation of services infrastructure,
stormwater and environmental management.
Approximately 50% of the labour costs were
allocated to the local community and the
12
18 IMIESA November/December 2014
ENERGY
ww
w.z
est.
co.z
a+
27 1
1 72
3 60
00
AFRI
CAN
MUL
TI-N
ATIO
NAL
INTE
GRAT
ED S
OLUT
IONS
CUST
OMER
FOC
USSE
D
WH
Y 2
4/7
tech
nica
l bac
k-up
Ful
ly q
ualifi
ed
tech
nici
ans
5 F
ully
equ
ippe
d tr
aini
ng
cent
res
acro
ss A
frica
187
site
vis
its in
to A
frica
pe
r ye
ar
24/7
TE
CH
NIC
AL
SU
PP
OR
T24
/7T
EC
HN
ICA
LS
UP
PO
RT
SU
PP
OR
TW
HERE
YOU
NEE
D IT,
WHE
N YO
U NE
ED IT
MA
RK
ET
OFFE
RIN
GZ
ES
T E
lect
ric
Mo
tors
Ele
ctric
Mot
ors
Var
iabl
e S
peed
Driv
es S
oft S
tart
ers
Tra
nsfo
rmer
s L
V S
witc
hgea
r D
iese
l Gen
erat
or S
ets
ZE
ST
Ene
rgy
Pow
er G
ener
atio
n &
E
nerg
y S
olut
ions
Sub
stat
ions
& E
lect
rical
In
frast
ruct
ure
Mob
ile P
ower
Sol
utio
ns
Sha
w C
ont
rols
Pac
kage
d S
witc
hgea
r M
otor
Con
trol
Cen
tres
E-H
ousi
ng C
onta
iner
ised
Sub
stat
ions
WE
G T
rans
form
ers
Afr
ica
Min
i Sub
stat
ions
Tra
nsfo
rmer
s S
witc
hgea
r
EnI
Ele
ctri
cal
Sup
ply
and
inst
alla
tion
of
elec
tric
al in
stru
men
tatio
n an
d co
ntro
l/PLC
SC
AD
A C
onst
ruct
ion
spec
ialis
t in
all
maj
or s
ecto
rs a
cros
s A
frica
ETHEKWINI | PROJECT
George Integrated Public Transport Network
buses going in and out of the area. Key
challenges during construction included
the discovery of an unflagged, uncontrolled
landfill site, a managing functionality within
cadastral boundaries and accommodating
vehicular and pedestrian traffic around the
nearby school.
PROJECT Wellington: Pentz Street sewage pumping station (Drakenstein Local Municipality)CATEGORY Structures and Buildings | Water and Wastewater | EnvironmentalCOMPANY Neil Lyners & Associates16 THE DRAKENSTEIN Local Municipality
appointed Neil Lyners & Associates to
investigate the problem with the existing
sewage disposal unit system at the Pentz
Street pumping station.
The new pumping station had to be able
to accommodate a wide range of inflows. In
order for the system to meet both the low
and high flows, the municipality required
dual rising mains for additional redundancy.
The intention was therefore to utilise a single
rising main, on a duty-standby configuration,
to cater for the low flows and then activate
both rising mains when the pumping station
is required to pump at peak system capacity.
The new system consists of dual 600 mm
GRP rising mains, a 1 150 ℓ/s pumping sta-
tion and 3.8 Mℓ on-site emergency storage.
PROJECT Happy Valley Housing project – Phase 2 (City of Cape Town, Western Cape Provincial Government)CATEGORY Structures and BuildingsCOMPANY GIBB 17 GIBB'S UNIQUE method of on-site
construction was used on the second phase
of the Happy Valley Housing project. It
comprised a concrete frame that supports
the roof and allowed for the walls to be built
into it. This allowed for a faster construction
process and addressed the
challenges inherent in using brick
and mortar walls as supports for
roofs and the use of inexperienced
local labour.
The project included several
extras to improve the aesthetics
and insulation of the units at
no extra cost to the 1 300
beneficiaries, including electrical
wiring, solar water heaters and
extended roof eaves.
PROJECT Cape Town Backyard Essential Services Improvement Programme (City of Cape Town)CATEGORY Community Upliftment COMPANY GIBB18 THE CITY OF Cape Town initiated the
Cape Town Backyard Essential Services
Improvement Programme to provide electrical
and water and sanitation services to people
living in informal backyard structures on
council rental stock property. The design
work included:
• design of a new street front underground
network to service 1 517 erven in the
Factreton township
• design of a new streetlight network to
replace the existing old system that
was supplied by a midblock overhead
line network
• design of service connections to 188
backyard structures on existing council
rental stock.
During the construction phase of the project,
the contractors employed local community
members. Members of the community were
also appointed to act as safety guards and
community liaison officers helped to ensure
complete buy-in from the community and
virtually no theft was reported.
PROJECT James Kleynhans bulk water supply (Makana Local Municipality)CATEGORY Water and WastewaterCOMPANY Bosch Stemele19 THIS PROJECT will benefit the lives
of approximately 90 100 people in
Grahamstown. The community has been
plagued by intermittent water supply as a
result of persistent drought conditions.
The project entailed the construction of:
• a 450 mm rising main
• a 6 600 kℓ concrete reservoir
• valve chambers
• a bulk meter and interconnecting
pipe work.
Engineers had to overcome various chal-
lenges with the design and construction
of the pipeline and associated structures,
including steep gradients, working in a con-
fined servitude (16 m) due to environmental
constraints, hard rock excavation without
blasting being permitted, and working in
close proximity to an existing 350 mm diam-
eter pumping main and Eskom power line.
PROJECT Mhlabatshane bulk water supply (Umgeni Water/Ugu District Municipality)CATEGORY Water and Wastewater | Community UpliftmentCOMPANY Bosch Stemele20 A CORE ELEMENT of Umgeni Water’s
Mhlabatshane regional water supply project
will provide an assured supply of bulk potable
water to approximately 100 000 people in
the Hibiscus Coast and uMzumbe areas.
The project includes the construction of
a dam on the Mhlabatshane River, rising
mains, pump stations, a 4 Mℓ/day WTW,
gravity mains, holding tanks and reservoirs
and a mobile, temporary 2 Mℓ/d water
treatment plant.
The scheme will play a major role in
alleviating the backlog of basic water sup-
ply to rural communities under the Ugu
District Municipality.
PROJECT The Gezina bulk water pipeline (City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality) CATEGORY Water and WastewaterCOMPANY Nyeleti Consulting21 REPLACING THE 45-year-old Gezina bulk
water pipeline was essential to ensure
16 17
18
19 20
IMIESA November/December 2014 21
reliable water supply to the Magalies and
Hospital reservoirs in the City of Tshwane.
These reservoirs serve the Tshwane District
Hospital, Steve Biko Academic Hospital and
more than 6 000 households.
Nyeleti Consulting provided design,
documentation, procurement and con-
struction monitoring services in order to
successfully construct:
• 8.3 km of ND500 steel pipeline with a 25
bar pressure rating
• 12 concrete valve chambers with various
specific functions
• five scour valve chambers and numerous
air valve chambers.
The bulk water pipeline traversed several
different environments, including an envi-
ronmentally sensitive area that posed great
challenges for engineers.
PROJECT Mahatma Gandhi Road sewer pump station (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Water and WastewaterCOMPANY Hatch Goba 22 THE COMPLEX Mahatma Ghandi
Road sewer pump station project was
commissioned to free up a prime site within
the Durban Point Development Corporation’s
upmarket development zone. The eThekwini
Metropolitan Municipality decided it best
to move the pump 250 m away to a site
adjacent to the north shaft of the recently
commissioned Durban harbour tunnel.
The relocation required engineers to extend
the gravity sewer, which supplies the pump
station, by 221 m. This tunnel consists of:
• a 113 m straight section from the jack-
ing pit
• a 102 m arc
length with
350 m radius
curved sec-
tion to bypass
the protected
historical har-
bour master
building
• a 6 m straight
s e c t i o n ,
breaking into
the existing
harbour tun-
nel’s nor th
shaft.
PROJECT St Helen’s Rock pump station upgrade project (Ugu District Municipality)
CATEGORY Water and WastewaterCOMPANY Royal HaskoningDHV23 THE ORIGINAL St Helen’s Rock pump
station provided up to 54 Ml/d of raw water
to the Bhobhoyi WTW supplying the greater
Port Shepstone area, stretching as far
as Margate. Some of the work on the pump
station included extensions to the various
gantries and cranes servicing the pump
station. The main pump station cantilever
crane beam was replaced with a 122 kg/m
I-beam, which is 10 m long and secured into
the main reinforced ring beams with steel
plates. The entire mezzanine decking system
within the pump station was replaced.
Today the pump station is providing an
average 66 Ml/d through the off-channel
storage dam into the treatment works with a
maximum capability of 82 Mℓ/d based on the
current Eskom allocation.
PROJECT Umtamvuna water supply scheme upgrade project (Ugu District Municipality)CATEGORY Water and WastewaterCOMPANY Royal HaskoningDHV24 THE UGU DISTRICT Municipality
commissioned Royal HaskoningDHV to
design the overhaul and upgrade of the raw
water supply system to the treatment works.
Key project objectives included linking the
infrastructure to a 172 Mℓ storage dam,
replacing an existing pipeline from the river
abstraction works, and replacing the low-lift
and high-lift pump sets with new, powerful
equipment to double the rated capacity of
the river abstraction works.
PROJECT: Quinera Wastewater Treatment Works upgrade (Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY: Water and WastewaterCOMPANY: SRK Consulting
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
21 22
23
22 IMIESA November/December 2014
IMIESA November/December 2014 23
IMIESA November/December 2014 23
25 THE BUFFALO CITY Metropolitan
Municipality appointed SRK Consulting to
design and implement the upgrade of the
Quinera WWTW.
SRK also had to upgrade the surrounding
infrastructure. Some of the work on the pro-
ject included:
• installation and commissioning of
mechanical equipment such as a new
concrete splitter box, a second concrete
aerobic reactor, a new waste-activated
sludge dewatering system, a convey-
ance system, a pumping system, a new
chlorine house and extended chlorine
contact chamber
• construction of a water reticulation network
• construction of a new substation building
• construction of a paved access road.
PROJECT Phelandaba sanitation project (Mkhanyekude District Municipality)CATEGORY Community UpliftmentCOMPANY Makhetha Development Consultants 26 THE PHELANDABA sanitation project
involves maximising employment in the
communities of northern KwaZulu-Natal,
between Mbawana (south), Manguzi (east)
and the Mozambique border (north), through
the installation of 6 876 toilets. At the core
of the project is the promotion of community
participation and ownership. Thus far, 102
builders have been trained and 1.7 million
blocks have been made by community-based
block makers.
Builders on the project work as independent
24 25
26
24 IMIESA November/December 2014
contractors and not as employees, improving
tendering and bargaining skills for partici-
pants. The project has seen a growth in the
development of local entrepreneurs and is
expected to pay a total of R17 million to the
community.
PROJECT GIPTN: Thembalethu roads
CATEGORY Community UpliftmentCOMPANY Sukuma Consulting Engineers28 THE ENGUGA, Entshayabantu and
Macksam community water supply scheme
formed part of the uMgungundlovu District
Municipality’s regional plan and involved
upgrading an existing extraction point on the
Nzinga River to create a supply of potable
water to 15 120 people. This was done
via bulk supply and reticulation networks,
terminating at communal standpipes.
During the construction phase of the pro-
ject, over 500 job and training opportunities
were created; amounting to over 800 000
person-days and R1.3 million in wages.
Further permanent job opportunities have
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
upgrade (George Local Municipality)CATEGORY Community Upliftment COMPANY SMEC South Africa 27 THE PROJECT to design and implement
approximately 2 km of residential streets in
the George neighbourhood of Thembalethu
aimed to provide the community with direct
access to the CBD and improve the existing
stormwater drainage network.
Some of the project outputs included:
• 38 contractors and 26 200 person-days
of employment
• 2 km of new paved roads and 3 km of
new sidewalks
• 18 new bus stops
• 1.2 km of new stormwater drainage.
Through the project, the community received
access to a safe, convenient and accessible
public transport system, work opportunities,
educational and recreational facilities, and
reliable and affordable scheduled service.
PROJECT Enguga, Entshayabantu and Macksam water supply (uMgungundlovu District Municipality)
27
28
29
24 IMIESA November/December 2014
30
been created by the municipality as a direct
result of additional operation and mainte-
nance activities for which people from within
the community have been employed.
PROJECT Integrated programme to promote food security and job creation (eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality)CATEGORY Community Upliftment COMPANY IMS Department – eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality 29 THE INFRASTRUCTURE Management and
Socio-economic Development department
(IMS) of the eThekwini Metropolitan
Municipality was commissioned to coordinate
activities that promote food security, job
creation and enterprise development.
The project included four programmes that
trained and included the local community in
the construction process. The community
farms programme included the design of
solutions such as earthworks and storm-
water controls to improve drainage, water
storage and landscaping. The rainwater har-
vesting programme involved the construction
of a ferro-cement 5 000 l
storage tank and the use
of an innovative, flexible
gutter system that could
be used on informally
constructed houses.
The aquaculture pro-
gramme involved the
construction of five basic
reticulating rural ponds
and two 6 m3 biogas
digesters, which were
built by local contractors
in Ward 4.
PROJECT Beach and tank set for filming (City of Cape Town)CATEGORY Structures and Buildings | Water and WastewaterCOMPANY WEC ConsultinG 30 WEC CONSULTING, together with
Cape Town Film Studios and Film Africa,
constructed a 70 m x 50 m water tank,
on a 100 m elevated fill, to be used
for filming purposes. The project was an
engineering dream – designing a first-of-its-
kind structure.
The project will change the lives of
countless people and will further enhance
Cape Town’s reputation as a world-class
filming location. The total cost of this project
was R17 million.
IMIESA November/December 2014 25
www.sasol.com
THIS IS WHERE WETRANSFORM GAS INTO ELECTRICITY
Through South Africa’s fi rst stand-alone gas-to-power plant, that
converts natural gas into low-carbon electricity, we’re reducing
pressure on the country’s power grid. Being able to self-generate
up to 70% of our own electricity requirements, is just one way we’re
investing in South Africa’s success.
PARTNERING FOR PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE
The Development Bank of Southern Africa
has achieved an increase in disbursements of 39.1%, repositioning itself
as both a funding institution and an implementing agent.
IMIESA November/December 2014 27
The Infrastructure Deliver y
Division (IDD) is the centre of the
bank’s planning and implementing
capabilities and is led by Sinazo
Sibisi, group executive of Infrastructure
Delivery. Sibisi joined the DBSA as its chief
investment officer for its Local Economic
Development Initiative and then headed up
Development Planning at the bank.
The bank then started increasing its client
work with the state, providing assessments,
advisory services and technical support.
Sibisi was group executive for Strategy and
Communication when the bank decided to
find ways of improving its impact on actual
delivery and reposition itself as an imple-
menting agent. This led to the establish-
ment of the Infrastructure Delivery Division.
Impact and reachThe bank also wished to increase its impact
reach beyond SADC, in order to increase
its contribution to driving Africa’s growth
potential overall. The IDD examines ways in
which the DBSA develop, innovative funding
solutions to achieve this.
“As a Developmental Funding Institution,
the bank should increase how much it
funds, which is also a measure for how
much delivery is happening,” says Sibisi.
“The key challenges within South Africa –
and the continent – are around the capacity
to implement.
There is no shortage of funding but it’s
a shortage of projects that is the key chal-
lenge. Strengthening our capacity to imple-
ment was strategic to our ability to increase
our disbursements.”
The power of portfolio planningThe IDD’s activities are geared to improve
the DBSA’s ability to implement projects
in such a way as to maximise their impact
in the most financially sustainable manner
possible. “In the past, projects were often
developed in an ad hoc way, resulting in
missed opportunities for optimal impact and
productivity,” says Sibisi.
The IDD’s capabilities and capacity as an
implementing agent are powerful and allow
it to integrate its planning for countries and
sectors in single portfolios, rather than mul-
tiple agencies with less capacity implement-
ing projects in isolation. “Country develop-
ment and sector development must both be
approached from a portfolio perspective,”
explains Sibisi.
“A key component of what the IDD does
is to take a portfolio approach as a single
implementing agent, and thus value engi-
neer to achieve more viable and efficient
economies of scale,” she continues. “If you
approach projects in a fragmented manner,
using a range of implementing agents, then
each plan is operating at less than ideal effi-
ciency. It all comes down to the planning.”
A country’s portfolio is comprised of the
key drivers of its sustainable economic
growth. These include the infrastructure and
Development Bank The restructuring of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) in 2012 has delivered big results. The state-owned entity has achieved an increase in disbursements over the last financial year of 39.1%, repositioning itself as both a funding institution and an implementing agent.
services which support the economic activ-
ity of its citizens and its key growth sectors.
Education, health, water, sanitation and
housing enable individual economic activity.
Electrification, transport, mining infrastruc-
ture, agricultural and industrial water supply
support key growth sectors.
A sector’s portfolio is also made up of all
the infrastructure and services specific to
its particular needs, and must be developed
responsively to demographics, trends and
forecast demand within the spatial context
of current infrastructure, its functioning and
the impact of new infrastructure on its
functioning. When development is planned
and implemented from this portfolio per-
spective, the potential for maximum impact
is unlocked by aligning public and private
stakeholders and project owners, and ben-
efiting from economies of scale.
The value of integrated planningThe IDD’s approach to planning also inte-
grates macro- and microeconomic develop-
ment, viewing projects as part of bigger
systems, while evaluating the impact of a
project on the ground. This creates oppor-
tunities to improve economies of scale that
would otherwise not exist, unlocking oppor-
tunities to manage multiple projects, use
Innovative Building Technologies (IBT), opti-
mise construction logistics and ultimately
value engineer infrastructure.
A good example of this approach is found
in the approach DBSA has recently taken to
the development of mining towns. “You start
by taking into consideration the idiosyncra-
sies of the area you are planning for in order
to determine a solution,” explains Sibisi. Will
the area be sustainable when the mining is
over? What type of community lives there?
Are there other mines in the area? What are
the local municipalities and mining compa-
nies planning and working on?
The bank is currently engaged by Sasol and
Anglo American to achieve optimal outcomes
“You start by taking into consideration the idiosyncrasies of the area you are planning for in order to determine a solution.” Sinazo Sibisi, group executive of
Infrastructure Delivery
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
28 IMIESA November/December 2014
INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE6 core focus areas1 Health 2 Education 3 Housing 4 Water and Sanitation 5 Transport 6 Municipalities. “These areas were chosen in support of key national priorities, aimed at enhancing economic development,” explains Sibisi.
3 core services1 Implementing Agent Services 2 Programme Management Technical Support Services 3 Programme Coordination Information Management Services.
of Southern Africafor their infrastructure programmes, which
are being rolled out both in their areas
of operation and their labour sending
areas. “By using our assessment tools,
we can accurately identify priority areas
to achieve sustainable outcomes, while
helping to manage the implementation of
infrastructure programmes.”
Some areas have several mining opera-
tions over a tangible distance, and each
mining company has its own corporate
social investment and social labour plans.
(Rustenburg is a good example of this). “We
engage with all the mining companies to
assess how all these different programmes
could be better aligned,” she says.
The IDD also engages with the respec-
tive municipalities in these areas to align
their needs with the programmes as well.
Key areas of intervention include revenue
enhancement, improving operations and
maintenance, financial management and
communication and stakeholder interven-
tions. The bank is also looking at enhancing
the investment climates in these areas,
encouraging other businesses to invest in
order to create a more sustainable economic
environment, beyond the mines.
The perfect partnerAs the implementing arm of the DBSA, the
IDD has the skills and capabilities to radically
change the way South Africa’s developmen-
tal plans are implemented, with profound
economic and social benefits. Since restruc-
turing, the bank has delivered an impressive
number of projects which demonstrate the
value of a single coordinating implementing
agent, and the value it can unlock.
Department of Health
The major programmes
being implemented with the
Department of Health (DoH)
include the building of doctors’
consulting rooms, clinic refurbishment
and an academic hospitals programme.
The overall programme included doctors’
consulting rooms on 102 sites and the
refurbishment of 681 clinics, with 95 com-
pleted in Phase One, across South Africa.
The academic hos-
pitals programme
included the devel-
opment of a hybrid
model, in terms
of finance and
roll-out. This used
to be the Public
Private Partnership
(PPP) model, but
under the IDD, it is
taking on a much
broader approach,
looking at different types of partner-
ships with the private sector. The IDD is
finalising the concept document for this
programme, and feasibility studies will
be on track by the end of the current
financial year.
The IDD is also establishing programme
management support units with the
Department of Health to provide vari-
ous forms of technical support for the
department, including ad hoc technical
resources and a programme management
information system. This is to ensure
the DoH has accurate and current data
– supported by existing contracts – on
health infrastructure projects nationwide.
This is crucial to establishing consistency
between financial data and project status.
The programme is being handed over to
provincial Departments of Health, which
would then be responsible for ensuring
ongoing data management and reporting.
Not all provinces have equal capacity to
do this, therefore additional support is
recommended at handover. The IDD is
also aiding the DoH to develop a master
THE PROGRAMMES plan for nursing educa-
tion institutes.
Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative The IDD is working on the Accelerated Schools
Infrastructure Delivery Initiative (ASIDI) with
the Department of Basic Education (DBE),
and have already completed 49 schools in
the Eastern Cape. The division is currently
working on the second batch of 72 schools,
50 of which are also in the Eastern Cape.
These schools range from primary schools to
secondary schools, and are fairly large pro-
jects. The IDD supplied
the DBE with a pro-
gramme management
support unit (PSU) as a
tool to monitor various
implementing agents,
including the DBSA.
It was originally esti-
mated that around
800 schools would be
required, but this fig-
ure is thought to be a
bit low. Assessments
have found that other schools in the area are
simply not adequate and the IDD is propos-
ing a comprehensive assessment of schools
in order to develop integrated development
plans to eliminate these conditions.
“It was through the school building pro-
gramme that we came to appreciate the
importance of relationships with suppliers
and sorting out the logistics well in advance,
dealing with long-lead items first, helping our
contractors with cash flow and transporting
materials to site,” reveals Sibisi.
Although the IDD also provides mainte-
nance plans for the schools, it is a weak
area. “We are proposing to the DBE to
implement maintenance programmes, drawn
from unemployed youth in the areas, who we
would train in various trades to maintain the
“It was through the school building
programme that we came to appreciate the importance of relationships with
suppliers and sorting out the logistics well
in advance.”
IMIESA November/December 2014 29
The Loding school in the Eastern Cape
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
30 IMIESA November/December 2014
the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating
Council (PICC) to better understand where it
needs to intervene and the reasons behind
any obstacles to these critical projects.
Water and sanitation sectorThe IDD is working on two programmes
in the water and sanitation sector, both
of which are under concept development.
The first is being devel-
oped with the Department
of Water Affairs (DWS)
towards establishing a
joint programme focused
on improving water qual-
ity management, with
specific reference to the
maintenance of boreholes
and other water resources
in deep rural areas. As
with the schools mainte-
nance programme, skills development and
job creation is its core, aimed at training
unemployed youth in the area, guided by
experienced technical leads towards creat-
ing business opportunities or enhancing
potential for employability. A similar pro-
gramme is also being considered for the
maintenance of water.
The DBSA Infrastructure Delivery Academy (IDEA)“We are establishing an academy, partnering
with technical vocational education and train-
ing (TVET) colleges to start creating a skills
pipeline for the water sector as a whole and
providing access to employment.”
Again, it’s the IDD’s coordinating capabil-
ity at work, creating an intervention that max-
imises opportunities, including job creation,
key maintenance challenges and boosting
service delivery. “The academy has three
core components: one being artisan devel-
opment, in partnership with TVET colleges,
as well universities of technology specifically
for health technologies maintenance. The
second component focuses on outcomes-
based learning, which is about improving the
manner in which the built environment sector
operates and building practical infrastructure
delivery management skills.
“In the private sector, the areas requir-
ing skills include IBTs, virtual design and
construction, and value engineering. We
have also found a gap in our tertiary institu-
tions when it comes to multidisciplinary pro-
gramme management. Complex construction
programmes are vital to optimising service
delivery, and there is a lack of this type of
managerial skills, which we want to address.
The other key gap is in planning and schedul-
ing of infrastructure programmes.”
The bank intends to use the 70/20/10
approach, which observes that people learn
most ef fectively
through 70% experi-
ential learning, 20%
social learning, and
only 10% traditional
classroom learning.
“This represents
a complete shift in
how government
and private sector
are currently doing
things, changing
the focus of learning from ‘know what’ to
‘know how’,” enthuses Sibisi. “The pro-
gramme is designed around what they can
do in the workplace, extending the benefits
of learning into something tangible, like
delivered infrastructure.”
SADC programmesThe DBSA has recently initiated the SADC
Water Programme, currently funded by KFW.
The programme entails the identification,
funding and implementation of cross-border
water projects.
“A key problem with cross-border projects
is funding. A water basin may exist in country
A, but could also be a practical water source
for country B. Country B could contribute to
funding the infrastructure to access water,
while country A benefits by receiving the
infrastructure,” says Sibisi, by way of exam-
ple. “The DBSA’s role is to try and facilitate
a level of cooperation between the two
countries by establishing viable structures in
which both parties benefit.”
Another SADC project is the Regional
Spatial Development Initiatives Programme
(RSDIP) which was inherited by IDD during
the bank’s restructuring. The RSDIP also
identifies catalytic projects like the Mtwara
Gas-to-Industry Project in Tanzania.
“In the private sector, the areas requiring skills include IBTs,
virtual design and construction, and
value engineering.”
Phedisong Clinic in Hammanskraal has a solar geyser
schools for a fee on an ongoing basis,” she
continues. “The plan is to let it unfold organi-
cally, and I am sure we will find that some
individuals take an entrepreneurial approach
to it, while others will be happy to focus on
simply supplying the service.”
Human settlementsThe IDD is working with the Eastern Cape
Department of Human Settlements on a
number of housing projects. “This portfolio
has seen a lot of growth. We completed 200
housing units in the first phase, and we are
currently completing 800 housing units in
the second phase. The third project will see
us completing around 7 000 housing units.”
The National Department of Human
Settlements has recently approached the
DBSA for support in their recently announced
megaprojects. “We are still working through
the details of how we will support the roll-out
of the various megaprojects, from planning
through to implementation. Integrated plan-
ning will be especially important with regards
to the bulk services that will support these
mega housing projects.”
Municipal sector – SIP 6 (The coordination function) The Strategic Infrastructure Project 6 (SIP 6)
focuses on the 23 poorest district municipal-
ities in South Africa. IDD has begun its work
with spatial planning, and is currently finalis-
ing business plans for different districts and
identifying and prioritising catalytic projects,
as well as identifying who will do these
projects. A key element of its approach is
to identify existing projects and determining
how they can be better coordinated.
“For example, we may find that the
Departments of Education, Water and
Sanitation, Eskom and Department of
Transport are all working in a specific area,
but coordination between their different
projects would be non-existent. This reduces
the developmental impacts of the projects
and brings about inefficiencies. Taking all
this into account, we will develop a business
plan for the 23 districts, and then monitor
and track delivery and progress.”
This information is then presented to
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
To advertise: Jenny Miller on +27 (0)11 467 6223 or jennymiller@lantic.netTo subscribe: Trust Makina on +27 (0)11 233 2600 or trust@3smedia.co.za
Sharing knowledge and skills for industry growth | www.3smedia.co.za
3S Media’s AWARD-WINNING
MAGAZINES keep you informed
• Topical and relevant news and articles • Projects and case studies • Unique content• Expert analysis from industry experts and thought leaders• Updates on activities of companies and key roleplayers • Industry association endorsements
t d ti l
5 stars Why personal
touches
really matter
R50.00 (VAT incl)
The good,
the bad
and
the ugly. What
has been
your weirdest
request?
HOW TO Secure
sponsorship for
your next event
SANCB’s
Amanda Kotze-
Nhlapo on
what to expect
at Meetings
Africa 2015
SPOTLIGHT
NOV/DEC 2014 • Issue 58
www.saconference.co.za The good,
the bad
and
www.saconfere
www.saconce.co.za
Driver Wellness
Managing ChangeMaputo Corridor
ISSN 1684-7946 Mar/Apr 2013 Vol. 11 No. 2 / R40.00 incl. VAT Barbara Mommon, CEO, MCLI – Ten years of
partnered progress on the Maputo Corridor P26
ISSN 1684-7946 September/October 2014 Vol. 12 No. 5 / R50.00 incl. VAT
ENDORSED BYTTThTheeodod
essMaM
Barbara Ma Mra MbararbaBarbBapartneredednerredrtnepartpa
ISSSS
ReeeeeReeeeReeRReReRRReeRReReRRReReReReennnnnnnnnn
www.miningne.ws
COMMODITY DIAMONDSDiscovering Kimberlite
Dr Anthony Hodge:
Biodiversity in Mining
A F R I C A N U P D AT E S O N T H E G R O U N D A N D U N D E R G R O U N D
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
JUNIOR MININGBurkino Faso’s Gold Boom
DRILLING & BLASTINGMegalodon Rock Breaker
MINERALS PROCESSINGIncreasing Productivity
JOHNSON CRANE HIREBrains, and Brawn, Won the Day
ISSN 1999-8872 • R50.00 (incl. VAT) • Vol. 7
• No. 10 • October 2014
es
ENDORSED BY
iningne.ws
MODITY MONDScovering berlite
hony Hodge:ersity in Mining
A F R I C A N U P D ATA F R I C A N U P D ATIN THESPOTLIGHT
NIOR MININGNGGurkino o’ssFaso old Boom
RILLING && LASTINGG
Megaloddoonn Rock Brr akkerereea r
MINERRALSLSA S EPROCE INGNGSINGSSS
eassncrea iningg uctctProdu ivitvityyiv
Expert Opinion
WIRED FOR WASTE
ISSN
168
0-49
02 R
50.0
0 (in
cl V
AT)
• V
ol 1
6, N
o 3,
Aug
201
4
OILKOL
Promoting integrated resources management
The of cial journal of the Institute of
Waste Management of Southern Africa
Institute ofWaste Managementof Southern Africa
LandfillRobinson Deep: gas-to-energy project launched
RecyclingIndustry commits to ‘Zero plastics to landfill by 2030’
CogenerationA viable and effective power source for Durban
RenewablesAfrica’s first concentrating cooling system
is printed on 100% recycled paper
Golder’s Andre Venter, divisional leader of integrated waste
management solutions, discusses the development and execution of
the new Waterval landfill site in Rustenburg
r
Gmh
er
Gm
t
Expe
T E S O NN T HH E G RRT E S G RH E O NN T H
ertert Ot OOppinpinio
, Aug
201
4
Pro
LandRobinson gas-to-eneproject laun
Golder’smanagemehe new Waterval landfi
rr
Gmh
erer
Gm
tt
Expe
The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Water & SanitationAfrica
Complete water resource and wastewater management
The best way to promote sound water resources management
principles is through working and sharing lessons with other
organisations. Phakamani Buthelezi, CEO of BGCMA P14
MEDIA
OPINION
Managing groundwater
through technology sharingODOUR CONTROL
Managing plant odour
Promoting professional excellence in the water sector
IN THE HOT SEAT
Partnering change in Africa
WASTEWATER
Quality and sustainability
in service delivery
RAND WATER
ught leaders
WWWWO
LLLILLIL
Promomototingng ing in
dfillDeep: ergy
nched
RecyclinclinnggIndustry coommmitmits ts toto ‘Zero plastlasticsics toto olandfill byby 202030030’0’
The official magazine of the Water Institute of Southern Africa
Water &SaSaSaSaaannninitatatitionononAfAfriricacaAfAfriricacaAfAfAfAfririAfAfririccffriricacaffriricacaiicaca
Complete water resource and wawastestewtewawateater mr management
anagement
The best way to promote sound waterer resresources ms mamanagemgement
principles is through working and sharharingng lessons wns wiwith othother
organisations.Phakamani Buthelezi, CECEO ofof BGCMA P14
MEDIA
OPINION
Managing groundwater
through technology sharingODOUR CONT
ODOUR CONTROLROL
Managing plant odour
ProPromotomoting profession
ting professional excellence in th
ellence in thehe
al excell
water secto
water sectorctor
PP
Partnererinringingg change in Africa
WASTEWATER
WASTEWATER
Quality and sustainability
in service delivery
RANDNDDDDWWAARR
IMIESA November/December 2014 31
The effective utilisation of con-
sulting engineers in local gov-
ernment has never been more
important. It could be argued
that South Africa is unique with its highly
skilled private sector, and overly politicised
public sector.
In Sweden, 95% of Consulting engineering
work is done from within the public sector;
in South Africa, this is the reverse. The
development of the construction industry as
a whole occurs in the partnership between
the public and private sectors, and call for
your company’s input.
Quality engineering services are at the
heart of excellence in project design and
delivery. We know that quality is sacrificed
in favour of cost and BBBEE. Added to this,
the procurement system is highly flawed
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | PANEL DISCUSSION
Partneringand National Treasury is looking for input,
industry-wide, to address this.
Times are changing in South Africa and
the political will to improve the roll-out
of public infrastructure has never been
more evident. From the pronouncements
of Pravin Gordhan, to the Presidential
Infrastructure Commission, to the high-
level engagement of institutions like CESA
– all are geared towards fixing what is
broken and getting South Africa on track.
In this edition’s Panel Discussion,
IMIESA invited consulting Engineers to
engage with South Africa’s most estab-
lished public infrastructure community,
providing detailed perspectives of their
expertise and contributions to building and
maintaining South Africa’s infrastructure
and services assets.
How can your company, at all levels, contribute
to helping public sector decision-makers understand each stage of the infrastructure delivery process? IM It has
long been said that knowledge
is power and it is no different
in addressing the needs of
infrastructure development
in our country. Successful
projects happen when all role-
players share a common focus
understanding and expectations.
Good relationships,
developed over time, allow all
project partners to genuinely
understand each other’s needs.
To this end, AECOM has had
substantial success in the use
of key account management
programmes with major public
and private clients. This
involves proactively focusing a
group of executives within our
business on a particular client
or industry, and developing an
ongoing conversation challenges
that we may face in the
infrastructure delivery process.
These conversations may
occur within structured forums,
such as business chambers, or
industry bodies. For large public
clients, a willingness to engage
with experienced professionals
within the private sector will
ensure that infrastructure
success is achieved. As
AECOM, we are committed
to proactively facilitating
these conversations.
From feasibility and design to roll-out, what
specialty services does your company have to offer local government in achieving best practice? AECOM is able to offer a full
‘cradle to grave’ service. From
economic feasibility studies,
to programme management of
client budgets, through detailed
design, commissioning and
operation, we have experts
in South Africa who have
successfully implemented
every phase of a project.
Our detail design services
cover all engineering
disciplines, and we now offer
architectural, sustainability,
and fire engineering as new
services one-stop shop.
Most recently, the
organisation has formed
an EPCM focused business
line, which is becoming
an increasingly popular
contracting model.
Looking ahead, we see
our design, planning and
economics capability as
particularly useful to local
government clients. Here we
are able to offer genuine pre-
feasibility studies, contracting
and funding model design, and
high-level master planning of
infrastructure that considers
future needs. In addition, our
ability to offer programme
management and capacity
building should make us an
attractive partner.
What innovations in these disciplines are you contributing to the market? AECOM has a global
reach, with 100 000 employees
with experience at the cutting
edge of their respective fields.
They are thought leaders in
a number of fields and this
experience is offered to every
client we service.
What is your company contributing to skills development and transformation? This is a
key focus area for our executive
leadership. Skills development
and transformation is driven
by our CEO. All recruitment
and staff development
initiatives are scrutinised by
our Executive Committee to
ensure that AECOM functions
as a leading corporate citizen
to develop professionals with
technical skills that make a
lasting contribution.
Our skills development
programmes are structured
as follows:
• We have run a successful
bursary programme for
students for decades that
ensures students are able
to pass their undergraduate
degrees and are guaranteed
placement for their first jobs.
• Our new Graduate
Development Programme
focuses on young employees
with limited work experience
who have not come through
our bursary programme,
and supports them with
training, mentorship and
work experience towards
professional registration.
• Our elite Futurenow
Programme is offered to
young technical staff that
are soon to be registered,
providing them with internal
and external mentoring and
training in hard and soft skills.
• AECOM is committed to the
training of all levels of staff.
• Selected senior candidates
are offered structured
leadership training, and
formal academic study for
senior staff is encouraged
through the provision
of bursaries.
AECOM is also fortunate to be
able to contribute substantially
to the training and development
of technical professionals who
are not our own staff.
AECOM is an active
participant in the development
of technical skills in
South Africa and we are
fully committed to the
transformation of our industry
towards a sustainable future.
PARRTNERINGG FOR PPUBLIC INFRAAASTRUUCTUREEImraan Mahomed | SA East District Manager | AECOM
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | PANEL DISCUSSION
Spring Grove Dam
IMIESA November/December 2014 33
AECOM’s KEY OFFERING Our business is focused on four basic ‘End Markets’ namely, Buildings and Places, Civil Infrastructure, Construction Services and Resources & Industry, each offering the following business lines:
Buildings and Places• Building engineering• Design, planning
and economics• Programme, cost
and consultancy
Civil Infrastructure • Transportation• Water• EnergyResources and Industry• Environmental • Mining and Metals• Oil and Gas
Phone +27 21 880 0388
Fax +27 21 880 0389
Email info@gls.co.za www.gls.co.za
OUR CLIENTS
Johannesburg Water City of Tshwane City of Cape Town Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Buff alo City Emfuleni Municipality All the
municipalities in the Western Cape Province Randfontein LM Midvaal LM
Lesedi LM Renosterberg LM Ubuntu LM Emthanjeni LM Siya Themba LM
“Leaders in providing solutions related to the optimal planning and management of water and
sewer reticulation systems”
What range of services does your company
provide? LG Our company
provides a comprehensive
range of services pertaining to
long-term investment planning
for water distribution and
sewer reticulation systems.
This includes the application
of detailed calibrated system
simulation models to perform
optimisation of operation,
master planning and asset
management support analyses,
such as prioritisation of
component assessment,
refurbishment or replacement.
Related services are water
loss and demand management
strategy planning, which
includes water balance audits
and KPI monitoring, water age
and quality modelling, system
risk analysis and related
mitigation measure planning as
well as revenue enhancement
potential analyses with respect
to meter reading issues and
possible related interventions.
What should municipalities know about your company’s particular strengths? Apart from our extensive
experience over more than
25 years in this specialised
field, gained in all types of
situations and configurations,
our strength lies in an outcome-
focused service with no
compromise towards attention
to the details that matter. A
particular strength is also
the fact that we develop and
maintain our own software
systems, internationally
recognised as being at the
forefront of technology, allowing
the engineering specialists in
the company direct access to
rapid additions of functionality
or customisation of the
software, which contributes
very positively to the
client experience.
What services are indispensable in the field asset management? The proper understanding
of the functioning and
hydraulic capacity of water
and sewer systems, and
the corresponding ability to
perform scenario testing,
provides a quantum leap in
realistic asset valuation and
the required life-cycle asset
management. Not only does
the hydraulic analyses inform
with respect to attributes, such
as criticality, utilisation and
performance at component
level, it also provides the
platform for risk-based
refurbishment and replacement
prioritisation and planning.
How does your company partner with municipalities? Our
preferred and most common
form of engagement with our
clients is a longer-term (up
to three years) contract with
a detailed set of deliverables
and monthly payments. This
type of engagement allows for
the establishment of a very
efficient partnership, where
both parties know exactly their
roles and responsibilities to
be performed on a regular
basis. It also enhances the
‘single team’ working format
wherein each party performs
those functions that it is
most knowledgeable and
experienced in.
How do you manage the transfer of skills to your clients? We prefer
a hands-on approach for the
transfer of skills. This implies
that we would perform our work
with the relevant client staff
being involved in the process,
initially through observing, then
through executing work under
our supervision and finally just
with some quality confirmation
by us. The nature of the subject
we deal with is that all parties
need to understand the details
pertaining to data quality,
which also automatically leads
to skills transfer.
What specific types of training do you offer? GLS Consulting offers CESA
CPD accredited courses in the
analysis and design of water
distribution systems using
Wadiso (2 CPD) credits and the
analysis and design of sewer
systems using Sewsan (1 CPD)
credits. These structured
courses are either presented at
the client’s site, our dedicated
training centre in Stellenbosch
or EOH’s training centre in
Johannesburg. We also offer
ad hoc courses in using our
dedicated SWIFT software,
which inter faces with municipal
billing systems to perform
water demand analyses and
related metering statistics, as
well as training in using our
Albion software, which is a
customised CAD/GIS package).
As stated, we also provide
training in all other aspects of
our consulting services.
What differentiates your approach to training? We focus on hands-on training
using our software. However,
the background knowledge is
general and applicable to any
other software package.
What support systems do you offer and how is it integrated into your offering? In performing
our consulting services,
we dedicate a team of
specialists to a client. This
results in providing support
that is always informed and
prepared. This service is
included in the contract costing
model. For customers using
our software, we assure a
24-hour return time on any
queries via email. We also
offer telephonic support, from
general installation-related
issues to specific modelling-
related queries to all clients
who have a valid service and
maintenance agreement that
carries an annual cost.
PARRTNERINGG FOR PPUBLIC INFRAAASTRUUCTUREEDr Leon Geustyn | Director | GLS Consulting
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | PANEL DISCUSSION
Computer analysis software indicating water distribution zones
IMIESA November/December 2014 35
SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY. SUPERIOR SOLUTIONS.
NuWater provides a range of products, services and financing solutions to reclaim or treat almost any quantity and quality of water.
Innovative reverse osmosis (16") and other membrane technologies make NuWater plants more compact and efficient, with lower operating and maintenance costs. Being modular and mobile, our plants are also rapidly deployable and highly scalable, providing ultimate flexibility in a rapidly changing world.
Challenge us to clean your water.
Seawater Surface Water Groundwater
People Mining Industry Oil & Gas
WastewaterReclamation
Clean WaterWastewater
NUWATER MODULAR TREATMENT PLANT
info@nuwater.co.za +27 21 531 0641 www.nuwaterglobal.com
FROM TOP: Anglo American New Vaal Colliery – 15 MLD mine wastewater reclamation and reuse.
Modular and mobile units for clean water where it is needed.
Singapore Public Utilities Board – 55 MLD secondary sewerage water reclamation and reuse.
What range of services does your company
provide? ML NuWater
designs, builds, owns and
operates advanced water and
wastewater treatment plants.
Our plants incorporate both
our proprietary technologies,
such as our patented and
proven 16″ reverse osmosis
(RO) technology, as well as
carefully selected third-party
technologies. We specialise in
compact, modular and highly
scalable plants covering a range
of capacities, starting from as
little as 50 m3/day through to
50+ MLD (million litres per day).
Our primary technology focus is
on membrane technologies and
related pre- and post-treatment
technologies. Our technology
suite extends through to brine
management and zero liquid
discharge (ZLD), and the
management of both organic
and inorganic waste streams.
NuWater also offers a range
of services covering project
development, project execution,
operations and maintenance, as
well direct equity participation in
projects and project financing.
What should the water industry know about your company’s particular strengths? NuWater is a South African
company with world-class
reference plants and projects.
These include our 55 MLD plant
at Singapore’s Public Utilities
Board for the reclamation of
secondary sewage water, a
10 MLD seawater desalination
plant at YTL PowerSeraya in
Singapore, our 20 MLD mine
wastewater reclamation plant
at Anglo American Thermal
Coal in South Africa and mine
wastewater treatment plants for
Gold Fields in Ghana. Although
the NuWater team possesses
the skills and experience to
do so, we are not focused on
EPC projects and rather look to
maintain long-term involvement
in projects through direct
ownership participation, or
through ongoing involvement
in the operations and
maintenance of the plants we
design and build. This ensures
that our interests remain
aligned with those of the
customer and project partners
throughout key periods of the
project life cycle.
How does your company partner with the water infrastructure industry? NuWater’s
range of technical, project
execution and commercial
skills and experience allows
us to work with like-minded
customers and partners in the
water infrastructure industry
to deliver more innovative
solutions to the pressing
challenges that South Africa
and the rest of the continent is
experiencing. This may include
the adoption of our rapidly
deployable and redeployable
plants, the incorporation of
our RO technology into the
projects of our partners, or the
contribution of technical and
financial resources on build,
own and operate projects.
NuWater takes a collaborative
approach with its partners to
deliver the most innovative and
lowest lifetime-cost projects.
This sometimes means that
we have to be very selective
about the types of projects we
undertake, and the partners
we engage with, to ensure
that there is a clear value
contribution from both us and
our partners.
What support systems do you offer and how are they integrated into your offering? The systems
that support our offerings are
both technical and human in
nature. Our plants incorporate
sophisticated instrumentation
and control to ensure they
operate efficiently and adjust to
changing operating conditions.
This includes ensuring that
they protect themselves as
far as possible from damage
due to unexpected events
such as serious feedwater
contamination. Our plants can
also be remotely monitored
and operated. We also
recognize, however, that the
human aspects are even more
important when it comes to the
successful delivery of projects
and the ongoing efficient and
reliable operation of water and
wastewater treatment plants.
We therefore invest heavily
in our people and processes
to support them in their
interactions with partners and
customers.
The starting point for this is
ensuring a corporate culture
that demands openness and
accountability, both within our
own team and when it comes
to interacting with our partners
and customers. This approach
ensures maximum value is
derived by all parties involved
from the support procedures
and systems we have in place.
How do you manage the transfer of skills to your clients? At NuWater, we
believe that the development
of skills in the water sector in
South Africa, and elsewhere,
will lead to a more vibrant
and dynamic sector in general
– something we are ideally
positioned to benefit from.
We aim to be the partner of
choice for both end customers,
as well as their advisors.
In order to achieve this, we
endeavor to provide thought
leadership and innovation
in the sector. This includes
educating all parties we
interact with, both on our
technical offerings as well
as the benefits we can
bring through commercial
collaboration, be that with
private or public sector
customers and partners.
PARRTNERINGG FOR PPUBLIC INFRAAASTRUUCTUREEMartin Lyons | Head of Sales, Southern Africa | NuWater
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | PANEL DISCUSSION
World First - NuWater’s 16” RO technology at 10 MLD YTL PowerSeraya seawater desalination plant in Singapore
IMIESA November/December 2014 37
How can your company contribute to
helping public sector decision-makers understand each stage of the infrastructure delivery process? HK WorleyParsons assists
our public sector clients by
developing a Decision Support
Package (DSP), which is a
compilation of key project
information required to
enable an informed decision
to be made by the client on
whether or not to fund the
project or project phase under
consideration. This package
contains information that
has been derived from the
work completed during the
project development, including
supplementary information
prepared by the client
and/or other third par ties
as applicable.
The DSP contains information
to allow decisions to be made
on the basis of three key areas:
• business case assessment
• risk analysis
• technical compliance
assessment.
From feasibility to design and roll-out, what specialty services does your company have to offer local government in following best practices? Over
and above the technical and
project management capability
of our staff, WorleyParsons
has a responsibility to
deliver compliant, safe and
sustainable engineering
solutions for asset life cycle
to our clients that ultimately
promote the health and
well-being of personnel, the
community and the natural
environment. Safe and
Sustainable Engineering for
Asset Life Cycle (SEAL) is
WorleyParsons’ enhanced
engineering delivery model,
developed to improve delivery
of safe and sustainable asset
life-cycle design solutions. The
framework is simple,
built around best practice
approaches to safe and
sustainable design, and can
be customised to suit any size
project and phase of the design
development process, including
improvement projects.
SEAL complements
compliance with a risk-based
approach to planning, design
development, decision-
making and engineering
execution. The benefits of
integrating a risk-based
process into engineering
design development are
numerous. In addition to
the prevention of injury and
disease and harm to the
environment, acknowledging
the following benefits:
• reduced costs
• improved usability of
products, systems
and facilities
• improved productivity
• better prediction and
management of production
and operational costs over
the lifecycle of a product
• compliance with legislation
• innovation – safe design
demands new thinking.
What key disciplines does your company specialise in? WorleyParsons provides
services in four main sectors:
• infrastructure
(public and resource
infrastructure markets)
• power
• hydrocarbons
• mining, minerals
and chemicals.
The public infrastructure
business sector covers:
• transport – roads and
highways, rail and airpor ts
• por ts; marine and terminals
• water and wastewater
• urban infrastructure and
housing development
and resettlements
• geotechnical
• buildings and services
• electrical and mechanical
engineering services
• environmental, restoration
and social (society) services
• advisory services
• waste management.
What innovations in these disciplines are
you contributing to the market? Innovation at
WorleyParsons is not new. For
that reason, WorleyParsons
implemented the Innovation
Incubator. This initiative is
dedicated to fostering the
innovation ecosystem.
The idea of an ecosystem
is important; innovation
doesn’t happen in a
vacuum – it involves people,
ideas, processes and the
development of a culture
that embeds innovation
in all aspects of our daily
work. Everyone working for
WorleyParsons has the ability
and opportunity to par ticipate
and the Incubator is the
mechanism to enable this
across diverse teams.
WorleyParsons has also
developed, as an example,
EcoNomics™. EcoNomics™
is about delivering profitable
sustainability to our
customers’ projects; it turns
our customers’ sustainability
objectives and policies into
project reality. It is delivered
through our existing project
delivery processes. EcoNomics
assessment is a sophisticated
way of considering the
financial, social and
environmental implications
of decisions, providing
quantification in monetary
terms of the economic
sustainability of a course of
action or options.
By explicitly placing rand
values on assets not normally
included in a financial NPV
calculation, such as water,
carbon, biodiversity, and
community amenity, the effect
of these issues on project
decision-making can be
assessed in monetary terms,
on a like-for-like basis.
EcoNomics assessment
quantifies sustainability. This
PARRTNERINGG FOR PPUBLIC INFRAAASTRUUCTUREEHans Karemaker | Manager: Infrastructure & Environment, Business Development & Strategic Marketing | WorleyParsons
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | PANEL DISCUSSION
38 IMIESA November / December 2014
N17 Leven to Trichardt
way, if a project or option is
economic, it is by definition
sustainable. Uneconomic
options are not sustainable
because society does not
receive enough overall benefit
to justify the costs involved.
What is your company contributing to skills development and transformation? WorleyParsons RSA has an
approved corporate social
investment programme, as per
the economic empowerment
programme, including
enterprise development (ED),
which includes free consulting
services in the areas
as detailed.
We are cer tified by the
economic empowerment
rating agency Empowerdex
as a level-two contributor
as well as a value-adding
enterprise. WorleyParsons
RSA has cer tified black
ownership of 30% and
black female ownership of
13.27%. An ED programme
is funded by WorleyParsons
and an ED business
centre was established in
Johannesburg, consisting
of nine promising small
businesses. WorleyParsons
RSA contributes R150 000
per month by supplying these
small businesses with office
space, computers, telephones
and printing facilities at no
cost to the businesses. The
business owners have access
to technical mentorship and
technical skills transfer from
the local WorleyParsons
knowledge base. Fur ther,
these businesses have been
incorporated into the group’s
supply chain.
Additional assistance
in marketing, financial
advice, tender preparation,
human resources and
business processes have
also been provided to the
IMIESA November/December 2014 39
business owners. Internally,
WorleyParsons fur ther
helps our staff in the next
vital phases of their career
development and guides them
to their ultimate objectives.
That’s why we’ve developed a
truly innovative and dynamic
graduate development
programme that has been
expertly structured to provide
staff with the maximum
breadth and depth of
engineering experience during
their first three years in the
workforce.
Additionally, WorleyParsons
has an online e-learning
training module, allowing
employees to be trained on
a number of topics including
codes of conduct, health
and safety, procurement and
project management systems,
among others.
What is your company’s vision for a sustainable future, and how does this fit in with the common cause of South Africa’s need for development and investment? WorleyParsons
is a professional services
business, a par tner in
delivering sustained economic
and social progress, creating
opportunities for individuals,
companies and communities
to realise their own futures.
WorleyParsons delivers
projects, provides expertise
in engineering, procurement
and construction and offers a
wide range of consulting and
advisory services. We cover
the full lifecycle, from creating
new assets to sustaining
and enhancing operating
assets, in the infrastructure,
hydrocarbons, mineral, metals,
chemicals and power sectors.
Our resources and energy are
focused on responding to,
and meeting the needs of, our
clients over the long term.
WorleyParsons supports the resources and energy sectors, offering environmental and restoration services, development of water processes, rail and port assets, power generation and transmission sectors. - 1,800 local employees- Deep local knowledge- Global expertise- BBBEE Level 2
www.worleyparsons.com
37,50043 166 peoplecountries offices
Complete solutions...
for the resources and
energy sectors
INFRASTRUCTURE & ENVIRONMENT
Transport | Water | Urban Infrastructure | Power Master Planning | Geotechnical | Environmental Services
Consulting Engineers South Africa’s (CESA)
latest Bi-Annual Economic and Capacity
Survey (BECS), January to June 2014,
indicates that regulation issues, including
the procurement of consulting engineering
services, remain one of the biggest
challenges faced by the industry.
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | CONSULTING ENGINEERS
40 IMIESA November 2014
services, remain one of the bigges
challenges faced by the industry.
444444404040404044444044444404444444040440 IIIIIIIIIMMMIEMIMIMIEMIEMMIEMMIMIMIIMMMMIIEIEMMMIIIMI SA SSA SA SA SASAASA SASASA SSASASASAAASASS NovNovNNovNovNovNovNovvNovovNovNovvovNovNNovN vvN vembembembmmmembmmmbembmbbembembmmmmbmmbmmemmmmmmm erer eereeeereer eer eeeereeer erererree 20120120120120222010120120120100012012012012011201201201201220120122011122020120120111220122010110111122 122 1112 112 444444444444444444444444444
PROCUREMENT IS currently
based on price and BBBEE
points, with functionality or qual-
ity having a minimum threshold,
thus being largely price driven. This is
affecting tender prices, as firms some-
times tender below cost in view of the
diminished availability of projects.
“The way that the service of consulting
engineers is procured is a sore point and
leaves a lot to be desired. Even our presi-
dent, Abe Thela, cautioned about this prac-
tice that relegates our noble profession to
becoming commodity goods,” says CESA
CEO Lefadi Makibinyane.
Accelerating implementationUnrealistic tendering fees remain a con-
cern for members, while the extended
time it takes to finalise a proposal is
affecting profitability in the industry. The
quality of technical personnel is argued
by some firms to have deteriorated, put-
ting greater risk on the built environment
sector. Skills shortage is regarded as one
of the most significant institutional chal-
lenges faced by the private and the public
sector. CESA has offered their services
to government to procure and implement
projects, and advocates a speedy review
of the Preferential Procurement Policy
Framework Act (PPPFA). This will not only
harmonise the procurement modalities of
the professional services (which includes
consulting engineering) but will bring accel-
erated implementation of the National
Infrastructure Development Plan.
After a more optimistic 2013, conditions
in the first six months of 2014 appeared
to have been less satisfactory. The confi-
dence index for the first six months was
revised downward from an expected level
The challenge of regulation and procurement
“I would like to urge government departments and entities to establish a panel of consulting engineers for the speedy mobilisation
and fair distribution of work among the profession.” Lefadi Makibinyane, CEO, CESA
40 IMIESA November/December 2014
IMIESA November/December 2014 41
of 98.3% to 87.7%, suggesting weaker-
than-expected conditions. In spite of the
slower-than-expected star t to the year,
firms are more optimistic with regard
to business conditions for the next 12
months, averaging 96.6% for the last six
months of 2014 and 96.2% for the first six
months of 2015.
Larger firms were unanimous in their
views that the outlook for business con-
ditions is satisfactory over the next 12
months, compared with 82.5% of the
medium-size firms.
Contractors under pressureThe relationship between confidence levels
of engineers and civil contractors dete-
riorated from 2009 onwards, as the busi-
ness environment in terms of consulting
engineering did not seem to deteriorate
at the same pace as that experienced by
the civil construction industry. Opinions
expressed by civil contractors, as meas-
ured by the FNB/BER indices, were more
depressed in the first three quarters of
2014, moderating from a nett satisfaction
rate of 66% in the last quarter of 2013,
to 55%, 44% and 48% in the first three
quarters. The FNB/BER building industry
confidence index, declined to a nett satis-
faction rate of 45% in the third quarter of
2014, from 52% in the first quarter. Thus,
at a contracting level, conditions in both
the building and civil industries are still
very much depressed.
Confidence in the consulting engineering
sector generally lags business sentiment.
Business sentiment slumped back to a
level of 41% in the first and second quar-
ters of 2014, but showed some improve-
ment to a level of 46% in the third quarter.
Business confidence is still negatively
impacted by the industrial strike action in
the first half of the year, poor economic
growth, rising inflation and the expecta-
tion of fur ther monetary policy tightening.
Confidence levels have deteriorated since
2007 (when it was at a level of 69%) and,
until it recovers back to a level of at least
60%, the outlook for increased private sec-
tor investment will remain subdued.
Fraud and corruption is affecting the
ethos of our society, with a lot of talk and
little action accompanying the growing
evidence of corruption. CESA is aware
that members are under pressure from
contractors and corrupt officials to cer tify
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | CONSULTING ENGINEERS
payment for work not completed. This is
regarded as an extremely serious matter
for CESA and, as such, the organization
will be relentless in holding those in
power accountable.
Unlocking private sector participationUnlocking greater private sector par tic-
ipation is seen as a critical element
to fast-track delivery, which will support
engineering fees and, as such, engineer-
ing development in the industry. Private
sector par ticipation in this context refers
to involvement on a more technical level
(and not as a client), to improve municipal
capacity and efficiency.
Government must create an environment
for the private sector so that it can play a
much bigger role in infrastructure delivery.
Many of the projects highlighted in the NDP
can be carried out by the private sector
through public-private par tnerships.
Service delivery, especially at municipal
level, remains a critical burning issue. The
consulting engineering industry is threat-
ened by incapacitated local and provincial
governments. As major clients to the
industry, it is important that these institu-
tions become more effective, more proac-
tive in identifying needs and priorities, and
more efficient in project implementation
and management.
The involvement of non-CESA members
in government tenders and procurement
continues to threaten the standard and
per formance of the industry. Non-CESA
members do not seem to comply with the
same standards and principles as those
firms that are members. Whether this is
linked to complaints of ‘below-cost’ tender-
ing, since 2009, is not cer tain, but CESA
members should be better informed about
engaging in below-cost tendering.
Foreign firms are also tendering at rates
that are not competitive for local firms.
Complaints have been received of some
of these firms not producing proper draw-
ings and not attending site visits. Clients,
unfor tunately, are not always properly
experienced or educated to conduct proper
procurement assessments and unknowing-
ly award contracts to these ‘unscrupulous’
firms. While these occurrences may be
limited to smaller rural areas, it remains
an unacceptable practice.
Maintenance critical for growthThe lack of attention to infrastructure
maintenance poses a serious problem for
the industry. Not only is it much more
costly to build new infrastructure, but
dilapidated infrastructure hampers eco-
nomic growth potential.
The cost of resur facing a road after
seven years, at current prices, is estimat-
ed at R175 000 per kilometre, compared
to R3 million per kilometre to rebuild – less
than 6% of the construction price. In many
cases, infrastructure is left to deteriorate
to such a state that makes maintenance
almost impossible.
Panel of consulting engineersA fur ther challenge to the industry is to
find a way to standardise the procure-
ment procedures applied by the different
government depar tments. Procurement
procedures should be standard for the
country, or at least for the specific tier
of government.
“To complement the public sector tech-
nical/engineering capacity, which cannot
be built overnight, I would like to urge
government departments and entities to
establish a panel of consulting engineers
for the speedy mobilisation and fair distri-
bution of work among the profession, and
for competitiveness of the public sector in
regards to infrastructure development and
refurbishment”, reiterates Makibinyane.
He adds that this will ensure the
government gets on with its National
Infrastructure Plan and boosts the need-
ed business confidence from the current
index of 46% to the magical 60% figure.
The lack of attention to infrastructure maintenance poses a serious problem for the industry... dilapidated infrastructure hampers economic growth potential
PARTNERING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE | CONSULTING ENGINEERS
42 IMIESA November/December 2014
IT IS TIME to reopen the debate in the
water sector on the somewhat contro-
versial topic of an independent regula-
tor for water services. In my opinion,
this is essential to properly protect the con-
sumer and to support social development
and economic growth.
Let us first sort out the basic question of
why we should regulate water services at all
and then discuss the independence of such
a water services regulator (WSR).
Some water experts like to argue that
water service regulation is only needed when
the private sector is involved. These propo-
nents usually claim that the public and espe-
cially the poor must be protected against the
‘bad forces of the private sector’. There is
indeed good motivation to do so as private
sector water providers can be so profit driven
that water tariffs may be exorbitant, assets
and water infrastructure are exploited and
run-down and that the poor are ignored in
favour of wealthy customers. These experts
will also often use England and Wales as
the example where total privatisation has
necessitated a very sophisticated regula-
tory regime and well-developed institutions
for regulation.
The counter argument, however, and I per-
sonally share this second view, is that public
entities can also be guilty of all of the above-
mentioned ills. Public water service provid-
ers can be driven by popular local politics to
stick to unrealistic tariffs and then collect so
little of what is due, resulting in insufficient
funds for proper maintenance, not even to
mention capital expansions. Public entities
are often guilty of running infrastructure into
the ground and poor people are frequently at
the receiving end of pathetic service deliv-
ery. Does this sound familiar?
If the main purpose of a regulator is to
act in the public interest and ensure that
the consumer, both the poor for social
development and business for economic
growth, can enjoy good services and safe
water, then one can never assume that a
public water service provider will automati-
cally perform to expectations just because
a public entity is supposed to be serving
the public and therefore inherently good and
efficient. On the contrary, some of the South
African municipalities have shown that they
definitely do not act in the public interest
The importance of independenceAn independent water services regulator can improve service deliver y. By Helgard Muller
African municipalities have shown that they
definitely do not act in the public interest
and neither stimulate economic growth nor
ensure services to the poor and vulnerable.
In 2005, a conference was held in
Johannesburg, driven by the topic: ‘Poverty
reduction through improved regulation’. One
of the conclusions drawn from that confer-
ence was (quoting from the formal record of
proceedings): “This does not mean that reg-
ulation is unnecessary or undesirable where
water services are provided by public institu-
tions. On the contrary, regulation can play
an important role in ensuring effective and
efficient delivery of water services by public
institutions. There is therefore, indeed, a
strong case for effective pro-poor regulation
so as to ensure that public service providers
such as municipalities do their rightful job.”
Let us then move on to the fundamental
matters of how independent a regulator
should be and whether it is possible for a
regulator to be totally unbiased.
There is an argument often used by some
experts that the role of a WSR is to ensure
that government policies are executed and,
therefore, the regulator should not be inde-
pendent but rather another functioning unit
in a government department – this is the
current situation in South Africa.
If the main purpose of a regulator is to act
in the public interest and ensure that the
consumer – both the poor and the business
sector – enjoy good services and safe water,
then the WSR should never be influenced by
local political priorities that could be to the
detriment of the same public interest.
A very practical example is the following:
All South African municipalities are mandat-
ed to ensure that drinking water complies
with the National Compulsory Standards
as gazetted in terms of Section 9 of the
Water Services Act. These regulations also
state that drinking water must comply with
SANS 241 as the national drinking water
standard for SA. If a municipality does
not comply with these set standards, it is
essential that a WSR act immediately to
“Public entities are often guilty of running infrastructure into the ground and poor people are frequently at the receiving end of pathetic service delivery.” Helgard Muller, specialist consultant: water policy, regulation and institutions
WATER AND SANITATION | OPINION
44 IMIESA November/December 2014
WATER AND SANITATION | OPINION
ensure that the public is warned and correc-
tive steps are taken. In such cases, if the
WSR part of a government department and
political interests take preference over the
public interest, the regulator may be told
to ‘go soft’ on the mayor and his officials,
and rather support and not regulate. We
then have a situation where political priori-
ties become more important than serious
health risks.
Is it possible for a regulator to be totally
independent and unbiased? The ideal in this
instance is for the state to ensure that the
WSR is aligned with Government’s broad
policy objectives. In an ideal world, these
policy objectives are also in the public inter-
est. Such a WSR must be allowed to func-
tion at separately from Government. Often,
however, politicians take total control and
argue that public entities such as regulators
should simply do as they have been told.
While it is important for water institutions
such as regulators to align with broader gov-
ernment objectives, it is not healthy if there
is political interference in the day-to-day
operations of regulators. This could ruin
the credibility and objectivity of regulators –
essential core elements of successful regu-
lation. I sincerely hope that the new Minister
Is it possible for a regulator to be totally independent and unbiased?
IMIESA November/December 2014 45
royalhaskoningdhv.com/za
Welcome to the future – a future of Mwangaza We are all writing a part of the script which tomorrow’s society will play out. At Royal HaskoningDHV we would like the title to read: ‘Welcome to the future’ - and for our chapter in that script to read ‘Mwangaza’ - a Swahili word which means ‘light’. Together with our partners and clients we consider how we can create a welcoming future - developing efficient and smart living.
Whether switching on a light, travelling to work or drinking a clean glass of water - the solutions and work of our engineers surround us, making lives better and brighter. Our work contributes to the sustainable development of communities. Together, we deliver innovative sustainable answers to today’s challenges.
Royal HaskoningDHV is an independent, international engineering and project management consultancy.
for Water and Sanitation will, as part of her
drive to improve service delivery at munici-
palities, reopen this debate with the relevant
players in the water sector.
WATER & SANITATION
Filtration innovation for a water solutionThe biggest threat to a sustainable water supply in South Africa is not the lack of storage, but rather the contamination of limited available water resources through pollution from multiple sources, including mines, industry, municipal waste discharge, urban runoff, and aerial deposition. By Nicholas McDiarmid
CONTINUOUS IONIC filtration (CIF) could be the solution.
Based on the foundation of IX technology, it can be likened
to continuous sand filtration. The salient differences being
that in CIF, charged resins are used as filtration media
instead of sand and, in addition to removing suspended solids, CIF
also ‘filters’ dissolved salts out of the solution.
High results, low maintenanceWater recoveries of more than 95% have been realised using this
system and production of either agricultural-grade or ultra-pure water
with TDS concentration less than 50 mg/ℓ is a reality. The plant has
minimal pre-treatment requirements, uses inexpensive chemicals for
regeneration and has low power requirements, all of which contribute
IMIESA November/December 2014 47
ABOVE A CIF installation that treats coal seam gas produced water
A CIF plant for groundwater treatment
48 IMIESA November/December 2014
to lower capital and
operating costs when
compared with compet-
ing technology.
Simple, automated, robustThe main features of CIF include a resin-
cleaning step to allow the system to oper-
ate in the presence of suspended solids,
counter-current flow of aqueous and resin
phases for high-efficiency ion exchange and
that there are minimal moving parts and no
complicated internal structures. The plants
can be containerised and fully automated,
with remote access. These features form
part of a robust system capable of treating
solutions with a high scaling potential.
Remote control for remote locationsThe mobility of the CIF allows for water
treatment in remote locations and, being
automated, can operate independently and
be controlled remotely. Easy to operate and
maintain, the simple system also generates
saleable by-products such as gypsum.
Versatility across many marketsBecause CIF is based on IX technology, it is
able to treat water originating from numerous
sources and can remove a wide range of con-
taminants at various concentrations. Niche
markets identified for CIF include water treat-
ment in acid mine drainage, mine process
and effluent water, groundwater and agricul-
tural sectors using containerised systems, as
well as appealing to emerging markets.
Benefits for the marketThe technology has had significant success in
the treatment of coal seam gas (CSG) associ-
ated water in Australia. With the government
having given the green light for exploration of
offshore subsurface exploitation of natural
gas in the Karoo, as well as other indications
that CSG exploitation might take place in
Southern Africa, this market holds significant
potential for CIF in the future.
Multotec has recently launched a water
treatment and metals recovery solutions
and services division in partnership with
Australian company Clean TeQ. CJ Liebenberg,
environmental process engineer at Multotec,
says that the introduction of CIF locally will
have major benefits for industry as a whole.
Liebenberg says that the CIF technology
complements the other products and ser-
vices in Multotec’s portfolio. “Multotec’s
core business revolves around the supply
of products and services to the mining and
mineral beneficiation industries, including
solid/liquid separation units such as cen-
trifuges and filter presses. Our aim with
CIF is to assist in the alleviation of water
shortage issues and to encourage sustain-
able development in South Africa. Mining is
often regarded as being a non-sustainable
enterprise and we intend to be part of
the solution.”
A modular CIF plant for produced water treatment
WATER & SANITATION
Finding the disposal solution
50 IMIESA November/December 2014
The changing landscape in South Africa and the drive towards creating a sustainable environment is progressing, but not without its own set of challenges. By Nick Mannie and Aiden Bowers, Aurecon South Africa
NUMEROUS CHALLENGES have
presented themselves in the
waste management area and have
highlighted the fact that solutions
are needed. The ultimate aim is to work
constructively with local municipalities to
eliminate these challenges and provide the
appropriate disposal solution that will lead to
good waste disposal in a sustainable manner.
A compelling needWaste management is a challenge in most
municipalities in South Africa. This is a grow-
ing trend and continues to be an issue for pub-
lic and municipal officials. The Department of
Environmental Affairs and Tourism reports
that 87 per cent of municipalities lack capac-
ity and infrastructure to pursue waste mini-
misation strategies. It estimated that, in
2007, 95% of household waste was directed
to landfill.
Rising costs, limited revenue and finding
alternative ’fit-for-purpose’ solutions continue
to challenge municipalities on rendering an
effective waste service.
Unless the challenges for determining
the correct waste disposal solutions can
be addressed, a workable solution cannot
be achieved.
in Figure 1, pursue the implementation of the
prescriptions of the Act and associated legis-
lative requirements, the challenge that is aris-
ing is determining the right choice of disposal
or waste management solution at a municipal
level, whether it is at local or district level.
It is almost always assumed and practised
that landfills are the ultimate solution for
disposal in mainly the local municipalities.
Due to the vast expanse of the rural local
municipalities, landfills are not the ideal
solution. This is largely attributed to the rural
nature of these towns, distances to travel,
low population densities and extremely low
income levels. However, these communities
regularly recover or recycle waste types, basi-
cally leaving the unusable waste items on
the landfill. Municipal officials in these areas
need to thoroughly assess the specific needs
and plan effectively.
A key problem in municipalities is the histor-
ical development of illegal open dumps, now
termed ’landfills’, which have not been prop-
erly managed and have contributed to the rise
of health and safety issues, contamination
of underground water systems and sources.
Section 156(1) (a) of the Constitution, read
FIGURE 1 Levels of government
The advent of democracy and the leap
towards a transforming nation has sparked
the demand for adequate basic services, of
which waste management is one. Presently,
there exists a comprehensive legislative
framework for waste management in the form
of the National Environmental Management
Waste Act (Act 59 of 2008) (NEMWA). As
government and its respective tiers, as seen
WASTE MANAGEMENT
with Schedule 5, assigns responsibility for
refuse removal, refuse dumps, solid waste
disposal and cleansing to the local govern-
ment. The required level of conformance to
legislation, combined with the escalating cost
of operating and building new landfills, further
influences the problem.
ChallengesSome of the challenges facing municipalities
and their officials:
There is no waste planning for the town.
Past and future trends and dynamics need to
be considered.
There is a lack of waste management
knowledge. Training is needed to understand
waste in the larger context and to develop
institutional and technical ability.
Waste management capacity in the munici-
pal management team is lacking, hampering
the ability to direct and take ownership of
decisions. This service area is often absent
or incorporated into other service areas
These municipalities suffer from financial
constraints. There is a lack of access to
adequate funding from National Treasury,
grants or donor funding.
Poor financial planning can cripple waste
management. Waste infrastructure initiatives
are often not seen as a priority and are not
being planned for in the right period, or not
at all.
Advice offered on available options is often
poor. A limited evaluation of potential solu-
tions often forces clients to use traditional
approaches.
There is a failure to apply ‘back to basics’
approaches. Decision-makers are insufficient-
ly experienced to appreciate that simple, cost-
effective solutions are required to resolve
waste disposal challenges.
The promotion of cost efficiencies is over-
looked. Emphasis in this area could greatly
improve operational and delivery objectives.
Insufficient attention is being paid to health,
safety and environmental issues. Litter and
scavenging on landfills in the local municipali-
ties is an enormous challenge that compro-
mises operations, livelihoods of scavengers
and a safe environment.
Strategy and planningIn general, no optimal planning or strategy
assessment is carried out to understand the
current needs versus the future needs of a
municipality. Many municipalities do not have
suitable decision-making tools or baseline
data to assist them in making an informed
decision on siting, sizing or determining
the type of waste disposal facility or solu-
tion they would require. In some instances,
municipalities do not have a waste man-
agement strategy (WMS) or an integrated
waste management plan. These documents
normally provide direction for the municipal-
ity for waste management. Figure 2 outlines
the various aspects that will be assessed
and addressed through this WMS . Figure 3
describes the planning process around waste
activities at municipal level for both local and
district municipalities.
The ability of municipalities to implement
the right disposal solution is inhibited by the
scarcity of skills in waste management in the
country, and particularly at municipal level.
There are 2 000 waste handling facilities of
which 27% are licensed and an estimated
350 (44%) of South Africa’s known private
and public landfill sites have permits. It is
assumed that most unlicensed sites are
not maintained or operated in accordance
with the Minimum Requirements for Waste
Disposal by Landfill.
A WMS should be developed to assist the
municipalities and its clients in the minimisa-
tion of waste volumes generated, with an ulti-
mate reduction of waste volumes disposed
to landfill. The WMS requires a cooperative
effort from the municipality and waste gener-
ator s. Figure 4 outlines the need for a WMS.
Legislative frameworkThe shortage of trained and experienced
officials with a sound knowledge of legisla-
tive policies, guidelines, frameworks and
agreements is impeding the implementation
of the correct waste solutions. In addition,
the capacity and knowledge base required for
future development is often underestimated.
Legislation such as the National Waste
Management Strategy, the National Domestic
Waste Collection Standards and the Municipal
Waste Sector Plan are crucial instruments of
waste regulation that provide overall guid-
ance on effective waste management and,
as such, disposal and infrastructure are
inherent parts of this.
The Municipal Systems Act 2000
(Act 32 of 2000) describes
the core principles, mecha-
nisms, and processes
that are necessary
inherent parts of this.
The Municipal Systems Act 2000
(Act 32 of 2000) describes
the core principles, mecha-
nisms, and processes
that are necessary
StructuresProcesses• Resourcing• Systems
• Technologies employed
• Loading/offloading• Mechanisation• Routing
• Maintenance• Beneficiation• Controls
Governance• Policies• Guidelines• SOPs• Education• Awareness• Compliance• Indicators
Issues to Address• Shortcomings/
deficiencies• Benchmarking• Infrastructure• Management• Risk
F IGURE 2 (Above) Focus of a waste management strategy
FI GURE 3 (Right) Planning
IMIESA November/December 2014 51
WASTE MANAGEMENT
52 IMIESA November/December 2014
to enable municipalities to
move progressively towards
the social and economic
upliftment of communities
and ensure access to servic-
es that are affordable to all.
Its focus is primarily on the
internal systems and admin-
istration of the municipality.
Municipal government
objectives are designed to be
in accordance with Section
152(1) of the Constitution,
which contains the ambi-
tion: “To promote a safe
and healthy environment”,
as well as the principles of
NEMWA and the Bill of Rights
as stated in the Constitution.
Government’s commitment to long-term
sustainable development is achieved when
explicit recognition is given in its policy-mak-
ing processes that its economic systems are
essentially products of, and dependent on,
social systems. These in turn are products of,
and dependent on, natural systems.
Effective management of these interde-
pendencies ( see Figure 5) will require an
integrated and cooperative management
approach to governance that includes an
accurate valuation of environmental goods
and services.
NEMWA enables the process of decentrali-
sation of functions through assigning powers
of general competence to local government.
Municipal by-laws are regulated to achieve har-
mony with national and provincial legislation.
As service authorities, municipalities
remain responsible for the effective
delivery of services and must pro-
vide an appro-
priate policy
and regulatory
framework. This can be achieved through the
most appropriate service provider, ranging
from internal departmental delivery to corpo-
ratisation and joint ventures, to private sector
delivery opti ons. Figure 6 out-
lines a typical organogram
for a district municipality for
waste service. While this is
the ideal structure, there
are capacity and resource
issues to deal with, which
affect the complete service
delivery value chain.
Section 10 of NEMWA
requires that each local gov-
ernment must designate in writ-
ing a waste management officer
from its administration to be
responsible for coordinating
waste management activities, inclusive of
standards and planning.
Financial planningAs outlined earlier, financial con-
straints, deficits in revenue
(amongst smaller municipalities),
lack of access to adequate fund-
ing from National Treasury, grants
or donor funding are some of the
financial challenges facing municipali-
ties. This is exacerbated by the general
lack of experience in financial planning.
Typical challenges: • Waste tariffs are not being correctly
calculated or not allocated according
to service level.
• Municipal officials believe the recov-
ery from waste tariffs will contribute
towards paying for waste services or
infrastructure but this is not the case
in small municipalities, which cannot
recover funds due to the income levels
of their residents.
• The choice of building incorrect infrastruc-
ture or providing more than a basic
waste service places the munici-
pality in a constrained situation.
• Developing landfill infrastruc-
ture further requires munici-
palities to provide for the ulti-
mate closure and rehabilitation of
the landfill, which is a National
Treasury requirement, GRAP 17
and GRAP 19 respectively.
To invest efficient-
ly in trucks,
equipment
waste service places
pality in a constraine
• Developing landfi
ture further requir
palities to provide f
mate closure and reha
the landfill, which is
Treasury requiremen
and GRAP 19 resp
To inve
ly
Needfor
WMSIdentification of
ownership of waste
Revise commodity handling to
minimise waste
To extract valuable resources
contained within waste that can still
be used
To reduce waste directed to landfill To safely process
and dispose of waste with minimal
impact on the environment and
health
Implementation of WM interventions -implementation of waste hierarchy
Integrated WM approach - multi-
stakeholderinvolvement
FI GURE 4 (Above) Need for a waste management strategy
FI GURE 5 (Right) Integrated and cooperative management approach
FIGU RE 6 (Top) District municipal waste structure
WASTE MANAGEMENT
FI GURE 7 Integrated waste management system
54 IMIESA November/December 2014
and associated plant, there has to be sufficient waste volumes.
Many smaller municipalities invest heavily in this regard and do
not utilise them correctly. On the other hand, some municipali-
ties are not spending and investing according to the demand of
service required.
Waste serviceProviding integrated sustainable waste management services in
some municipalities can prove to be a challenge with the collec-
tion, disposal and treatment of waste. While national government
has committed to providing a basic waste service in rural munici-
palities, households in these areas generally discard waste into
open fields as a result of there being no adequate waste infra-
structure in place. This is mainly owing to the problem of access
and waste streams primarily being organic. Burning of waste is
common practice in these areas and increases the risk of health
and safety issues.
Where there is a landfill, scavenging is a daily activity and
existing infrastructure is repeatedly destroyed or stolen, present-
ing the challenge of how best to provide a sustainable waste
disposal solution.
Transport costs contribute a large portion of the cost associated
with waste management and the long distances to transport waste
to landfills continues to question their feasibility. Consequently,
municipalities should look holistically at waste management in
terms of integrated sustainable waste management.
An integrated waste management system has three major dimen-
s ions (Figure 7):
• stakeholders involved in waste management
• the (practical and technical) elements of the waste system
• the aspects of the local context that should be taken into account
when assessing and planning a waste management system.
ConclusionChoosing the correct disposal solution remains a challenge for all
those involved in managing waste solutions.
The achievement and success of the appropriate waste disposal
solution is largely dependent on the planning process and identify-
ing the specific requirement.
This requires the following aspects to be addressed:
• The upskilling of staff needs attention and, equally, the educa-
tion of officials and waste officers will need to be included as
part of the planning.
• raining of waste officers in the current legislation and the
requirements thereof is equally important to successfully imple-
menting the right solutions in the municipalities.
• Obtaining the correct technical advice and support is another
solution to overcoming the challenges of making the right
decisions.
Waste officers need to thoroughly evaluate the ’needs’ and
demand requirements for specific types of waste infrastructure,
rather than delve straight into developing a waste facility.
The cost of each type of waste facility in terms of capital and
operational cost must be weighed.
In essence, is it affordable and does it serve the current and
projected future needs?
For a full list of references, please contact nicholas@3smedia.co.za.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
Accurate flow measurement for partially
filled pipes? The TIDALFLUX 2300 F from
KROHNE has got you covered.
Backed by over 90 years of expertise in flow measurement, there’s a KROHNE meter for every job. The TIDALFLUX 2300 F reliably measures flows in pipes filled to between 10 % and 100 % of their inner diameter.
Even fat and oil floating on the surface are not a problem for the TIDALFLUX 2300 F – its capacitive sensors are integrated into the liner and are never in direct contact with the liquid. Featuring a sturdy polyurethane lining, the TIDALFLUX 2300 F is also perfect for demanding wastewater environments. Ex approvals to ATEX and IECex Zone 1 are available as an option.
When a rugged job demands a high degree of precision, the TIDALFLUX 2300 F performs and never quits.
KROHNE – Water is our world.
KROHNE South Africa8 Bushbuck CloseCorporate Park SouthRandtjiespark, Midrand Tel.: +27 113141391Fax: +27 113141681Cell: +27 825563934John Alexanderj.alexander@krohne.com
www.za.krohne.com
Sensitive
but strong
IMIESA November/December 2014 55
WATER & SANITATION
HOME TO UP to 115 orphaned
children and staff, and with its
own school attended by more
than 300 other children from
the local area, Namisu Children’s Village
is run by UK charity Aquaid Lifeline, which
was founded in 1999 to provide care
and education for orphaned and needy
children in Malawi. In order to solve
the home’s twin challenges of replacing
unsustainable wood as a
fuel source and safely dis-
posing of human waste,
the charity, in collaboration
with Sustainable OneWorld
Technologies, installed the
innovative Flexigester, an integrated faecal
treatment system.
In the purpose-built latrine block, waste
is carried away from the toilets through
Effast PVCu pipes from Polypipe before
entering the Flexigester. Capable of per-
forming anaerobic digestion to conver t
waste into biogas, which it then stores
until use, the system can also be used
for pasteurisation of liquid by-products,
deactivating many of the potentially harm-
ful pathogens that may be found in the
waste. The new system allows the village’s
children and staff to use pour flush toilets
rather than pit latrines, improving hygiene
and health, while also providing biogas,
which can be used as cooking fuel to sup-
plement the current fuel, wood.
The liquid by-product of the sys-
tem can also be heated to kill path-
ogens and then used as sustainable,
chemical-free fer tiliser.
Polypipe’s Effast range of market-leading
thermoplastic pipework was selected for
its durability and ease of installation, and
was donated to the project.
Easy to join, the Effast range also con-
tributed to the rapid installation of the sys-
tem, which was erected and ready to use
in only three days – a fraction of the time it
takes to build traditional anaerobic diges-
tion facilities. The next stage of the project
is to use Polypipe’s Effast range to provide
latrine kits that are lightweight in nature
so that they
can be sent
by air freight
to countries such as Malawi, but are
strong enough to form the main ‘space
frame’ structure of the latrine, as well as
carrying waste.
Used worldwide for plumbing systems
as well as for the supply of potable
water, Effast also features an incredibly
smooth bore provid-
ing good flow charac-
teristics, as well as
abrasion resistance.
Les James of
Polypipe commentes:
“It has been very rewarding to contribute
to an innovative project that delivers the
dual benefits of improving health and
hygiene for up to 200 users a day, while
producing a sustainable fuel source.
The potential for systems such as the
Flexigester is huge, as aid organisa-
tions seek to improve sanitation in Africa
and beyond.
The Effast pipes and fittings we have
donated are working very well as par t of
the wider system.”
Sustainable sanitation project in MalawiPlastic piping systems donated by Polypipe have been installed in an exciting waste treatment and energy conversion project at Namisu Children’s Village in Malawi.
Connecting up the gas pipe work
“It has been very rewarding to contribute to an innovative project that delivers...health
and hygiene for up to 200 users a day.”
Aveng Manufacturing Infraset produces a diverse range of precast concrete products
to world-class quality standards and actively contributes to SADC
infrastructure development. Our range includes concrete pipes, culverts,
manholes, special precast products, various types of pre-stressed
railway sleepers, turnouts, maintenance-free railway
electrification masts and poles, paving blocks, retaining wall
systems and roof tiles.
Aveng Manufacturing Infraset’s admired
heritage is founded on innovation, technical
and serviceexcellence.
SEVEN WAYS TO LASTING
INFRASTUCTURE
KERBS
INFRASTRUCTURE
PAVING
POLES & MASTS
RETAINING WALLS
ROOF TILES
RAILWAY
INFR SET
KERBS
INFRASTRUCTURE
PAVINGPAVING
POLES & MASTSPOLES & MASTS
RETAINING WALLS
ROOF TILES
RAILWAY
Pipes • Culverts • Manholes: GautengTel: +27 (0)11 876 5100
Cape TownTel: +27 (0)21 908 1156
Kwazulu Natal (Pietermaritzburg)Tel: +27 (0)33 387 2236
Aveng Manufacturing House
Tel: +27 (0)11 876 5500Fax: +27 (0)11 872 1713
email: Infrasetinfo@infraset.com
www.infraset.com
Railway Sleepers • Poles & MastsNationalTel: +27 (0)11 813 2340
Paving • Retaining Walls • Roof TilesRossway (Midrand) Tel: +27 (0)12 652 0000
Kwazulu Natal (Effingham) Tel: +27 (0)31 569 6900
International BranchesSwazilandTel: +2682 518 4236
ZambiaTel: +260 21 131 1838
IMIESA November/December 2014 57
HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
THE EXPANSIVE construction project
consists of 9 000 houses of vari-
ous types and tenure options, three
schools, five multifunctional nodes,
three shopping centres, five neighbourhood
parks, a magistrate’s court and a hospi-
tal. Esor Construction, through subsidiary
Safdev Tanganani, is the turnkey contractor
and developer of the 237 ha project.
Bridging the old and the new“We started constructing two landmark and
iconic pedestrian bridges across William
Nicol Drive to the value of R52 million in
July 2013. These bridges form part of the
bulk infrastructure for the development and
will link the current Diepsloot to the new,”
Kevin Duncan, Esor Construction divisional
MD, says.
Designing high-density living“Currently we are utilising our civils capa-
bilities for the two pedestrian bridges while
our building skills will be deployed for some
of the top structures. There is not a single
free-standing top structure in the entire
development, as everything will be either
semi-detached or multistorey units. In fact,
the bulk of it will be three storeys, mak-
ing it one of the highest-density integrated
developments in Gauteng at the moment.
That is the way designs are moving and it
is inevitable given the extreme shortage of
well-located land and the exorbitant costs of
providing bulk services.” Duncan adds that
Diepsloot has been classified as one of the
top seven National Priority Projects in South
Africa at present.
Conducting the multiple and varied resources“We manage all the subcontractors, whether
electrical, civils or building, while the profes-
sional team at this stage is managed by the
Gauteng provincial government through its
appointed project manager. Another require-
ment from Gauteng is that 30% of the
work by value has to be undertaken by
local resources.” Duncan says that Esor
Construction brings in the necessary super-
visory skills and then deploys small, focused
teams to acquire skills as they carry out the
actual work. However, the pedestrian bridges
are challenging monolithic structures that
are being built largely without the involve-
ment of smaller contractors. “The pedestrian
Developing DiepslootA R2 billion integrated housing and infrastructure development in Diepsloot, northern Johannesburg, began with the construction of footbridges last year. Its humble beginnings certainly didn’t suggest the massive extent of this National Priority Project.
bridges presented an engineering challenge
in that it is tricky and difficult to work at a
substantial height over a major road.”
Making sure the bullfrog won’t croakThe presence of threatened giant African
bullfrogs on-site has necessitated onerous
requirements in terms of the environmental
management plan. “The idea is that as we
start building on-site; through some ‘struc-
tured coercion’, the bullfrogs will migrate
down to the vlei portion of the site that has
been designated as a wildlife reserve for
their preservation.” Due to the extent of
the project, it has also not been decided
yet as to whether or not the infrastructure
and housing components should be tackled
jointly or separately. “From a contractor’s
perspective, it will be wonderful just to com-
plete the infrastructure for the entire devel-
opment before building the first house.”
Mixing it up in a divergent marketDuncan says the South African housing mar-
ket is showing green shoots at present. “We
The North Bridge taking shape over William Nicol Drive near Diepsloot
WATER AND SANITATION | TECHNICAL PAPER
58 IMIESA November/December 2014
are still sitting with a very under-supplied
market, especially on the affordable hous-
ing side. There are signs of growth in that
projects are being kick-started and the
banks are lending again. The government
also has to deliver in terms of its national
housing budget.” Looking at some of the
latest trends in the housing sector, Duncan
says that the Diepsloot development will
incorporate a large number of community
rental units in order to cater for the bottom-
end of the market. “Rental is becoming a big-
ger and bigger component of the affordable
and subsidised housing markets.”
Pioneering to advance affordablexhousingDuncan concludes that the Diepsloot project
is a landmark integrated development not
only for Gauteng but for South Africa as
a whole.
“It is developments such as these that
are advancing the affordable and subsidised
housing markets in the country. There are
a number of trends being pioneered at
Diepsloot, such as the ‘total street concept’,
where the entire road servitude is paved in
order to accommodate pedestrian walkways,
and cycle and traffic lanes.
“Such extensive blacktop is more expen-
sive but it is a far better concept in terms
of urban planning as it definitely enhances
the living space of the residents.” Duncan
adds that the fully subsidised housing units
at Diepsloot will feature insulation and even
double glazing, in addition to a 20 m2 rental
unit attached to each 40 m2 house in order
to create micro landlords and help generate
additional income for residents.
The iconic ‘bird wing’ structures can be seen on the South Bridge
SHEQ
AURECON HAS BEEN appointed to supervise the con-
struction of these rehabilitation works. Following the rais-
ing of the full supply level of the dam by the installation
of six large spillway crest gates, a sudden failure of the
outlet conduits in
May 2008 resulted
in an uncontrolled
discharge of approxi-
mately 1 000 m3
of water per second
to the downstream
area, threatening the safety of the dam.
Funded by the African Development Bank, the project will
enhance the safety of the dam and render it fully operational
again, increasing its capacity to supply downstream irrigation
demands and thus enhancing the local economy.
Aurecon was previously appointed to investigate the cause of
failure of the bottom outlet works, design the rehabilitation
of the bottom outlet works, compile tender documentation
and provide technical services for the client.
“In designing the rehabilitation works, we drew on our
previous experience in delivering cost-efficient and con-
structible major dam infrastructure projects in Africa for
many clients,” Aurecon dams leader Peter Blersch said.
“Our local engineers, who have experience working with
ARA-Sul, and who are familiar with the local environment,
will be supervising the construction and they will be sup-
por ted by specialists in South Africa,” Blersch said.
The rehabilitation works comprise the installation of
6.4 m diameter steel liners into the existing reinforced
Dam rehabilitationThe National Directorate of Water, through the Regional Administration of Water
South (ARA-Sul), has awarded a contract for the rehabilitation of the damaged
bottom outlets and related works on the 48 m high Massingir Dam in the Gaza
province of Mozambique.
concrete outlet conduits; installation of hydropower off takes,
mass and heavily reinforced infill concreting and grouting; and the
rehabilitation of the two downstream radial control gates, includ-
ing entirely new hydraulic and electrical equipment.
Other work on the dam
includes the construc-
tion of large-diameter
pressure relief wells,
the installation of sup-
plementary dam safety
instrumentation and
crest lighting on the 4.5 km long ear th fill embankment. The
supervision contract also includes a new water supply and distri-
bution system for the town of Massingir, involving 24 km of various
diameter pipelines, construction of a 150-seat conference centre,
new roads, the repair of existing roads, and the rehabilitation of
existing buildings and other building works.
“In designing the rehabilitation works, we drew on our previous experience in delivering
cost-effi cient and constructible major dam infrastructure projects in Africa.”
IMIESA November/December 2014 59
SERVICES ISO 9001, 14001, 22000, HACCP, OHSAS 18001 & Responsible Care: Consulting Auditing
Technical Assistance Training
Safety, Health, Environment, Quality
Specialists
TOGETHER WE CAN IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS
janene.jansen@intelligentsheq.co.za +27 (0)82 294 1286 www.intelligentsheq.co.za
Embracing the mentorship of young engineersThe Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA),
Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development
(GDID) and the University of Johannesburg (UJ) signed a
MOU aimed at supporting recipients of GDID bursaries.
THIS TRIPARTITE initiative comes
after the GDID articulated the need
to mentor first- and second-year
students, since the majority fail to
complete their qualifications as they are
unprepared for the level of academic com-
mitment required when studying engineering.
This has been linked back to the need for
stronger life skills support, and ECSA, as
the custodian of the engineering profession
in South Africa, has designed the pilot model
for the support of students in partnership
with both the GDID and UJ.
The first-year hurdleProfessor Angina Parekh, deputy academic
vice-chancellor at UJ, emphasises that the
success of a student’s first year determines
whether they are likely to stay within a ter-
tiary institutions system. “UJ has introduced
a national First-Year Experience (FYE) pro-
gramme, as a student’s overall success is
linked to how well they adjust academically
and socially within the university environ-
ment,” she says. This FYE has increased the
success rate for students to 83%.
Member of the executive council of the
GDID, Honourable Nandi Mayathula-Khoza,
acknowledges the partnership by indicat-
ing that it marks an important milestone
in addressing the broader needs of the
province. “The GDID is committed to creat-
ing and sustaining partnerships with uni-
versities in the province as it provides an
opportunity to actively support the first-year
students through life skills training, mentor-
ing and coaching in study techniques. The
SKILLS & TRAINING
support for students from the GDID will
extend to grade 10 learners, who, through
Sci-Bono, will be assisted in maths and
science subjects.
A tried and tested model for successCyril Gamede, president of ECSA, points
out that this initiative allows ECSA to play a
significant role in the social development of
South Africa. Sipho Madonsela, CEO of ECSA,
adds to this by indicating that the launch
marked a proudly South African moment and
says, “The Pipeline Model utilised in this
programme is modelled according to the
Thuthuka Model, found-
ed by the South African
Institute of Chartered
Accountants (SAICA),
which has proven to be
very effective.”
Listed as prior-
ity focus areas for
ECSA are matters
pertaining to:
“…this initiative allows ECSA to play a signifi cant role in the social development in South Africa.” Cyril Gamede,
president of ECSA
“The Pipeline Model utilised in this programme is modelled according to the Thuthuka
Model, founded by SAICA.”
Nandi Mayathula-Khoza
IMIESA November/December 2014 61
• improving the ‘talent pipeline’ and talent
schools into the University of Johannesburg
on a pilot project basis
• improving the poor throughput pass per-
centage at undergraduate level among
previously disadvantaged students
• transforming the profession by delivering
high-level engineering skills with a specific
focus on previously disadvantaged engi-
neering practitioners
• facilitating mentorship for
engineering graduates.
Responding to needs beyond the mandate“This partnership is a true demonstration
of organisations that are aimed at address-
ing problems that are undeniably visible
in the academic environment. As ECSA,
we are obliged to go beyond the regula-
tory function and add value to society,”
Gamede concludes.
The GDID will oversee the funding and
sponsorship of this project, as well as
the provision of bursaries and practical
experience for the students, while UJ will
be responsible for providing a healthy
learning environment for the bursary
recipients, and meeting facilities for the
engineering students.
MEC Mayathula-Khoza concludes by stating
that the programme would later be extended
to other universities in the province, namely
the University of Pretoria and the University
of the Witwatersrand.
A fruitful four daysIMESA arranged a series of courses on infrastructure asset management on behalf of MISA (Municipal Infrastructure Support Agent) in Kimberley.
ON THE OPENING morning of the
four-day infrastructure asset
management course held at the
Protea Hotel in Kimberley at the
beginning of August 2014, more and more
people continued to arrive for an already
well-subscribed course (and more and more
tables and chairs had to be brought into
the course venue), until no less than 36
delegates were assembled, exceeding the
number that could comfortably be handled.
Nonetheless, all were made welcome.
Almost all of the delegates came from
municipalities, spread across six of the nine
provinces. About 60% had technical back-
grounds, whereas nearly all of the remain-
der had financial backgrounds, with other
individuals coming from community par-
ticipation, programme management, housing
and property.
An essential part of the four-day course is
the periodic group work, followed each time
by presentations by the groups. The groups
chose their own names: imaginatively, those
on this course adopted names such as
‘Diamonds’, ‘Innovators’, ‘Front-Runners’,
‘Big Hole’ and ‘The Big Five’.
One evening, about two thirds of the del-
egates took advantage of the hotel’s loca-
tion immediately adjacent to the Big Hole
Museum, and went on the guided tour.
The material presented, and the way it
was presented, offered some flexibility. For
example: from the morning of the second
day, the whole of Kimberley suffered water
cuts, thanks to a faulty pump at the main
reservoir. The course turned this to practical
use as a quick illustration of the equation
‘Risk Exposure = Probability of Occurrence
x Impact of Occurrence’. A short walk to,
and talk at, the 10 000 l JoJo tank installed
by the hotel showed how the hotel had
exercised good risk management in reduc-
ing the risks associated with water mains
supply cuts.
The ‘Building Inspection’ exercise with
which the four-day course usually concludes
is normally tricky to undertake, for a number
of reasons, prominent among which is the
varied delegates’ very different levels of
comprehension of building terminology. This
was eased somewhat on this course by the
selection of the 1898 De Beers directors’
private railway coach, together with the sta-
tion platform and canopy under which the
whole thing has sat for 60 years, as the
‘building’ to be inspected by the delegates.
This combination provided more than enough
alternatives for each delegate to find a selec-
tion of component parts, each with one or
more ‘defects’, and for them to determine
the ‘degrees’, ‘extent’ and ‘relevancy’ of
each defect observed.
The course material (workbook,
PowerPoints) is standard for each course,
and neither it nor the presentation is tailored
to the skills or level of seniority of the del-
egates on a particular course. This is by no
means ideal – for example, on this course,
we had senior people in charge of operation
and maintenance, and others who described
themselves as ‘an asset clerk’; people radi-
cally different in terms of both responsibility
and prior understanding. An issue with which
MISA is grappling is how to assess the value
of the courses.
The value, that is, not just to the delegates
but also to the organisations. And, if the
delegates have made a positive difference
to the municipality, how to measure it?
Has the presence, during a course, of a
delegate or two from a municipality made a
difference to the way in which that municipal-
ity maintains and values its assets, adopts
IMESA TRAINING
ABOVE Group work was a core component of the course
BELOW The hotel's backup water tank is an example of proper risk managerment as explained by Paul Chilton
IMIESA November/December 2014 63
Engineering & the Built Environment
University of Cape Town
www.uct.ac.za
www.aya
ndam
ban
ga.co
.za
Postgraduate Programme in Civil Infrastructure Management and Maintenance
The proposed programme is designed to offer training in the most major disciplines of civil engineering, underpinned by principles of infrastructure management. The broad areas of interest cover deterioration science, assessment technologies and renewal engineering.
The key objectives of the programme are to develop a clear understanding of the following aspects: • the concept of civil infrastructure management • practical application of infrastructure management principles in selected infrastructure systems • causes and implications of material and structural deterioration • infrastructure assessment technologies such as non-destructive testing • infrastructure maintenance and rehabilitation strategies • principles of life cycle – life assessment as applied to various types of infrastructure • project management principles for infrastructure maintenance and renewal.
The programme is designed to attract students who are aiming to graduate with an MEng or MScEng degree. Both full-time students, aiming to complete all the requirements within one or two years, and part-time students can be accommodated.
1203
22COURSE CONTACT WEEK AND TEST DATES FOR 2015
Course Code Credits Contact week
1. Advanced Infrastructure CIV5067Z 20 1 – 5 June Management
2. Project Planning CON5016Z 20 tba and Implementation
3. Durability & Condition Assessment CIV5116Z 20 29 June – 3 July of Concrete Structures
4. Structural Dynamics CIV5113Z 16 14 – 18 July with Applications
5. Bridge Management CIV5115Z 16 7 – 11 September and Maintenance
For further information, visit our website at www.civil.uct.ac.za/postgraduate or contact the Postgraduate Administrator, Ms Rowén Geswindt, on tel. 021 650 3499 or via email: Rowen.Geswindt@uct.ac.za
life-cycle costing practices, or operates more
consciously of the need to manage risks?
The subjects of courses still to be held
during 2014 include GRAP 17, risk manage-
ment, condition assessment, and levels
of service.
Infrastructure asset management four dayAll modern econo-
mies are under-
pinned by a vast
infrastructure of
roads and other
transport systems,
water supply, waste
disposal, energy,
telecommunications
and recreation-
al networks.
The infrastructure of a nation supports the
fabric of modern living, which is taken for
granted until something fails or no longer
provides the expected service. Infrastructure
represents a major investment, which, in
developed countries, has been built up
progressively over the last 100 years or
longer. This, in itself, is reason enough for
applying the best management skills to
ensure that it continues to provide sustain-
able and economic service.
There are, however, other even more com-
pelling reasons for ensuring that best prac-
tices are applied to our national, regional
and local infrastructure, i.e. infrastructure
networks provide the platform for economic
and social development, it is the corner-
stone of public health and safety, etc.
In the National Development Plan 3 Goal
12, ‘Highly developed and reliable infra-
structure’, government states: “A highly
developed and reliable infrastructure raises
productivity and lowers production costs.
Deficient infrastructure – along with weak
management and poor economic organisa-
tion – accounts for a large share of low fac-
tor productivity in developing countries.”
IMESA TRAINING
Future subjects include GRAP17, risk management and condtion assessment
64 IMIESA November/December 2014
CEMENT AND CONCRETEData shows a significant steady growth in cement consumption, indicating a continuous increase in the use of concrete in general construction and infrastructure. As c ement and concrete markets become increasingly dynamic, the need for innovation is important, while precast cement has seen some important developments.
IMIESA November/December 2014 65
Born in theNew SA
Sephaku Cement was born in the New South Africa. It is the fi rst new entrant into the South African cement industry in 80 years and manufactures its world-class products in the most technologically advanced and state-of-the-art plant in South Africa. It’s time to build better so choose new; choose Sephaku Cement.
Available in Sephaku 32, Sephaku 42 and Sephaku 52.
www.sephakucement.co.zaCall us on 0861 32 42 52
IMIESA November/December 2014 67
CEMENT & CONCRETE
SO SAYS Monty Olivier of
Sustainable Green Consulting,
speaking at the recent Southern
Africa Readymix Association
(Sarma) conference in Johannesburg
recently. He noted that even seemingly
small initiatives, such as harvesting rain-
water, recycling paper and turning off
office lights when not in use, can have an
unexpectedly valuable impact on the envi-
ronment – especially when mul-
tiplied by the 200-plus mem-
ber organisations that belong
to Sarma.
In future, green cer tification
will become an increasingly
important aspect of doing busi-
ness with construction companies that
want to follow environmentally friendly
policies and Sarma has the opportunity of
Greening concreteSmall steps taken by the country’s leading readymix concrete
manufacturers can lead to a groundswell of green initiatives being taken
up by the rest of the construction industry and so have a positive effect
on the environment.
being among the first construction-related
associations to comply.
Green vs sustainable“Green is really the small, day-to-day
things we do like switching off the light
when nobody is in the room. Sustainable
practices, rather, are the changes in actual
practices that have effects downstream
in future.
“In order to go green, we need to think
about the small things we do; like that it
takes 200 litres of water to be able to sup-
ply you with a 200 mℓ cup of coffee. If you
isolate just the water, it is clear to see that
just the smallest adjustments can make a
big difference. It’s not that we should stop
drinking coffee, it is simply about choosing
alternatives that are less harmful to the
environment,” says Olivier.
Olivier adds that climate change is
already causing shifting weather condi-
tions and unpredictable weather. If all
companies do their bit to reduce energy
consumption, and go green, it can make a
massive difference in future.
Sarma is already a leader in promoting
environmentally sound practices. In future,
he suggests, readymix companies can play a
leadership role for the rest of the economy to
follow, by simply taking some simple steps
to reduce their impact on the environment.
“In the meantime, readymix companies
can set the ball rolling by building more
energy-efficient buildings, purchasing local
products, supporting local communities,
reducing waste and saving water,” con-
cludes Olivier.
Monty Olivier of Sustainable Green Consulting
If all companies do their bit to reduce energy consumption, and go green, it can make a massive difference in future
GREEN FACTSClean drinking water undergoes a highly energy-intensive process to deliver it to your tap
10ℓof water. What it takes to flush a toilet
3ℓof water to produce 500 mℓ of bottled water
30% of energy produced from coal power stations is lost
before it can be used
GREEN IDEAS FOR THE CONCRETE INDUSTRY • Reducing electricity
consumption • Promoting renewable energy• Embracing technology to
reduce travel (Skype, etc.)• Water conservation• Recycling
CEMENT & CONCRETE
ALL THE MATERIALS used in the production of the
concrete required, apart from the crushed aggregate,
were sourced off the island. Dune sand was obtained
from Walvis Bay, while the cement came from Ohorongo
Cement in Namibia, the fly ash from Ash Resources’ Lethabo plant
in Vereeniging and admixtures from Chryso’s plant in Cape Town.
“It was extremely important to keep quantities of materials to a
minimum as there was limited space on Basil Read’s cargo ship,
NP Glory 4,” Brenton Brouard, Chryso Southern Africa‘s techni-
cal manager, explains. “When designing different concrete mix
designs, for example, we could not use vast quantities of dune sand
because that still had to be transported to the island.”
Concrete was specified for the airport runway, terminal building,
air traffic control building, fire department building and permanent
wharf. Chryso Plast Omega 101 was used in all of the general con-
crete as well as the concrete for the runway and the precast con-
crete used to construct the 700 precast Core-loc armour units and
hollow blocks for the wharf. The 100 m long, 10 m high and 13 m
wide wharf has a rock
breakwater that had
to be protected from
any possible damage
Construction products have travelled 2 300 km over the South Atlantic Ocean to St Helena, one of the most remote islands in the world, to be used at the Basil Read St Helena Airpor t Project (BRSHAP).
caused by ships.
“When formulat-
ing the concrete
mix design for the
precast units, it
was important to
achieve a mix with
optimised properties. The concrete had to fill complex mould shapes
with limited bleed and settlement. Excessive bleed water would lead
to unsightly voids in certain element sections, as well as increas-
ing the risk of both plastic settlement and shrinkage cracking,”
Brouard says.
Therefore, 12 mm Chryso Fibre Plus polypropylene microfibres
were used to increase the cohesiveness of the mix, while Chryso
Plast Omega 101 assisted in creating an optimised slump. Chryso
Dem Oleo SM was used on all of the moulds to ensure an easy
release once the concrete had set, without causing damage to the
moulds or concrete.
Concrete also had to be transported over long distances on the
island, affecting the slump retention and workability. Chryso Tard
CE retarder was used to delay the concrete setting time. When nec-
essary, Chryso Rescue Pack slump revival admixture was added to
Building an airport in
All of the materials used in the production of the concrete required, apart from the crushed aggregate, were sourced off the island
68 IMIESA November/December 2014
CEMENT & CONCRETE
the concrete in a readymix truck immediately before discharge.
“This increases workability and makes it easier to pump or
discharge concrete from trucks that may have travelled long dis-
tances or been stationary on-site for extended periods,” Brouard
says. Chryso’s biodegradable, environmentally friendly cleaning
agents Barracuda, Fusion and Truck Wash were used to clean
and line the readymix trucks and keep them in good condition.
In order to reduce the need for future maintenance, it was
decided to build the runway with concrete instead of asphalt.
Manufactured from 27 000 m³ of concrete, the runway is
1 950 m in length, 45 m wide and has a maximum thickness of
350 mm, with reduced thickness to the off-keel sections. The
runway is mostly unreinforced.
Commenting on the complexity and size of the project, Jimmy
Johnston, project director, BRSHAP, says: “The long logistical
chain made planning vital, and BRSHAP needed reliable suppli-
ers such as Chryso, who can provide the correct product at the
required amount on an agreed date and time.”
St Helena
TOP Over 700 units of precast Core-loc armour units (7 tonnes per unit) and hollow blocks (27 tonnes per unit before filled with stone) were placed by crawler cranes via GPS around the wharf, from the surface bed to just above sea level
BELOW About 700 litres of Chryso’s products have been shipped 2 300 km across the South Atlantic Ocean to St Helena
IMIESA November/December 2014 69
services in the fields of haematology/
oncology, pulmonology, cardiology,
neurosciences, craniofacial, nephrol-
ogy and general paediatric surgery.
The hospital will be located adjacent
to Wits University’s medical school and is in
close proximity to other medical facilities to
allow for paediatric academic teaching access
from the medical school, in addition to max-
imising operational efficiencies and staffing
models. The hospital will employ about 150
doctors and 451 paediatric nursing profes-
sionals, in addition to allied services.
Group Five’s appointment as main con-
tractor by the Nelson Mandela Children’s
Hospital Trust followed a selection pro-
cess adjudicated by SIP Project Managers
in conjunction with Mbatha, Walters &
Simpson consultancy. “This represents a
key milestone in our efforts to make Nelson
Mandela’s last wish of building a chil-
dren’s hospital in South Africa a reality,”
Nana Magomola, deputy chairperson of the
trust, says.
CEMENT & CONCRETE
Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital selects concrete supplier A
FRISAM HAS been awarded a
contract by Group Five to supply
17 650 m3 of readymix concrete
for the construction of the Nelson
Mandela Children’s Hospital in Parktown,
Johannesburg. “It is a wonderful opportu-
nity for AfriSam to contribute to the lasting
legacy of the late Nelson Mandela,” Graham
Hannah, account manager: Multi-Products
Solutions at AfriSam, says.
“The establishment of this non-profit hos-
pital was Mandela’s personal dream and,
once completed, will be one of only four such
hospitals on the African continent,” Hannah
comments. Construction commenced on 23
June 2014 following the successful comple-
tion of bulk earthworks and piling on-site.
Due to open its doors in 2016, the 200-
bed specialist paediatric hospital will provide
70 IMIESA November/December 2014
CEMENT & CONCRETE
WITH AN EXPRESSED focus
on the key milestones of the
project, the entire project
team ensured that impound-
ment was achieved within the project
delivery schedule. The optimisation of the
roller compacted concrete (RCC) mix went
a long way in helping the team keep this
commitment, paving the way for President
Jacob Zuma to inaugurate the dam on 19
November 2013.
A delicate mix for optimal strengthAn element of the dam’s success ema-
nated from the development of the opti-
mised high-paste RCC mix, which facili-
tated a viable construction period due
to the concrete’s restraint to the wet
weather elements.
AECOM and the Group Five Pandev JV
used innovative and advanced technolo-
gies to optimise the RCC to produce a
high-paste mix. High-paste RCC requires
extreme attention to materials and fine-
tuning of the mix to ensure a fine bal-
ance between workability, the cost of
the binder, shrinkage and strength. A
maximum aggregate size of 38 mm, with
relative high-paste content, improves work-
ability and reduces segregation. The low
cement content of the optimised RCC mix
made the paste dry enough that it could
be placed with ear thworks placing and
compaction equipment.
From the lab to the site – testing and modifyingThe RCC mix design was tested thoroughly
in preliminary trials during the tender
design stage, at a laboratory in Pretoria,
followed by tests of suitable materi-
als from the quarry to confirm the RCC
Meeting deadlines with RCCThe Spring Grove Dam in Rosetta is part of the Mooi Mgeni Transfer Scheme
– Phase 2 (MMTS-2). Water from the dam will be transferred by pipeline to the
Mpofana River augmenting the current system by 60 million m3 to supply water
to about six million downstream users in the Durban and Pietermaritzburg areas.
specifications and per formance. On-site,
a full-scale trial section was constructed
using the various selected mixes to test
the per formance of different equipment
and construction procedures, and to deter-
mine the final requirements for the mix to
be used in the dam.
The crushing strength and direct tensile
strengths obtained from laboratory tests
and samples taken from the trial section
during testing of the test section amounted
to 20 MPa and 0.9 MPa respectively, after
90 days, meeting the criteria of more
than 15 MPa and 0.75 MPa after 365
days. In general, the RCC mix showed no
signs of segregation during placement
and confirmed that the mix was truly
optimised. The mix has also proven to be
completely water tight.
An admixture was added to ensure the
paste only set after approximately 24
IMIESA November/December 2014 71
RCC was hauled onto the construction surface using trucks. The new mix also accommodated a specifically designed shuttering system
An aerial view of the Spring Grove Dam in KwaZulu-Natal
72 IMIESA November/December 2014
ENDING EROSIONTechnicrete
Suitable for: Specially designed:
www.technicrete.co.za
paving | mining | masonry | roof tiles | erosion protection retaining walls | drainage | kerbs | precast products
hours, which retarded the initial setting
time to allow for continuous pours, thus
minimising the number of cold joints in
the structure.
The multiple impacts of a single mixAccording to the project’s chief resident
engineer, Peet Viljoen of AECOM, “From a
logistics point of view, the high-paste RCC
is also a huge improvement as it could
be hauled with dumpers and conveyors,
compacted against formwork with 50 mm
poker needle vibrators and compacted with
a 10 tonne roller in the body of the dam. It
suited the special design shutter system.”
The RCC mix also helped streamline and
expedite the construction process and
100 000 m3 of concrete was placed in
just four months, par tly because the mix
catered for easy mixing, transportation to
the construction site and placement onto
the sur face.
After placement and compaction, the
RCC mix was impervious, bonded well
between layers and left an aesthetically
pleasing finish.
More importantly, the low cement con-
tent ensured that the structure can with-
stand temperature fluctuations and the
possibility of the formation of cracks is
extremely limited.
Danie Badenhorst, chief design engineer
on the project, states, “The optimisation
of the RCC mix helped lower project costs,
accommodate constructability and provid-
ed an impervious dam body. This mix can
be used in any size RCC dam as it short-
ens construction time and meets interna-
tional design and construction criteria.”
CEMENT & CONCRETE
The optimised RCC mix during laboratory tests showed improved workability
Tel: 011 670 7600 | www.rocla.co.za
Rocla is a subsidiary of ISG, a leading supplier of innovative infrastructure products to the construction and mining markets in Southern Africa.
SABS mark on applicable products
ROCLA’s Rubber Ring Joint Pressure Pipe is a watertight pipe for use in low pressure (2 to 8 Bar) applications.
The Spigot and Socket type joint is formed with a widening of the wall of the pipe on the one end, with the joint sealed with a rubber ring.
ROCLA is Southern Africa’s leading manufacturer of pre-cast concrete products for infrastructure, including pipes, culverts, manholes, roadside furniture, retaining walls, stock troughs, poles and other related products.
A strong foundation for infrastructure success
Concrete Pipes
Reducing energy intensity
THE MAIN SUCCESS factor
behind AfriSam’s achieve-
ment has been the intro-
duction of the company’s
advanced composite cements (ACCs),
which harness by-products from the
steel manufacturing and coal-fired
power station industries, together with chemical activators, to
improve the characteristics and performance of traditional Portland
cement. Besides lowering the clinker factor, ACCs only utilise half
the amount of thermal energy of conventional cements.
AfriSam’s Project Green Cement was launched in 2000, primarily
aimed at reducing carbon dioxide emissions and, since then, the
company has moved away from the pure Cem 1 Portland cements
to embrace ACCs.
Today, energy is AfriSam’s number one cost reduction initiative
and the company has adopted a holistic approach to energy sav-
ings to ensure steady improvements in the four primary focus
areas of thermal, electrical, transport and explosives. Coal and
electrical energy are by far the company’s biggest costs in cement
production, with the fuel costs associated with transport logistics
a not-too-distant third.
“To reduce our electricity usage, we’ve adopted a philosophy
that all our future mills will incorporate electrically efficient vertical
roller mill technology,” Gavin Venter, manager: Strategic Projects
A campaign to achieve exponential
energy savings has led to the
implementation of a series of
focused initiatives that have
resulted in companies reducing
their energy intensity by 12%.
CEMENT & CONCRETE
The vertical roller mill at AfriSam’s Roodepoort cement operation has contributed to a 20% reduction in energy consumption since its installation in 2008
IMIESA November/December 2014 73
74 IMIESA November/December 2014
at AfriSam, says. “A notable success in
this area was the installation of a vertical
roller mill at our Roodepoort operation in
2008. Although this mill was commissioned
at a 20% higher cost than conventional
technology, it has since achieved a 24%
reduction in electrical energy consumption.
Vertical roller mills are also being earmarked
for installation at our new Saldanha and
Coega facilities.
“Some time ago, we tasked a team of
engineers with obtaining maximum energy
efficiency out of each plant component and
one of the outcomes has been the replace-
ment of old drives with variable speed drives
wherever possible, across all our opera-
tions. This initiative has certainly contrib-
uted to improved energy efficiencies. Where
possible, high energy utilisation material
transport equipment, i.e. pneumatic con-
veying systems, were changed to mechani-
cal conveying systems. These initiatives
required significant capex expenditure, but
could be justified based on the improvement
on energy intensity.”
Production and maintenance as energy saving toolsAnother more recent initiative has seen the
implementation of a production and mainte-
nance tool at AfriSam’s Ulco facility in the
Northern Cape and the Dudfield facility in
the North West, to assist with electrical load
shifting, predominantly during peak demand
periods. This tool has contributed significantly
to energy saving and will be implemented at
the company’s other operations. At the Tanga
Cement plant in Tanzania, in which AfriSam
has a 62.5% shareholding, it is installing
a state-of-the-art five-stage precalciner kiln,
which will achieve the lowest thermal energy
in the group and play a role in reducing its
average thermal energy consumption.
In terms of fuel energy associated with
transport, AfriSam uses, as selection criteria
for subcontracted transporters, a require-
ment that the trucks should be made out
of lightweight aluminium to assist with fuel
consumption. It also ensures that that the
shortest haul routes are selected and that
these trucks are loaded to capacity to
reduce the number of truck loads. Wherever
possible, use of rail transport is maximised
to cut down on fuel costs.
To address the company’s blasting ener-
gy consumption at quarry faces, AfriSam
implemented ongoing effor ts at all its
aggregate and cement operations to opti-
mise these costs.
Included in the ongoing drive to achieve
real energy savings is an energy efficiency
initiative at all operations that is seeing the
installation of motion sensors, energy effi-
cient lighting, solar geysers and panels.
LEFT At the Tanga Cement plant in Tanzania, in which AfriSam has a 62.5% shareholding, the company is currently installing a new state-of-the-art five-stage precalciner kiln
CEMENT & CONCRETE
Quality control in readymix transit
IMIESA November/December 2014 75
TECHNOLOGY
A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND moisture
measurement system that com-
bines Bluetooth, GSM, Windows,
smartphone and microwave tech-
nology has now been made available in the
local market, exclusively by a leading con-
crete equipment, machinery and technology
supplier in Africa.
The FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector, developed
by Germany-based moisture control expert
Ludwig Moisture Control, and distributed in
Africa by Pan Mixers South Africa (PMSA)
utilises a combination of advanced technol-
ogy that secures the technical status of
readymix concrete in transit – from the sup-
plier’s batch plant, to handover or delivery
on site.
PMSA sales and marketing manager
Quintin Booysen notes that the system con-
sists of a microwave moisture measuring
probe and a consistency measuring bar with
a transmission unit mounted on the truck’s
rotating drum, which communicates via
Bluetooth to a receiver module in the cab.
“This signal is then forwarded on the GSM
network via a Windows-based smartphone
or compatible device, thereby enabling the
data to be available in almost any location.
What’s more, an industrial standard for the
Bluetooth connection ensures reliable data
transfer at long range, even under challeng-
ing conditions, which is particularly impor-
tant in the harsh African environment,”
he states.
In addition to the transmission of product
moisture data, the FL-MOBI-MIC Inspector
system also sends other crucial process
parameters for real-time monitoring. These
include product temperature, consistency,
slump, residual water, filling level, rotating
direction and the speed of the mixing drum.
This ultimately puts the supplier in full con-
trol and able to monitor the concrete while
in transit, for the first time. FI GURE 1 FL-MOBI MIC. Wireless moisture monitoring
w w w.uti l i ty-systems.co.za
Market leading innovators in
the field of prepaid water
metering and electronic
flow limitation devices
COMPOSITES MATERIALS con-
sist of high strength fibres (e.g.
glass fibres) embedded in a plas-
tic or resin such as polyester.
Compared to Steel and concrete, compos-
ites offer a higher strength per kilogram,
which makes them ideally suitable for light-
weight structures. As the cost of electricity
and fuel rises, “light-weighting” is becoming
an increasingly impor-
tant theme in reducing
cost of transpor t and
installation. Lighter com-
ponents require less fuel
for transport (or require
fewer trucks to do the
job), whereas also the
cost of loading, unload-
ing and hoisting is
reduced.
In a growing society
that heavily relies on the
supply of fresh drinking
water and a proper func-
tioning sewage system,
leaking pipes can no
longer be tolerated. Not only can compos-
ites be used for pipes that no longer rust,
they can also be used for the repair of leak-
ing steel and concrete pipes via internal
re-lining and external wrapping.
Benefits of composites The rusty appearance of our coastal munici-
palities, caused by deteriorating steel com-
ponents inside concrete structures (rebar)
and along the side of roads, can be over-
come via the introduction of composite
A new material worldImagine no rust; no leaking water pipes; manhole
covers that no longer get stolen; installing bridges
using half the number of cranes and old buildings
that can be given a futuristic look by adding a thin
outer shell. These are but a few of what composite
materials have to offer to improve our municipal
infrastructure. By Dr Kjelt van Rijswijk
rebar (produced for instance by Industrial
Composites in Pretoria, see Figure 1), sign-
posts, hand rails and manhole covers.
The additional benefit is that compos-
ites do not have a resale value, which
means for instance that composite man-
hole covers solve the theft-related problem
of uncovered manholes on our roads and
sidewalks, see Figure 2. Companies that
manufacture and supply SABS approved
composite manhole covers can already be
found in Gauteng (Fiberite, Civil Works,
Makhanyise Industries), Western Cape
(Maverick Trading, Nas Polymer, National
Manhole Covers) and KwaZulu-Natal
(Manholes4Africa).
Composite success storiesEarlier this year Aerontec and MMS
Technology developed a composite deck for
the Cape Town container terminal, which
covers the cable trays of the large gantry
cranes that are considered to be a serious
trip-hazard, see Figure 3. The composite
solution proved to be lighter, more rust
resistant and cost-efficient than a tradition-
al Steel-reinforced concrete solution and
did not require a 28-day shut down period
of the terminal to allow the con-
crete to cure. The installation of
300 tonnes of composite decking
was completed within budget and
within the 12-month schedule and
is currently the biggest compos-
ite job ever completed in South
Africa [1, 2].
Traditionally, composites have
been used to clad the outside
surface of buildings to create a
unique appearance, such as The
Lost City and Montecasino. More
recently, composite facades have
been introduced on a larger scale
to create modern and futuristic
appearances and to improve the
look of dull cityscapes. Typical examples are
Gateway Shopping Mall and Century City.
Companies like Dudley and Sons, Decolite
and AMT Composites produce moulded com-
posites to create shapes and textures that
cannot be cost-efficiently produced with
traditional construction materials. In densely
populated areas, the lightweight nature of
composites assists with the construction
of very tall buildings simply by replacing
concrete and Steel with composites on the
upper floors. Dubai’s 829 m Burj Khalifa, the
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS
IMIESA November/December 2014 77
Dubai’s 829 m Burj Khalifa, the World’s tallest
building, could not have been constructed
without the use of composites
Uncovered manhole, a public hazard and an increasingly common site
COMPOSITES
World’s tallest building, could not have been
constructed without the use of composites.
Other civil engineering applicationsOther civil engineering applications that
increasingly make use of composites are
bridges that require less maintenance, that
are easier to transport/install or that need
to have a longer span than can be achieved
with Steel and concrete. Composites can
also be used for the structural repair of
concrete bridge pillars, simply by wrapping
them with fibres and resin.
Composites is currently receiving a lot
of attention in government, the research
community and industry for their unique
properties that can benefit a wide range of
sectors including aerospace, boat building,
rail/road vehicles, and construction.
The development of the composites indus-
try is spearheaded by the CSIR Composites
Centre of Competence (funded by the
Department of Science and Technology)
and Composites SA, the local composites
industry association, which operates in
close contact with the Department of Trade
and Industry via the recently established
composite sector and export desks. You
might say to yourself that composites in
boat building and aerospace is one thing,
but that composites in civil engineering
applications is a hype and that in time it will
be steel and concrete business as usual.
But can one actually think of composites
as hype if they offer a solution to problems
that are not likely to disappear anytime
soon? Will composite replace concrete
and Steel completely? Definitely not. Will
composite replace concrete and Steel in
those applications where rust and the cost
of transport and installation is a problem,
where taller buildings or longer bridges are
required? Absolutely!
Composites are an essential element
in the tool box with which we develop
our nation’s infrastructure and should be
applied in those areas where it makes
common sense. Common sense is why
the aerospace and boat building industries
have embraced composites, why should the
civil engineering industry miss out?
With composites we no longer have to keep
our eyes trimmed at the ground looking for
uncovered manholes, allowing us to look up
and marvel at tomorrow’s infrastructure.
References: [1] SA Plastics Magazine
(December 2013), Vol. 11, Iss. 6, p. 32-33.
[2] Reinforced Plastics (July/August 2014)
78 IMIESA November/December 2014
Composite rebar produced by Industrial Composites
Composite decking in Cape Town harbour produced by MMS Technology and Aerontec
A SMART GRID can be defined as an evolved grid system,
expanded through the addition of intelligence, that man-
ages electricity demand in a sustainable, reliable and eco-
nomic manner,” explains Jaco Cronje, operations director
for EES Africa. “The smart grid allows the integration of all types of
power generation, including renewables. Smart grids are an integral
part of smart cities.”
The grid was originally designed for the supply of low-cost abun-
dant energy sourced over great distances by consumers. Alternative
energy producers also started contributing to the grid, but this should
not be mistaken for a smart gird.
Smart metersSmart meters are just one component of a smart gird, albeit
an essential one, and, this year, Johannesburg’s City Power
announced a roll-out of 55 000 such meters. Whilst this is pro-
gress, it is only a first step.
“Today, a smart meter is used to provide information and
enable customer control and knowledge of energy usage. This
type of data allows the energy consumer to know the amount of
electricity being used, when it is used, and by which appliance. It
also opens up a world of options to electricity utilities, including
innovative billing structures that reduce peak demand, real time,
regional consumption data, and more accurate and efficient
meter reading and billing systems. The smart grid brings about
a whole new industry of technology, intelligence and efficiencies
previously unknown,” says Cronje.
Barriers to implementing a smart grid“In discussing the barriers to implementing a smart grid, it is
important to note that we are not building a smart grid or smart
city from the ground up in South Africa,” Cronje states. “We have
inherited cities and a grid that we need to morph into the most
sustainable solution.”
The major barriers are:Public perception needs to be managed. Contrary to what a large
percentage of the public appear to believe, smart meters and
smart grids do not lead to increased energy costs. It has been
unfortunate that the roll-out of this key component has coincided
with electricity increases.
Financing can present challenges. It should be remembered,
though, that this presents opportunities for venture capitalists
to embrace the developing smart grid and capitalise on opportu-
nities that did not exist before. Business cases for smart grids
Implementing the smart gridA smart grid facilitates the efficient, intelligent use of available energy,
reducing demand on South Africa’s already strained network, and potentially
easing the demand for expensive new power stations. How can the barriers
to entry be overcome in time to yield maximum benefit?
have been proving the investment opportunity across the world.
Policies, regulations and the roadmap of the smart grid need to be
clearly communicated. Some cities in South Africa have found this
to be a challenge and therefore embarked on a process of rolling out
with little communication. Other cities have embraced the opportunity
and are leading by example.
Data privacy and cybersecurity need to be taken into account.
Information obtained by the smart meter provides any marketer with
valuable insight into consumers, without the consumers explicitly
allowing such information to be made available. A further risk is
that such data would need to be secured, through various barriers,
from hackers and fraudulent activities. Regulations and frameworks
can stifle the market, and this can be prohibitive as it may stifle the
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS
IMIESA November/December 2014 79
80 IMIESA November/December 2014
TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATIONS
ingenuity needed for the smart grid to grow
in its early stages. Once the early stages
have been implemented, it is then appropri-
ate for the different vendors and mecha-
nisms to interoperate.
In designing and implementing smart grids,
energy industry players need to ensure both
products and installation techniques are
of adequate quality to ensure the solution
outlasts the deployment period.
Connectivity requirements must be met so
that data can be obtained and made avail-
able for use. Connectivity can be achieved
through various technical mechanisms.
Skills shortages can be a problem, as the
creation of the smart grid and smart cities is
a reasonably new initiative.
Key solutionsWhat are the solutions to competently pre-
pare for what the future holds? Complete
stakeholder buy-in is essential for the suc-
cessful roll-out of smart grids in Sough
Africa. Integral to this is connectiv-
ity and communication between all industry
players, including:
• government
• the National Energy Regulator
• utilities, including Eskom and independent
• power producers
• industries engaged in energy production
through cogeneration and tri-generation
• distributors, including Eskom and
municipalities
• end users, including consumers and indus-
trial users.
Regulations need to be put into place to
encourage adoption. Done smartly, ingenu-
ity in the early phases, followed by ongo-
ing implementation in accordance with
specific processes and protocol, will pay
enormous dividends.
Data management“Smart data management is non-negotia-
ble,” Cronje emphasises. “It is this intel-
ligence that facilitates the real benefit of
the smart grid. Smart data management
informs industry players what the viable
procedures and trends are that should be
followed, resulting in optimum efficiency in
energy management.”
Segmenting the market for a cohesive approachCronje also advises that roll-out plans
should consider a staggered approach.
“Residential, small business and indus-
trial implementation should be segmented,
starting in the residential market, and then
moving into business and finally industry.
This allows large amounts of data to be
processed without influencing the industrial
energy consumers.”
Financial solutions are of course criti-
cal. The National Empowerment Fund is
leading this space through its support for
venture capitalists. A push vs pull paradigm
should be adhered to. All stakeholders
should be ‘pulled’ to smart grids and smart
cities, as opposed to punitive legislation
being used. Offer the carrot not the stick.
EES is an ISO 9001:2008 certified com-
pany providing management, engineer-
ing and auditing services to a range of
industries throughout Africa. It specialises
in the integration of multiple system infra-
structure including ICT, data centres, audio-
visual, life safety, security and building
automation systems.
ASM LXHS15 & 20mm
Plastic
Cape Town:021 510 4266
or021 510 8408
Johannesburg: 011 609 4647
or011 609 6336
info@precisionmeters.co.zawww.precisionmeters.co.za
LEVEL 2
‘When the Bottom Line
counts’‘Order your
water meters from
South Africa’s fastest growing
water meter company with theirstocks of
NRCS TYPE APPROVED
brass or plastic
water meters’
ASM LXH15 & 20mm
Brass
In designing and implementing smart grids, energy industry players need to ensure both products and installation techniques are of adequate quality
80 IMIESA November/December 2014
W: www.basilread.co.za | E: communications@basilread.co.za | T: +27 11 418 6300
Basil Read is so much more than just a group that has become synonymous with
excellence in the construction sectors of Southern Africa. Our reputation is built on quality,
expertise and the most innovative solutions to complex and challenging projects. Our
impressive and diverse portfolio includes our flagship airport project on the island of
St. Helena, the rehabilitation of roads and the building of hospitals. The development of
new housing structures and finding sustainable energy resources contributes to a better
future for all as Basil Read is involved in diverse communities across South Africa every
day. Our legacy lives on in our people, our passion and our promise to make this country
a better and more enriching place for all.
BUILDINGLEGACIES
1739
5 te
naka
.co.
za
ATLAS COPCO’S OSC range of
condensate separators for com-
pressed air systems delivers high
performance and versatility. The
use of the most innovative lubricants is not
always enough to meet regulations.
Using a revolutionary and patented pro-
cess of oleophilic and active filtration, Atlas
Copco’s condensate separators provide
customers with advanced technology that
meets strict environmental regulations. Atlas
Copco South Africa’s business line manager:
CONDENSATE SEPARATORS
Less is more
Industrial Air Division, Charl Ackerman, says
that the OSC condensate separator range is
the broadest and most comprehensive ever
offered by the company. “The range consists
of eight models and can accommodate com-
pressed air systems from 35 ℓ/s (74 cfm)
through to 2 360 ℓ/s (4 984 cfm).”
According to Ackerman, simplicity is one
of the product’s key features.
“The installation requires only a roughly
flat sur face, the set-up is uncomplicated
and there are no restrictions on the drain
type upstream.”
The patented filtration process ena-
bles almost all condensate mixtures to
be separated, including most emulsions
and, unlike most other systems, over-
sizing is unnecessary when faced with
synthetic-oil-based condensates.
Its design simplicity adds value
through the delivery of optimum per for-
mance, low operational costs, and long
life for total convenience and customer
peace of mind.
ADVANTAGES OVER TRADITIONAL GRAVITYBASED SYSTEMS• Stable separation performance
throughout filter lifetime
• No standing, stagnant water
• Large capacity chambers reduce the risk of spillage
• No oil collection bottle
82 IMIESA November/December 2014
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
DIVERSE PRODUC-
TION tasks rang-
ing from mining,
quarrying and road
construction to large-scale
earthmoving projects, these
hydraulic excavators come to market with
key enhancements in terms of safety, ultra-
fast truck-loading cycle times, fuel efficiency,
and longer-term downstream availability.
These new units Cat 374F L and Cat 390F
L hydraulic will replace the D-Series hydraulic
excavators launched globally in 2010.
The Cat 374F L is equipped with the Cat
C15 ACERT engine with a rated net power
of 353 kW at 1 600 rpm (ISO 9249) while
the Cat 390F L is equipped with the Cat C18
ACERT unit with a rated net power of 391 kW
at 1 700 rpm (ISO 9249).
Smooth and fuel efficient These engine models consume signifi-
cantly less fuel thanks to two new built-in
features: automatic engine speed control
and automatic engine idle shutdown.
Automatic engine speed control lowers rpm
according to production demands; whilst
automatic engine idle shutdown turns the
engine off when it has been idling for more
than a specified amount of time, which can
be preset via the in-cab monitor. Operators
can also switch between high power and
economy mode. High power is best suited to
hard digging conditions.
A major contributor to these machines’
efficiency results is Caterpillar’s introduc-
tion of the Adaptive Control System (ACS)
valve, a further advance on the previous
generation’s Proportional Priority Pressure
Compensation (PPPC) system.
“The new ACS valve takes the PPPC sys-
tem a step further and has been designed to
intelligently manage restrictions and flows.
It opens slowly when your range of joy-
stick lever movement is small and opens
rapidly when movement is high,” explains
Barloworld Equipment group product man-
ager Johann Venter. “More specifically, it
puts flow exactly where you need it, when
you need it, which means you will experience
much smoother operation, greater efficiency,
and ultra-fast swing speed gains in hard dig-
ging and truck loading.”
On the F-Series, major components like the
pumps, the main control valve and oil tank
are placed closer together so shorter tubes
and lines can be used, which results in less
friction loss, reduced pressure drops, and
more power to the ground. Auxiliary circuits
also enable the fitment of a range of work
tools, such as hammers, grapples and
rippers that are quickly interchange-
able with the fitment of a hydraulic
quick coupler.
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
Advances in mass excavation
A Cat 390F L hydraulic excavator in rip-and-load configuration. A hydraulic quick coupler enables rapid interchanges between the ripper and bucket
The new Cat 374F L hydraulic excavator has
a maximum operating weight of 75 170 kg
IMIESA November/December 2014 83
Born and bred right here - Bell is Africa’s very own global equipment
supplier. With support from our strategic partners we deliver a full
range of premium machines. All built tough for our harsh environment.
All supported by Africa’s most comprehensive network of people
dedicated to your success.
Best of all, while you are creating infrastructure and jobs, so are we.
Choose Bell as your equipment partner and enjoy the pride of
knowing you’re not just boosting your business but helping make
Africa a better place too.
Tel: +27 (0)11 928 9700E-mail: sales@bell.co.zawww.bellequipment.com
STRATEGICPARTNERS
Adv
ert149
6011
4
SINCE THEN there have been suc-
cessive model series changes
and a steadily expanding global
machine population. In addition
to the contracting, industrial and municipal
markets, Cat mini excavators are popular
choices for plant hire fleets, especially
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
given their road-legal towing weight and
overall versatility.
A popular mid-range choice within
Caterpillar’s mini line-up for the Southern
African market is the 5.5 tonne operating
weight Cat 305.5E model, which is supplied
locally in compact radius configuration.
Compact in size,big on delivery
“Compact radius models are ideally suited
to working in restricted spaces, such as
inside buildings and in urban areas for
applications that include demolition, road
rehabilitation works, and trenching and
pipe laying for telecommunications and
underground water reticulation services,”
explains Barloworld Equipment product mar-
keting manager Desigen Naicker.
Features The mid-range excavator is equipped with a
C2.4 engine with a rated net power of 32.9
kW at 2 400 rpm (ISO 9249) and has an
operating weight of approximately 5 415 kg
when fitted with a FOPS cab, which is stand-
ard for this market. On the go, automatic
two-speed travel simplifies operations.
All E-Series models feature high digging
forces, fast cycle times and excellent sta-
bility, with operation via pilot controls. An
advanced load-sensing system provides
responsive per formance, whilst boom
and cylinders incorporate end damping to
reduce shock loading and bucket spillage.
Depending on whether the machine is
fitted with a standard or long stick, the
machine can excavate down to a depth
84 IMIESA November/December 2014
Visit www.sanitech.co.za or call 011 823 6060 or 086 110 8642 for the branch nearest you
ABOVE A side view of the thumb work tool attachment
LEFT The thumb work tool attachment is ideal for pipe handling tasks
Designed to per form in demanding civil and
building applications, this new mini excavator
range has undergone major advances in terms
of overall functionality, since the company’s first
entry into this product segment back in 1998.
IMIESA November/December 2014 85
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
The Cat 305.5E CR can excavate down to depths of approximately 2 330 mm and 2 730 mm
IMIESA November/December 2014 85
GORMAN-RUPP engine-driven trash
pumps are the perfect solution
for sewage bypass operations,
construction site dewatering,
hydraulic fracturing and all your
other tough pumping applications.
Gorman-Rupp’s priming-assisted
pumps feature a positive priming
and sealing system that virtually
eliminates leaks, reducing
environmental concerns and allows
these pumps to run-dry indefinitely.
For positive, reliable priming
time after time, you can count on
Gorman-Rupp pumps.
AFRICA
GORMAN-RUPP AFRICA2 Kelly Road, Jet Park, Boksburg Gauteng, South Africa
PH: +27 11 397 3536 WEB: www.pumptron.co.za EMAIL: info@pumpton.co.za513-GRA ©Copyright, The Gorman-Rupp Company, 2014
IMIESA November/December 2014 85
of approximately 2 330 mm and 2 730
mm, respectively. Digging forces are
28.9 kN for standard and 24.8 kN for
long-stick applications.
Fitted with a wide range of work tools,
such as vibratory trench compactors,
thumbs for pipe handling, augers, metal-
cutting shears and hammers, the mini
excavators transform into high-production
multipurpose machines, with the option of
specifying either a mechanical or hydraulic
quick-coupler system.
E-Series machines include both a single-
direction auxiliary circuit for use with a
hammer, and a two-way auxiliary hydraulic
circuit for bi-directional work tools such as
augers or angling buckets.
A wide range of bucket choices is available,
extending from general purpose to landscap-
ing. A distinctive feature across the board is
their rotational capabilities, in excess of 200
degrees. This ensures good spoil retention
at height, such as during truck loading, plus
easier flat back trenching ability.
Anti-theft A key feature on the excavator is the
standard COMPASS (Complete Operation,
Maintenance, Per formance and Security
System) digital control panel, which provides
security, performance and economy features.
COMPASS’s anti-theft device uses a
five-digit alphanumeric password that is
required to start the machine.
IMESA
AF
FIL
IAT
E M
EM
BE
RS
IMESA
AECOM vanessa.partington@aecom.comAJ Broom Road Products ajbroom@icon.co.zaArup SA rob.lamb@arup.comAurecon danie.wium@aurecongroup.comAveng Manufacturing Infraset cgroenewald@infraset.comBigen Africa Group Holdings otto.scharfetter@bigenafrica.comBMK Consulting brian@bmkconsulting.co.za Bosch Munitech info@boschmunitech.co.zaBosch Stemele bsdbn@boschstemele.co.za Brubin Pumps sales@brubin.co.zaBVI Consulting Engineers marketing@bviho.co.zaCivilconsult Consulting Engineers mail@civilconsult.co.za Corrosion Institute of Southern Africa secretary@corrosioninstitute.org.zaCSIR Built Environment rbapela@csir.co.zaDevelopment Bank of SA divb@dbsa.org.zaDPI Plastics mgoodchild@dpiplastics.co.zaEFG Engineers eric@efgeng.co.zaElster Kent Metering leon.basson@elster.comEngcor Engineers masham@engcorengineers.co.zaFibertex South Africa (Pty) Ltd rcl@fibertex.comGIBB yvanrooyen@gibb.co.zaGLS Consulting nicky@gls.co.zaHatch Goba leratom@goba.co.zaHerrenknecht schiewe.helene@herrenknecht.deHuber Technology cs@hubersa.comHydro-comp Enterprises dan@edams.co.zaI@Consulting louis_icon@mics.co.zaILISO Consulting hans@iliso.comINGEROP mravjee@ingerop.co.zaIntegrity Environment info@integrityafrica.co.zaJeffares and Green dennyc@jgi.co.zaJohannesburg Water rtaljaard@jwater.co.zaKABE Consulting Engineers info@kabe.co.zaKantey & Templer (K&T) Consulting Engineers info@kanteys.co.zaKnowledge Base info@knowbase.co.zaLektratek Water general@lwt.co.zaMakhaotse Narasimulu & Associates mmakhaotse@mna-sa.co.zaMalani Padayachee & Associates (Pty) Ltd admin@mpa.co.zaMaragela Consulting Engineers admin@maragelaconsulting.co.za
Marley Pipe Systems info@marleypipesystems.co.zaMhiduve cgroenewald@infraset.comMott Macdonald PDNA mahomed.soobader@mottmac.comMuch Asphalt john.onraet@murrob.comNamela Consulting (Pty) Ltd melissa@namela.co.zaNyeleti Consulting ppienaar@nyeleti.co.zaOdour Engineering Systems mathewc@oes.co.zaPumptron info@pumptron.co.zaPragma nicojobe.mabaso@pragmaworld.netRoyal HaskoningDHV francisg@rhdv.com SABITA info@sabita.co.zaSALGA info@salga.org.zaSARF administrator@sarf.org.za.co.zaSBS Water Systems terri@sbstanks.co.zaSektor Consulting cradock@sektor.co.zaSight Lines sales@sightlines.co.zaSiVEST SA garths@sivest.co.zaSiza Water Company tionette.bates@sizawater.co.zaSMEC capetown@smec.comSNA stolz.j@sna.co.za Sobek Engineering gen@sobek.co.zaSouthern African Society for Trenchless Technology director@sasst.org.zaSRK Consulting jomar@srk.co.zaSulzer Pumps Wastewater sales.abs.za@sulzer.com Syntell julia@syntell.co.zaThm Engineers East London thmel@mweb.co.zaTPA Consulting roger@tpa.co.zaUWP Consulting craign@uwp.co.zaVetasi south-africa@vetasi.com VIP Consulting Engineers esme@vipconsulting.co.za VOMM commerciale@vomm.it VUKA Africa Consulting Engineers info@vukaafrica.co.zaWater Institute of Southern Africa wisa@wisa.org.za Water Solutions Southern Africa ecoetzer@wssa.co.zaWilo South Africa marketingsa@wilo.co.zaWorleyParsons chris.brandsen@WorleyParsons.comWRP ronniem@wrp.co.zaWSP Group Africa dirk.hattingh@mbs-wsp.co.zaZebra Surfacing andrew@zebrasurfacing.co.za
A HEAVY LIFT, abnormal transport
and plant relocation specialist
has completed a successful
turn-key project for the R3.5-
billion Dedisa Peaking Power Plant.
Vanguard carried out the transporting,
offloading and final positioning at the site
of the major power generation equipment
for the plant, located in the Coega indus-
trial development zone near Por t Elizabeth.
Two sets of 191-tonne gas turbines, 231-
tonne generators and 140-tonne transform-
ers were transported from the Coega port
to the project site, where they will help
stabilise the national electricity grid from
2015. The Dedisa peaking power plant,
which will operate in times of high electricity
demand or shortfalls of supply, will produce
335 MW from the two open-cycle gas tur-
bines, Eskom has contracted to purchase
the electricity under a 15-year agreement.
Starting out The six heavy units arrived at the Coega
por t during August in two shipments,
explains Vanguard project manager
Dale Huddy.
“After directly discharging the vessels,
we staged the heavy units in our por t
yard — in order to relocate the equipment
in the required sequence for delivery,”
says Huddy.
Challenging corner turnsPassing under the N2 highway, the planned
route for the convoy, included only a couple
of challenging corner turns. “We managed
to navigate the tight corners so that there
was only one road island to traverse, and
the trailer’s sophisticated multi-axle sus-
pension technology handled that with ease,
distributing the load evenly despite the
axles having to navigate different heights.”
Power project gets a lift
CONSTRUCTION VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT
The gantry systemTo lift and place the heavy units into final
position on their respective foundations,
Vanguard has set up its ‘power tower’
hydraulic lift system – commonly known as
a gantry system.
“This is a top-of-the-range gantry with a
hydraulic drive system that allows easy
travel along rails,” says Huddy. “We
manoeuvred the trailer in line with the foun-
dations and between two sets of rails.”
Everything was lined up with the unit’s
foundations to facilitate quick and accu-
rate placement. The generator and trans-
former were then relocated, offloaded and
positioned on site in a similar fashion,
using a second set of Vanguard’s 600-
tonne gantries in the yard at the por t to lift
the units onto trailers.
ABOVE Offloading 190T turbine with Vanguard’s Power Tower hydraulic lift system
TOP 230 t generator on route to Dedisa Power Station
+27(0)860 482 657info@sbstanks.co.za
Industry Leaders in Water Storage
Solutions
A premium product made by SBS Water Systems (Pty) LtdTanksTM
TM
www.sbstanks.co.za
5339
IMIESA November/December 2014 87
ADVERTISERS
For sustainable energy.
88 IMIESA November/December 2014
African Energy Indaba 88
AMMANN Construction Machinery SA OFC
AECOM 32
Aquatan 48
Aveng Manufacturing Infraset 56
Babcock 43
Bagshaw Footwear 60
Basil Read 82
Bauma Conexpo 9
Bell Equipment 83
Bosch Stemele 20
BVI 25
Capsa 24
Development Bank of Southern Africa 28
DWS 12
Elster Kent Metering 46
Esor Construction 53
GLS Consulting 34
Ingérop South Africa 62
Intelligent SHEQ Consulting Services 59
Joat Group IFC
Krohne South Africa 54
Model Maker Systems 79
National Asphalt 70
Neil Lyners and Associates 23
NMC Civils 22
NuWater 36
Rocla 73
Royal HaskoningDHV 45
PHB Engineers 58
Precision Meters 80
Pumptron 85
SA Readymix Association 69
Sanitech 84
Sasol Group Services 26
SBS Water Systems 87
Sephaku Cement 66
Sika 78
Sizabantu Piping Systems 2
SMEC South Africa 41
Standard Bank 17
Technicrete 72
TOSAS 74
The Concrete Institute 75
University of Cape Town 64
Utility Systems 76
UWP Engineering 5
Valve & Allied 55
Veolia Water Solutions & Technology 49
Water & Sanitation Services OBC
WorleyParsons 38
WRP IBC
Zest WEG Group 19
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
top related