Construction of the Main Reef water tower south of Johannesburg has reached its halfway mark, with special seismic design considerations to ensure resilience for the growing Goudrand “mega city”. Built by M&D Construction with readymix concrete from AfriSam, the 43 m tall structure will hold 3,2 mega litres of water – nearly triple the capacity of most provincial towers. P6
IN THE HOT SEAT
The massive demand for new road construction and maintenance in South Africa and Africa hinges on sustained binder availability. IMIESA speaks to Fanie Loubser, General Manager for Bitumen Supplies and Services (BSS) and allied Group entity, Global Road Binders, about their strategic role in ensuring product on demand in an evolving global bitumen delivery market. P8
Seismic
Spatial Development & Planning
Reservoirs
Ditshimega Projects builds City of Tshwane’s
Sustainability
Natural pools – a water-friendly alternative
Geotechnical & Environmental Engineering
Trenchless Technology
Smooth operators
Choose from – the G140 Eco, G140, G160 and G200 – there’s a Bell Grader built for your site and application.
• G140 Eco: For government and general maintenance applications
• G140: For maintenance and light to medium construction tasks.
• G160: Increased power and performance for heavy construction.
• G200: For bulk earthworks and mining applications.
Each model delivers the power, precision, and comfort you expect from a premium grader, with local Bell support you can count on:
The three larger models are available in 4WD or 6WD. Contact your nearest Bell Dealer to find out more.
All material herein IMIESA is copyright protected and may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the Institute of Municipal Engineering of Southern Africa or the publishers.
The power of collaboration and energy
While the devastating effects of load shedding seem to be behind us, the cost of electricity continues to climb to new heights. Its impact ripples throughout the economy, eroding household disposable income and placing further strain on profit margins.
It’s a fine balance for Eskom as it addresses the backlog on ageing infrastructure, manages the collection of outstanding municipal debt (which was around R94,6 billion in March 2025), and in parallel accelerates largescale transmission, battery energy storage systems, wind and solar developments.
However, despite these challenges, the fact that Eskom posted a profit before tax of R23,9 billion for the financial year ending 31st March 2025 is a highly encouraging and remarkable achievement, although it came with a qualified external audit opinion.
That compares to a loss of some R25,5 billion for the 2024 period. It is also the first time since 2017 that Eskom has made a profit, due in part to a 12.74% standard tariff increase, improved power station efficiencies, and a sharp reduction in diesel generator usage.
Predicable tariffs
One of the next major steps needed is to establish an affordable and predictable long-term tariff outlook that provides industry and investors with the confidence that future increases will be sustainable. Eskom’s planned investment of more than R320 billion over the next five years will be a game changer, but even more significant for end users will be affordable electricity.
Ideally, this should be influenced by free market principles that enable consumers to go the Independent Power Producer (IPP) route if it’s a more competitive option.
From a high-level government perspective, nuclear energy is also receiving increasing attention as a green alternative, a prime example being small modular reactors that are less capital intensive and deliver over the long-term. Plus, South Africa has substantial uranium reserves to tap into as the fuel source.
EU investment
A recent and positive development on the energy front is a commitment by the European Union (EU) to a new Team Europe investment package. Valued at around €11,5 billion (R230 billion) its purpose is to help drive
South Africa’s just energy transition and build a green, low emission economy.
Currently South Africa’s largest trading partner, this EU cash injection will enable growth in key sectors that include green hydrogen, renewable energy, and vaccine production, while also supporting sustainable infrastructure initiatives across rail, roads, ports, logistics, and digital connectivity.
Other core areas include provision for reskilling and employment creation; climate mitigation and adaption –with projects focusing on water security, climate resilient infrastructure, and sustainable land management; plus, municipal initiatives that expand access to clean water, waste management and energy efficient public services. Across the board, research, innovation and technology transfer initiatives will serve to foster the development of green industries and export markets.
Getting the best results on these and other investment initiatives will hinge on listening to and prioritising the needs of the private sector as the enablers of growth, industry innovation and employment. The latter remains a pressing concern, underscored by Statistics South Africa’s recent Quarterly Employment Statistics. This revealed that some 229 000 jobs were lost between June 2024 and June 2025 as businesses came under increasing pressure, which is highly concerning.
An opportunity to reinvent
In this respect, South Africa’s just energy transition is far more than just a sustainability initiative. It’s a major opportunity to reinvent and re-industrialise South Africa with futureproof industries – ranging from electric vehicles to green hydrogen and carbon capture technology – that boost GDP and provide the capacity for youth employment and meaningful career development.
Building energy efficiency into our smart city designs also makes commercial sense because it reduces costs, while saving the environment. More importantly though, increasing renewable energy adoption enables more equitable access to power on demand, with green pricing structures that boost rather than curtail socioeconomic development.
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.
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 Joanne Lawrie on +27 (0)82 346 5338.
Leading resilience in the face of flood disasters
Flooding has become one of the most pressing challenges facing municipalities across South Africa. From coastal storms to inland flash floods, the scale and frequency of these events are stretching local infrastructure beyond its limits. Roads are washed away, stormwater systems are overwhelmed, and communities are displaced – often in areas already struggling with maintenance backlogs and constrained budgets.
For municipal engineers, these events underscore an urgent truth: flood resilience is a core service delivery function. It is not a peripheral task, but a defining element of sustainable local governance. To manage these risks effectively, municipalities require robust, practical guidelines for flood disaster management – developed by engineers, for engineers.
As municipal engineers, we are uniquely positioned to shape all stages of flood disaster management. We understand the networks, the terrain, and the realities on the ground. Yet too often, engineers are only drawn into conversations once the damage is done. True resilience demands our involvement at every stage – from planning and procurement through to recovery and measurable audit outcomes.
Key facets where municipal engineering leadership is essential include:
• Planning for disaster response: Disaster preparedness starts with accurate data and practical foresight. Municipal engineers must lead the development of flood risk assessments, updated flood line mapping, and vulnerability studies of critical assets such as bridges, pump stations, and stormwater channels.
This planning work should feed directly into municipal Disaster Management Plans, ensuring that engineering insight drives emergency routing, evacuation planning, and the prioritisation of vulnerable infrastructure. When disaster strikes, a well-prepared municipality can respond decisively, minimising damage, saving costs, and protecting lives.
• Procurement and supply chain management: During emergencies, procurement decisions must balance urgency with accountability. Municipal engineers play a vital role in drafting and implementing emergency procurement frameworks that uphold transparency while enabling swift action.
Pre-approved supplier panels, standardised technical specifications, and stockpiles of essential materials (such as culverts, gabions, and geotextiles) can significantly reduce response time. In the reconstruction phase, engineers must guide procurement teams toward resilient design choices – avoiding quick fixes and investing in solutions that withstand future events.
• Managing vehicles and equipment: Flood response is heavily dependent on access to
reliable machinery, such as graders, pumps, trucks, and excavators. Yet many municipalities face challenges with fleet management, ageing equipment, and limited maintenance budgets.
Engineering oversight of asset registers, preventative maintenance, and inter-departmental coordination ensures critical machinery is operational and ready for deployment. When every minute counts, a well-managed fleet can be the difference between swift recovery and prolonged disruption.
Previous floods have shown that fleet support to urgently deal with equipment breakdowns during disaster responses is essential to save lives and restore services. Puncture repairs cannot follow the usual procurement process which can take months – they need to be fixed on the same day.
• Financial oversight and budget allocation: Rebuilding after a flood is costly, but poorly prioritised spending compounds vulnerability. Municipal engineers bring technical insight to budget allocation, ensuring that funds are directed to high-risk areas and interventions with measurable impact.
Through rigorous cost estimation, staged disbursements, and engineering-led project prioritisation, municipalities can achieve greater value for money. Transparent reporting – grounded in engineering evidence – also strengthens public trust and accountability.
• Detailed design and contract management: Each reconstruction project presents a chance to “build back better”. Updated hydrological data and changing rainfall patterns must inform new designs. Municipal engineers should ensure that projects integrate resilient materials, redundancy in drainage capacity, and adaptable layouts for future climate shifts.
In contract management, the engineer’s role as custodian of quality is paramount. Adherence to specification, continuous site supervision, and transparent variation control protect both public funds and public safety.
• Quality control and audit reporting: Engineering accountability extends beyond completion certificates. Municipalities should institutionalise independent quality control – including material testing, structural assessments, and compliance audits.
Post-project reviews help capture lessons learnt, feeding back into improved design standards and updated disaster plans. Over time, this continuous learning loop strengthens institutional memory and ensures each response builds on the last.
Collaboration and capacity
Ultimately, flood management is not the mandate of a single department. It requires close coordination between technical services, disaster management, finance, and supply chain units, guided by engineering evidence.
Municipal engineers, as the technical backbone of local government, must champion this collaboration – bridging policy intent and practical implementation.
Capacity building is equally critical. Ongoing training in hydrology, climate adaptation, and riskbased asset management equips municipal teams to plan with confidence and act with authority.
Building a resilient municipal future
To effect the change needed, the development of national and municipal guidelines for flood disaster management must centre on engineering leadership. Municipal engineers understand local context: the ageing culvert, the undersized storm drain, the settlement built too close to the riverbank, and many other aspects. These realities require grounded, context specific solutions.
Floods test not only infrastructure but institutional readiness. By embedding engineers across planning, procurement, financial oversight, and audit processes, municipalities can transform reactive recovery into proactive resilience.
As custodians of public infrastructure, municipal engineers carry both responsibility and opportunity. Through foresight, collaboration, and professional integrity, we can ensure that the next storm meets stronger systems, steadier leadership, and communities that stand on firmer ground.
Geoff Tooley, Pr Eng Hon FIMESA, IMESA President: 2024-2026
Construction work on the outsized Main Reef water tower south of Johannesburg has reached its halfway mark. With special design considerations to deal with seismic activity in the region, the tower will be a vital water resource for the burgeoning Goudrand “mega city”.
Undertaking the construction is M&D Construction, with readymix concrete from AfriSam. The structure will stand 43 m tall near Main Reef Road, and hold 3.2 mega litres of water, considerably more than most of the province’s water towers – which are usually designed to hold around 1.2 mega litres each.
The design of the first 8 m of the tower’s shaft was particularly important, as this is where the highest loads would be felt during a seismic event
SEISMIC DESIGN ADDS TO COMPLEXITY OF WATER TOWER FOR M&D, AFRISAM
Water from the tower will serve the Goudrand mega city project being overseen by SCIP Engineering Group. This broader development will see approximately 20 000 homes being built in a joint initiative by the Gauteng Department of Housing, the City of Johannesburg and Blue Print Housing, according to SCIP Project Manager Marietjie Griffioen.
“Goudrand is a much-needed addition to Gauteng’s housing stock, and when completed will include freestanding homes and residential blocks,” says Griffioen. “Among the public amenities will be schools, creches, shopping centres, churches and a hospital, so the water tower is an essential infrastructural element for the successful fruition of this community.”
Apart from its size, the Main Reef water tower is also unusual for certain design imperatives that will enhance its strength and integrity in an area where there are regular seismic events. According to SCIP Engineering Structural Design Engineer Bianca Grobler, the zone experiences seismic events with a ground acceleration of over 0,1g (acceleration due to gravity) – capable of causing damage to structures that are not suitably designed.
“The water tower’s design has therefore accommodated this risk, mainly due to the considerable weight of the water in the tower – which accentuates the seismic vibrations at the foot of the tower,” says Grobler. “We paid particular attention to the strength of the design in the first 8 m of the tower’s shaft which is where the highest loads would be felt during a seismic event.”
This complicated the construction process, affecting the steel spacing and the number of shear clips; there could also not be any splicing or openings within this section of the tower, she explains.
It impacted too on the readymix design, especially in terms of the required flow rate and the size of the aggregate stone in the mix. At
To accommodate the seismic risk, the installation of rebar was a demanding task, requiring over 210 kg of rebar per cubic metre
8 m in diameter, the tower’s concrete shaft has been constructed 500 mm thick, expanding into a cone-shaped reservoir with a floor of up to 1,2 m thick and a final diameter of over 26 m.
Controlling heat of hydration
Sheldon Temlett, Contracts Manager at M&D Construction, noted that certain solid sections of concrete needed to be carefully planned to control the heat of hydration which reached up to 70 degrees Celsius in the core.
“With a large mass of concrete, it is always important to keep core temperatures within 20 degrees of the outside temperature,” says Temlett. “We therefore used thermal blankets where possible to keep heat in, but in other parts of the construction we used aerolite in the shutter frames – monitoring this closely and waiting for over two weeks before we began the stripping out process.”
A critical factor in reducing the heat of hydration was the extensive use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) – specifically ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) –in the concrete mix, he points out. The concrete for the base of the tower contained 70% GGBFS and 30% AfriSam High Strength Cement (CEM II A-M (V-L) 42,5R), while the shaft floor used a 50:50 mix.
Mduduzi Ndlovu, AfriSam’s Product Technical Team Leader, highlights that – with the company’s success in reducing clinker in the cement itself –this meant the mix being used on the Main Reef water tower base contained just 20% of ordinary Portland cement (OPC).
“Our scientific innovation in this field has ensured consistent quality in the performance of our concrete – often beyond our expectations,” says Ndlovu. “In this project, for instance, we expected the mix to deliver grade strength of 52.7 MPa after 56 days – but we achieved this after just 28 days.”
Concrete slump factors
He highlights that the concrete slump was also an important variable in pouring the tower shaft. While the AfriSam plants at Prolecon and Eikenhof supplied the initial deliveries of
1 The concrete shaft, constructed to a height of 8 m and a thickness of 500 mm, expands into a coneshaped reservoir with a floor up to 1,2 m thick and a final diameter of more than 26 m
2 Communication between AfriSam and M&D Construction was critical to ensure that the right number of trucks were available and could deliver exactly what was needed
3 Only 12 m3 of concrete could be poured per hour to prevent the overloading of the formwork, which would otherwise have led to deformation of the shaft
4 The concrete mix design used for the Main Reef water tower base contained only 20% ordinary Portland cement (OPC)
readymix at a 165 mm slump to facilitate flow between the rebar, this would not be suitable for the slanted section at the top of the tower base.
“Here, slump control became critical, as we needed to limit the slump to 130 mm so that the concrete did not slide off the shuttering,” says Ndlovu.
Given the special shaft design to accommodate seismic risk, Temlett notes that the installing of rebar was a demanding task and required about 9 000 shear clips in a 7 m lift over an 8 m diameter. In contrast to the usual 80 to 120 kg of rebar in a cubic metre of reinforced concrete, this application demanded over 210 kg per cubic metre. With this level of congestion in the steelwork, M&D worked closely with AfriSam to test a variety of concrete mixes to find the most effective solution.
“The optimal choice was a high-slump pump mix which gave us the workability we needed,” he says. “We also applied a simple but effective solution to vibrate the concrete; to overcome the congestion of reinforcing bar, we inserted a PVC pipe between the rebar to within a metre of the bottom – so that we could apply a poker and lift the pipe as we progressed.”
Based on the learnings from the first lift, M&D made up a cage with scaffolding tubes and uprights, which were fitted to the inside of the rebar – speeding up the loading of the lacing bars. A basket was also developed for the 7 to 8 m lacing bars, offloading them once the frame had given the tower its shape.
Precise readymix logistics
The complexity of construction also has an effect on the readymix delivery cycles, says AfriSam Territory Manager Toni Williams, who works closely with M&D on this contract. The rate of rise in the formwork, for instance, is a key determinant of how much concrete was required on site at any one time.
“We liaise closely with the M&D team on site so that the right number of trucks are available,
and can deliver exactly when they need us,” says Williams. “It’s important that trucks deliver the volume timeously, but equally important that they don’t stand waiting on site while production catches up.”
Temlett explains that the good communication channels between his team and AfriSam has facilitated the finetuning of deliveries to match the 1 m per hour rate of rise when constructing the shaft.
“We could only pour at 12 m3 of concrete per hour, so that we didn’t overload the formwork which would have led to deformations in the shaft,” he says. “Essentially, the concrete needs time to reach its initial set, ensuring that the formwork keeps its shape.”
Having kicked off construction work in September 2024, M&D is planning to complete the Main Reef water tower in April 2026.
MANAGING SOUTH AFRICA’S BITUMEN SECURITY REQUIRES EXPERT LOGISTICS
The massive demand for new road construction and maintenance in South Africa and Africa hinges on sustained binder availability. IMIESA speaks to Fanie Loubser, General Manager for Bitumen Supplies and Services (BSS) and allied Group entity, Global Road Binders, about their strategic role in ensuring product on demand in an evolving global bitumen delivery market.
How has the local bitumen market changed in recent years?
Prior to 2020, there were four South African crude oil refineries producing bitumen, which have all progressively exited this key market segment. The remaining refineries will now focus on more lucrative white products, such as petrol, diesel and paraffin.
The last in the series to exit was National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF), based in Sasolburg, which prior to officially ceasing bitumen production at the end of September 2025 supplied around 20% of local demand. The balance was already being sourced from niche refineries globally. This now means that for the first time in its history, South Africa has become a 100% net bitumen importer. For our business, this development presents a major opportunity for expansion.
What is the Group’s track record to date in the bitumen market?
In most parts of Africa, local bitumen refining capacity is non-existent, and some 30 years ago BSS recognised this as a key opportunity to develop a binder logistics business to supply contractors and roads authorities on the continent. Today we operate in around 17 countries, with a well-established footprint thanks to long-term customer relationships. This is founded on our ability to guarantee quality bitumen products on time and in the right quantity that meet all engineering specifications.
In parallel, we established Global Road Binders to serve the South African market, with a progressive ramp up in our business model to fill the increasing capacity gaps brought about by progressive refinery closures.
of the Group’s tanker trucks offloading from a chartered vessel using a ship
Loubser, General Manager for Bitumen Supplies and Services (BSS) and allied Group entity, Global Road Binders
Combined, BSS and Global Road Binders collectively employ over 100 skilled personnel that contribute a major portion of overall bitumen volumes regionally. We are now gearing up to increase our volume capacities to fill the NATREF market gap.
We focus primarily on penetration grade bitumen classifications, which for South Africa are generally 35/50, 50/70, and 70/100 meeting SABS 4001 BT1 specifications.
How does South Africa’s shift to a net importer benefit the roads market?
As is well known, road construction tends to be a low margin business, where every material saving – bitumen being a major component –makes the difference between profit or loss.
In the past, local producer volumes were becoming increasingly erratic, which impacted on contractor procurement planning and project execution. On top of this, contractors buying direct were presented with fixed bitumen pricing structures that were not always cost competitive compared to international refineries. That had already spurred a shift in demand for lower priced bitumen imports – an area where BSS has assisted the market for decades through strategic agreements with key international bitumen refineries based in Asia and the Middle East.
So, a total import approach provides far more pricing flexibility. But with that there must be an industry assurance that South African import specialists have the capacity and expertise to effectively manage supply chain logistics. That
Two
to shore gantry
Fanie
includes navigating challenges that flare up due to global conflicts, so maintaining a broad global refinery client base is crucial to avoid potential bottlenecks.
The same requirement applies to the need for formal ship charter contracts, along with the financial capacity to ensure long-term supply guarantees well in advance of bulk shipment. That in itself sets a benchmark for entry into the import market because it requires substantial overall capital investment.
It’s an obvious cautionary note that our industry should steer away from international importer opportunists that arrive at our ports unannounced to sell “best priced” options.
What forms of quality assurance do you provide?
As a standard quality assurance protocol, BSS conducts a full BT 1 and PG grading on every vessel arriving with our imported products, as well as Geochem testing at the port of loading. Then in terms of our overall business, we are ISO 9001 certified.
Does the Group have sufficient storage capacity?
Absolutely, and that is an essential requirement for trading as an importer and trusted supplier.
In response to a sharp rise in demand, BSS has invested in additional bitumen depot storage at our facilities in Cape Town, Durban, and
BSS has strategically placed bitumen storage depots to serve South African and cross-border markets
Gqeberha, as well as at our inland supply base in Vanderbijlpark, with provision made for future expansion, especially in terms of the latter in meeting the inland gap left by NATREF.
Within the SADC region, we have facilities in Lilongwe, Lusaka and Windhoek, and supply across the region into neighbouring growth markets that include Botswana, the DRC and Zambia. Solutions here include our mobile bitumen emulsion plants and mobile polymer modified bitumen (PMB) plants to service SADC customers. This is not typically a requirement in South Africa due to the maturity of local asphalt producers and the ready availability of local emulsion products.
Does the changing bitumen dynamic require broader industry collaboration?
It’s a key requirement that should combine high level industry stakeholder engagement within the public and private sector, given the strategic importance of sustained and compliant bitumen product supply.
Here the role of the Southern African Bitumen Association (SABITA) – of which we are a longstanding member – is key as the quality gatekeeper. Representing member companies, SABITA has an Importers Working Group that is engaging with entities like the Department of Transport, and the South African National Roads Agency, to collectively identify the challenges and map out the way forward for the overall benefit of the roads sector – the backbone of our economy.
In the meantime, buyers of bitumen and allied products from SABITA members have the assurance that the highest global standards are being adhered to.
As a standard quality assurance protocol, BSS conducts a full BT 1 and PG grading on every vessel arriving with its imported products, as well as Geochem testing at the port of loading
Are there greener solutions in the pipeline in terms of bitumen product research?
BSS is very proud to have been involved with ongoing research conducted by various organisations on greener options. A prime example is an initiative in conjunction with the University of Pretoria and the CSIR on introducing recycled plastic into binders for asphalt pavements.
In parallel, there’s a need to revisit other sustainable solutions like seals and the application of slurry technologies. The latter are designed to reduce material consumption compared to full resurfacing to extend pavement life. These techniques were widely adopted in the past but have seen a drop off in usage.
Overall, bitumen emulsion is more environmentally friendly in terms of climate change impacts because it’s a cold application methodology. So, we should see more traction in this product segment.
And in closing?
South Africa’s shift to 100% bitumen imports opens up a whole new world of opportunity and is a positive development for the industry in proactively managing bitumen supply security, with the best internationally available products.
For current and future South African and African customers, the Group’s more than three decades of experience, product knowledge, extensive storage and logistical expertise provide total peace of mind.
Our customers know that they are dealing with a trusted partner with a deep understanding of market requirements. We have the proven capability to execute a supply plan for every project.
SEVEN DECADES OF EXCELLENCE
SALES AND ENGINEERING TEAMWORK
DRIVE BELL’S SUCCESS
A pioneer in mechanical innovation since 1954, Bell Equipment has progressively expanded its South African manufacturing base to become a highly respected brand at home and across the globe. IMIESA speaks to Tristan du Pisanie, Managing Director of Bell Equipment (Bell) Sales South Africa about product developments, business trends and Bell’s unique customer centric approach.
What are some of your career highlights at Bell Equipment?
As a mechanical engineer, I have an in-depth passion for research and development (R&D) and over the past 22 years at Bell have worked on both the engineering and product marketing side of the business, spearhead by our factory in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal. This is the R&D centre and manufacturing hub for all our OEM products destined for local and export markets.
Outside South Africa, our second manufacturing centre is in Germany, which is dedicated to manufacturing articulated dump trucks (ADTs) for the European and USA markets. Initially this started as an ADT assembly plant in 2003.
A career highlight between 2014 and 2018 was my role as global product marketing manager for Bell ADTs. In parallel has been my involvement in all ADT series developments since around 2003, including the various stages of the latest Bell ADT E-series rollouts.
Prior to taking on my current role in July 2025, I was Head of Engineering and Product Development in Richards Bay. Here I had the honour of leading the R&D team responsible for the conceptual design, pilot testing and final blueprint signoff of the new Bell motor grader line, which entered full-scale production in 2025.
How has the market responded to Bell’s grader rollout?
Alongside our ADTs, the Bell grader is our most significant innovation to date, and a core part of our progressive OEM diversification drive in the earthmoving sector. Years of R&D went into the grader line’s refinement, and we believe it’s a class leading product.
We’ve had a highly positive response from the South African and international market in both the public and private sector. This sentiment was reinforced during the grader line’s unveiling at bauma 2025 in Munich
Tristan du Pisanie, Managing Director of Bell Equipment
Sales South Africa
– the European Union’s largest construction machinery and allied expo.
A core part of Bell’s success as an OEM is that our engineers like taking on big challenges. Over the years, we’ve gained extensive local experience in the grader field as a dealer for other leading OEMs. It was a matter of time, but we knew it was a vital part of our portfolio expansion to devise our own unique interpretation.
This includes enhanced structural design and simplified electronics. The coolant package also meets the need for high ambient temperature conditions in hotter climates.
We’ve also focused on the critical component items. These include the sealed bearings on the circle governing the grader’s mouldboard. Here we’ve significantly enhanced durability to optimise overall availability and lifecycle maintenance costs.
In our current line-up, we are fielding the Bell G200, the Bell G160, and the Bell G140 and G140 Eco – all of which are lever controlled. The Bell G200 is predominantly designed for mining applications, while the Bell G160 meets both construction and lighter mining roles. In turn, the Bell G140 and G140 Eco typically serve the construction and municipal segments, respectively, for flexible pavement upgrades and gravel road maintenance. However, it’s important to emphasise that product selection is application specific. For example, a municipal customer might have a need for a Bell G200. Our role is to sit with the customer and develop the best fit-forpurpose solution based on an application study.
All the class sizes mentioned are now available. In the pipeline is our joystickcontrolled version, which is scheduled for release mid-2026.
The Bell G140 and G140 Eco typically serve the construction and municipal segments, respectively, for flexible pavement upgrades and gravel road maintenance
What are some of Bell’s other historical R&D milestones to note?
As an indication of our R&D heritage, Bell Equipment’s world-famous tri-wheeler for the sugarcane industry – launched in 1964 – was the major starting point for today’s multifaceted business. The next major evolution was the launch of our first ADT in 1984.
Other milestones include the unveiling of the C-series ADT in 1998, and the introduction of the Bell B50D in 2002, aimed at the mining sector. The latter set a new benchmark as the world’s largest production ADT at the time.
ADT E-series rollouts followed between 2013 and 2016, with 2020 marking the start of Bell Equipment’s first trials on autonomous ADT development. Since then, the E-series has received ongoing technological updates.
Within the mix, today the 6x4 and 6x6 drive E-series comes to market in
45,4 tonnes on the B50E. The B18E is road legal without a payload.
We also sell three 4×4 ADT models with respective rated payloads of 28, 41 and 55 tonnes. Having only two axles, these machines are ideal for confined jobsites like quarry haul roads, where a six-wheeled machine might not be practical.
Today we also build Bell articulated haulers with custom-built chassis bodies for a diverse range of applications across all industries. We also introduced a Bell tracked carrier series for all-terrain requirements that include pipeline construction.
Essentially, where Bell sees a viable commercial opportunity – niche or mainstream – we will respond with an OEM solution. A current example is our powerful new Series V haulage tractor released in 2025 for the agricultural and forestry segments, designed for efficient longer distance product transport over sometimes uneven roads. Similar applications would
How is customer support structured for South Africa and allied territories?
In South Africa, the UK and Zambia, Bell Equipment sells directly to customers for construction and mining products, and via dealers for our agricultural and forestry range. In the rest of the world, our Bell OEM machines are sold through independent dealers, which is the model commonly adopted by most OEMs globally.
As Managing Director of Bell Equipment Sales South Africa, I’m responsible for South Africa and Zambia for all facets of the business. This extends from sales to aftersales and maintenance. In addition to warranty repairs, the latter includes machine rebuilds, as well as remanufactured component swop outs, such as engines and transmissions, which are executed at the Richards Bay factory.
Why Is Bell’s current alliance partner OEM strategy important?
Locally and globally, our primary focus is on selling and supporting Bell OEM
Bell ADT
and
E-series comes to market in seven models, starting with an 18 tonne payload on the B18E and extending up to 45,4 tonnes on the B50E
Bell Equipment Sales South Africa is the official local distributor for JCB construction equipment
Bell manufactures three 4×4 ADT models with respective rated payloads of 28, 41 and 55 tonnes. These two axle machines are ideal for confined jobsites like quarry haul roads
The
6x4
6x6 drive
products. The Bell ADT and grader are core construction and mining product examples. However, we’ve progressively responded to a broader requirement from our customers in South Africa and Zambia for integrated solutions that work in conjunction with our Bell machines.
Over the years, we’ve refined our allied portfolio mix by forming alliance partnership agreements with other leading OEMs that are outside our current product scope, but strategically complementary. In terms of these agreements, Bell Equipment provides sales and after-sales support in the regions where we apply this model.
Within our current alliance OEM portfolio, we are proud to partner with JCB (underpinned by
their TLB offering), Kobelco for their hydraulic excavator line, and Finlay (renowned for best-in-class mobile crushing and screening solutions.)
As head of Bell Equipment Sales South Africa what are your primary objectives?
As an engineer I understand the in-depth requirements for mechanical performance optimisation. This experience has been reinforced by my past role as a customer facing product specialist. OEM product excellence is customer driven and their invaluable feedback heavily influences our R&D programme. Essentially, it’s about giving customers what they want.
So, moving into a sales role is a logical step in our quest to become the preferred OEM brand. At Bell, customers are Priority Number One – irrespective of their commercial scope. It’s what has sustained our business over more than seven decades.
Is the local market showing positive traction in terms of sales?
Bell has experienced a strong first half to our financial year ending 31st December 2025 for both new machines and aftersales. We’re seeing encouraging growth across the mining, quarrying and construction segments, with a number of our clients working across all three sectors. Demand in the agricultural and forestry segments has also been very buoyant.
Our Bell OEM market share gains in South Africa and Zambia have been further enhanced by our alliance partner OEM product lines.
Does Bell offer financing support? For international and local customers, we provide flexible finance through leading banks. Within the South African context, we understand how important this is in supporting emerging contractors. That requires a partnership approach. A recent example is our involvement in facilitating flexible financing for a sub-contractor working for a major mining client. We have a proven track record for similar SMME partnerships in the construction sector.
What does the future hold for Bell?
We’re a 70 year plus OEM with a proud track record that has built its reputation on constant innovation and exceptional customer service.
Our products are mechanically proven. We want to take this further with enhanced machine intelligence in a practical real-world environment that gives operators the best possible experience, and in parallel telemetry advancements for asset owners to deliver the lowest cost per tonne.
That’s why Bell’s engineers don’t design in isolation: everything is customer driven. Whether its engineering, sales or aftersales, we’re on the ground daily, interacting with customer management and their personnel. From applied experience, this has always served as the drawing board for future Bell product innovation.
Bell Equipment sells and supports Kobelco’s hydraulic excavator range within Southern Africa
THE CAPE MIRAGE?
WHY CAPE TOWN MAY BECOME ANOTHER DYSFUNCTIONAL AFRICAN CITY
Beneath Cape Town’s image of prosperity lies a fragile urban model, strained by migration, informality and fiscal stress.
By Burgert Gildenhuys*
The Western Cape and most notably the City of Cape Town, is routinely presented as the shining example of how South African municipalities should be run. Its apparent administrative competence, infrastructure investment record and comparative political stability have attracted widespread admiration, fuelling semigration from across the country and solidifying its reputation as a “model province”.
Yet beneath the polished image lies a growing structural contradiction: the very model that has earned the Western Cape its status is beginning to show signs of strain under the weight of internal contradictions, rising demographic pressure and increasingly fragile public finances.
A critical question is whether the Western Cape’s development trajectory is truly sustainable or whether it is merely a delayed entry onto the well-worn path of most African cities, where formal planning buckles under rapid urbanisation, and governance erodes under the weight of demographic and political pressures.
The allure and the illusion Cape Town’s administrative performance has often stood in contrast to the dysfunction of
metros like Johannesburg or eThekwini. It boasts comparatively low levels of corruption, better service coverage and visible infrastructure investments. In the 2023/24 financial year, 20 out of the 26 municipalities in the Western Cape received clean audits from the Auditor-General.
The narrative is one of technocratic competence: budgets are managed, services delivered and policies aligned with growth. Unsurprisingly, this has driven a wave of semi-migration, with middleclass households and businesses relocating in search of safety, reliable services and predictable regulations.
Yet, this migration has not been limited to professionals. The city and the broader province have also absorbed high numbers of impoverished migrants, especially those arriving from the Eastern Cape. Between 2011 and 2022, the city’s overall population grew by 27.6%, and the total number of households in the city increased by approximately 36%.
According to available data from GeoTerraImage, formal households comprise around 75% of total households, with backyard and informal dwellings contributing about 12% and 13%, respectively. (Census 22 did not report on backyard dwellings and indicated a decrease of 22.2% in
informal households). However, according to GeoTerraImage data, the ratios between these housing typologies have remained nearly the same since the 2011 Census. A more notable fact is that backyard dwellings, which grew from a relatively small base, have more than doubled since 2011, increasing from 9% to 12% of the total housing stock.
The result is a socio-spatial paradox: a highfunctioning city increasingly burdened by the pressures of national failure, absorbing the consequences of state decay elsewhere without the fiscal or institutional mechanisms to do so indefinitely.
Urbanisation without absorption
The Western Cape’s key vulnerability lies in the inability to absorb the volume and velocity of its in-migration in a structurally sound way. Informal settlements continue to expand on the periphery (Figure 1). Backyard dwellings proliferate in formal areas (Figure 2). Infrastructure in newly urbanised zones, particularly in areas like Khayelitsha, Delft and the southern corridor towns, is overloaded or altogether absent. According to census data from 2011, nearly 36% of Cape Town’s households live below the poverty line of less than R 3 500. Areas like Khayelitsha exemplify these pressures: over 50% of households live in informal dwellings, many residents are migrants from the Eastern Cape, and median family income is half the city's average.
The city’s development pipeline has struggled to keep pace, not due to a lack of planning but because formal systems are too slow, too regulated and too expensive to respond to realtime growth. Planning has become a compliance exercise rather than a tool for adaptation. The result is familiar across Africa: cities expand, but increasingly beyond the state’s design.
Housing failure as a structural fault line
Cape Town’s land and housing market has also become structurally exclusionary. The provincial government promotes a rhetoric of “pro-poor development”, but the formal housing supply continues to fall far short of need. Statesubsidised projects are slow, spatially peripheral and insufficient in scale. The private market, meanwhile, caters to the needs of the affluent. Notwithstanding government support efforts, the private sector cannot penetrate the lower
FIGURE 1 Distribution of informal households per 250 m hexagons
segments of the market for convenient and apparent reasons. This challenge is not new, but its implications are mounting. As more people arrive, the mismatch between demand and supply deepens, reinforcing spatial inequality and social tension.
Informality is therefore not a temporary condition, but a permanent feature of urban growth in the province, yet provincial and local policies still treat it as an aberration to be controlled or eradicated.
The myth of fiscal sustainability
For now, what sustains the Western Cape model is a relatively solid fiscal base. And this, too, is eroding. The property tax system and service tariffs depend heavily on middle and high-income residents. A focus on household income growth
as a derivative of economic growth generally yields better results for the municipal revenue base than persistent rate increases, which leads to lower payment levels and consumer resistance.
It is very risky to legitimise budgets as “propoor”. This can be interpreted as paying consumers being neglected. The current controversy surrounding Cape Town's budget, particularly its new fixed tariffs tied to property values, highlights these pressures. Pro-poor budgets often focus on high-profile infrastructure in “poor” areas that, at the same time, rely on national grants, which are simultaneously under pressure. Without sweeping fiscal reforms, this model will not stand. Without real reform to its revenue model, the Western Cape will struggle to maintain the appearance of sustainability.
3 Share of the urban population living in slums, 2022
A slum household is defined as a group of individuals living under the same roof lacking one or more of the following conditions: access to improved water, access to improved sanitation, sufficient living area, durability of housing, and security of tenure
Source: United Nations Human Settlements Programme
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Burgert Gildenhuys is a leading authority in municipal planning, infrastructure investment and public finance, with over 45 years of experience in South Africa and across Africa. As Managing Director of BC Gildenhuys & Associates and Founding Director of Spatial Data Services Africa NPC, he has pioneered infrastructure investment planning, delivering more than 100 investment plans, 30 spatial development projects and 45 capital expenditure frameworks. He has advised CoGTA, National Treasury, the World Bank and USAID, with contributions ranging from South Africa’s National Infrastructure Investment Strategy to Nigeria’s energy reforms. He continues to drive integrated, sustainable approaches to urban planning and finance.
Email: burgert@bcga.co.za or burgert@sdsafrica.net
Already, political pressure is mounting for greater redistribution, national departments are encroaching on local authority (especially in housing and transport), and investor confidence in municipal financing is becoming more cautious. The city may find itself managing a decline in real terms, even as it projects confidence on paper.
Repeating the African urban story
Many African cities followed similar trajectories: early modern planning, centralised infrastructure and initial fiscal capacity gave way to unmanaged informality, state retreat and fragmented governance. Nairobi, Lusaka, Dakar and Accra all started with formal urban cores and rational
FIGURE 2 Distribution of backyard dwellings per 250 m hexagons
FIGURE
master plans, but the pressures of rapid urban growth, political interference and fiscal dependency eroded their capacity over time. Across regions, Central and East Africa are home to countries with the highest shares of urban populations living in slums (Figure 3).
Cape Town is not immune. It is already experiencing key symptoms: infrastructure strain, institutional overload, rising land contestation and service disparities between formal and informal zones. The technocratic sheen may delay collapse, but unless the structural underpinnings are addressed, the province risks arriving at the same destination, just more elegantly.
The Western Cape cannot continue to manage growth through the narrow lens of fiscal discipline, master planning and incremental project delivery. It needs to reframe its urban strategy to fundamentally embrace informality as a central component of urban life, rather than a side effect. This requires releasing land at scale to facilitate organic urban expansion within a managed framework.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This article was originally published in Africa Tomorrow Blog by the Institute for Security Studies. https://futures.issafrica.org/ blog/2025/The-Cape-Mirage-Why-Cape-Town-may-become-anotherdysfunctional-African-city
In the process, the city must shift infrastructure investment to reflect income generation and a positive rate of return, growing the revenue base to support low-income households. Revenue models must be reformed to reflect demographic realities and reduce dependence on overstretched cross-subsidies. Finally, the city will need to reclaim its autonomy as outlined in the South African Constitution and resist creeping national control that erodes local fiscal and planning discretion.
Conclusion
The Western Cape is not yet a failed province, but its urban areas are not immune to the failures that have shaped so many African
cities. Its governance model, while stronger than others, is fundamentally unprepared for the scale and nature of urbanisation now underway. The idea that Cape Town is different may be comforting to some, but the facts on the ground increasingly contradict it. Suppose the province continues on its current path by managing growth without structurally adapting to it; it will become a textbook case of how even the best-performing cities in Africa eventually converge with the rest. The Western Cape may still be ahead, but it is running the same race.
There has never been an infrastructure project that has ever been delivered without risk and uncertainty. All projects have a level of risk which engineers are well trained to anticipate, manage, and mitigate. Risk management is so well embedded in infrastructure engineering that just about every design manual has factors in place that help minimise risks. By Sthembile Mnengela
Armed with these design and construction manuals, engineers tame rivers into concrete dams. Successful delivery of any infrastructure project involves mitigating and managing a myriad of risks and engineers have been doing this successfully for centuries.
If engineers are so good at managing risk, how is it that risk management has become increasingly more difficult, and risk registers longer than ever? Change! The dynamic nature of the type of risks that engineers face today is much different to the risks they were trained to anticipate, manage, and mitigate.
The trusted manuals help mitigate the risk of crashes due to traffic signals being green for two conflicting movements at the same time or the risk of bridges collapsing under various loading scenarios. However, none of the manuals help engineers deal with rapid and severe changes in weather patterns, or sudden funding shortfalls caused by developments in faraway lands that do not just slow projects down but grind them to a halt.
Neither do they help deal with irate stakeholders that object to a project because they were never included in the planning. Engineers are analytical, conscientious and very methodical, with years of university training inculcating these crucial traits. This is the reason that infrastructure often lasts beyond its intended lifespans because engineering methods applied are tried, tested and proven.
Embracing risk
Risks, however, are never methodical and, in this ever-changing world, risks that can stop
a project are dynamic and mostly unforeseen. As soon as one risk is mitigated, another materialises. Engineering training inclines engineers to try and eliminate risk, then continue as planned, yet risk cannot be fully mitigated away. It can, in fact, be embraced, and opportunities presented by every risk can be beneficial.
Embracing risk goes against the very nature of engineering professionals. No engineer has ever said: “Embrace risk!” However, there are industries that do just that. The tech industry embraces risk and thus thrives in dynamic environments. Tech products are developed in rapid iterations of trial, fail, and learn.
Granted, we cannot afford to adopt the same try and fail methods when it comes to infrastructure projects. However, engineers can benefit from thinking in an agile manner when planning, managing, and ultimately delivering infrastructure projects.
Decision gates
Several established, agile methodologies already exist in the broader world of project management which engineers can tap into to develop more agile ways of managing risk. For example, in infrastructure projects there are mainly three decision gate stages where go/no go decisions are made. These are the project feasibility, planning, and design stages.
During the construction phase, the project is largely implemented in accordance with an approved design, with only minor changes where necessary. In this ever-changing world of dynamic risks that are often difficult to anticipate, should there not be better risk planning and more decision gates to account for risks?
Can risks to funding be actively anticipated by having approved “scaled back” designs that supplement the “as intended” designs or, perhaps, actively include the customer/ user in design iterations? Can engineers truly co-create with communities and other project stakeholders instead of just obtaining buy-in, thereby embracing the risks that may come with this collaborative process?
These questions require a shift in mindset, one where risks are leveraged rather than avoided, where a user requirement analysis is the norm rather than the exception, where no stakeholder is required to just “buy-in” to the project but where engineers, communities, funders, and implementing agencies truly cocreate and have needs met rather than just kept satisfied.
Universities hold great power in shaping young engineering minds, and young minds hold great creative potential that has not yet learnt to be risk averse. This is the right environment for experienced engineers to impart the methodical conscientiousness for young minds to embrace new, more agile methodologies of managing risk.
Universities produce excellent engineers, but there is room for added agility in risk management. The modern engineer needs to leverage the opportunities presented by risk. This uncertain, ever-changing global environment demands it.
Sthembile Mnengela, Technical Director at Zutari
CUSTOM BUILT GANTRY SYSTEM AIDS HS2 TBM REMOVALS
In order to excavate larger tunnels, tunnel boring machines (TBMs) have grown to be colossal in size and so getting them out of the ground can be a significant challenge, particularly in urban, built-up areas.
This was the challenge facing Mammoet in removing TBMs manufactured by Herrenknecht and used to excavate tunnels for High Speed 2 (HS2) – a high-profile British rail project linking Birmingham and London.
Through close collaboration with Skanska Costain STRABAG JV (SCS JV) and Herrenknecht, a gantry solution was custom designed and assembled. This enabled the removal of key TBM sections as single items, siginficantly reducing overall dismantling requirements.
Rise of the machines
Four TBMs were used to excavate the 8.4 mile Northolt Tunnel section of the HS2 route. The tunnel consists of two (twin) tunnels. In each tunnel, two TBMs were launched from the opposite ends of the route, digging towards each
other until they met at a central point – Green Park Way vent shaft site – which has two shafts.
The ventilation shafts are 35 m above the tunnels, and the location from where all the TBMs were extracted once they had completed tunnelling. Mammoet’s intention was to remove the biggest components – the cutter head, front and middle shield – in single lifts so that they did not need to be taken apart.
“Different approaches were considered at the start,” explains Darren Watson, Sales Director at Mammoet. “One option was that the TBMs would be split and disassembled within the shaft and the component parts lifted out by a crane. However, this would have meant people working down there in a very congested space, with ventilation issues to overcome and a large crane taking up a significant portion of the compound area above, interfering with other works on site.”
Design of the chosen custom built gantry system began around nine months prior to execution. Once approved, it went into a detailed engineering phase of five months. The gantry was then constructed on site over the period of one month. This served the purpose of lifting and placing the TBM sections onto Self-Propelled Modular Transporters (SPMTs).
Creating the gantry system
While much of the equipment used to construct the gantry system already existed, it had never been assembled into this arrangement. There was also an element of fabrication required to realise its design and give it the ability to lift a maximum weight of 900 t.
The gantry was mounted onto a hydraulic skidding system, which allowed it to move backwards and forwards so that it could be positioned over the openings of the two vent shafts. It was also designed with an equaliser beam containing an inbuilt swivel to bring everything to a central point. This enabled all components which were lifted to be rotated.
“Normally, if that was any other piece of equipment, you would have to attach another
On completion of the tunnel works, each TBM was removed in sections via a custom built gantry and positioned on tandem Self-Propelled Modular Transporters for relocation to a disassembly yard
A TBM section being hoisted out via a ventilation shaft
The design of Mammoet’s custom built gantry system for the extraction of the TBM sections began around nine months prior to execution
The total works needed four 24-hour lift and carry operations
system and exert external force onto the load to turn it. This would require a lot of manual handling. We created a system that could be remote controlled for ease of operation,” explains Sam Ellwood, Lead Engineer at Mammoet.
“This avoided us having to use taglines and winches – and besides, we would have had to get close to the load to attach items to it. Our solution allowed us to be ‘hands off’, so that everything could be kept isolated. This made for a safer operation.”
This manoeuvrability was of particular importance as the design of one of the vent shafts differed from the other. Beneath the ground, it undercut the nearby railway track.
Moreover, while the underground HS2 line runs parallel with this train line, the skidding track could not. Therefore, a slight turning operation was required, mid-lift, to put the TBM sections in the right orientation for skidding.
Once each TBM section was successfully lifted out of the vent shafts, the gantry was moved and positioned over 32 axle lines of SPMTs, parked between the tracks of the skidding system.
Holding a steel cradle to support the sections during transit, the SPMTs then drove them to an area on site for disassembly, lowering them to ground level for further dismantling using climbing jacks. This reduced the need to work at height when removing the hydraulic rams, drive motors and other ancillary equipment inside.
The extraction programme was a hugely complex exercise in collaboration and teamwork between Mammoet, Herrenknecht, SCS JV and the wider HS2 team.
Comments Herrenknecht International Ltd Managing Director, Richard Dexter: “The two –and, more widely, four – site teams had to erect
and commission the system at the start of the year, and then, several months later, coordinate lifting in twelve-hour windows during weekend railway possessions.
“The total works needed four 24-hour lift and carry operations. These were, in turn, based upon four week-long preparations, two monthlong assemble and disassemble periods and eight months of intense engineering, design, planning, structural analysis, materials and weld testing – as well as possessions and community engagement.”
A solution for future TBM extractions
This project demonstrates how Mammoet helps its customers to reduce time and costs on projects through consideration of the entire project scope, allowing for delivery of a highly detailed engineering solution.
“Herrenknecht and Mammoet were aligned in our goals and worked closely together,” adds Watson.
“As a team we wanted to remove the load in the largest piece possible, removing the need for size reduction, and extracting the TBMs in as little time as possible. Herrenknecht see the value we can bring to the table when it comes to complex lifts.”
Dexter agrees: “It has been one of the smoothest real-time demonstrations of relationships developed over many years, brought into play to solve a considerable challenge. Together, all of the teams yielded large time savings for the project, in the form of early access for follow-on tasks of several months in each of the four tunnels.”
Mammoet is already looking ahead to other projects that could utilise the gantry system. It could be used for a wide variety of applications that require heavy lifting in confined spaces.
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SENQU BRIDGE NEARS COMPLETION
Situated high up in the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho, the Senqu Bridge – the first extradosed structure to be built in Lesotho –will be more than just a crossing over the future Polihali reservoir. It will be a lifeline, reconnecting communities, and a showcase of innovative bridge engineering in one of Africa’s most challenging environments.
Forming the central component of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II programme, when the approximately 166 m high Polihali Dam is complete its reservoir will flood 5 042 hectares of the Senqu and Khubelu river valleys, submerging roads, farmland, and even sections of Lesotho’s vital A1 national route. Without intervention, Mokhotlong – the regional hub – would lose its primary road link to the rest of the country. Three existing river crossings on the primary A1 route will also vanish beneath the water, including the deepest at the Senqu River, where the valley will be inundated to a depth of around 80 m.
The solution: a new bridge that could soar over the future reservoir, restore connectivity, and withstand the extremes of mountain weather.
From conventional to cutting-edge
The original concept for the Senqu Bridge was an 830 m incrementally launched structure with 16 piers and 50 m spans. But this plan posed a major problem: three piers would have to be built
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designed the Mabunyaneng and Khubelu bridges, the other two major bridges to be constructed under Phase II. Zutari is also supervising the construction of the three bridges.
in or near the river itself, requiring massive coffer dams to hold back unpredictable floodwaters. The breakthrough came with the decision to adopt an extradosed bridge design – a hybrid between a box-girder bridge and a cable-stayed bridge. By doubling the central span from 50 to 100 m, engineers eliminated the need for a central pier in the river. This not only reduced construction risk but also simplified work in the steep, oblique valley crossing.
Work on the bridge design started in 2018, led by Zutari, formerly Aurecon Lesotho, which also
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In turn, the Senqu Bridge construction tender was awarded to the WRES Joint Venture, which includes South African, Lesotho and international companies as per the requirements of the Phase II Agreement. The primary partners are Webuild S.p.A. (Italy), Raubex Construction (South Africa), Enza Construction (South Africa) and Sigma Construction (Lesotho). Sub-contractors include EXR Construction (South Africa), GleitbauGeselschaft (Austria), Post Tensioning and Structural Solutions (South Africa) and Freyssinet International et Cie (France).
The role of the cables
The extradosed design’s signature cable-stayed section plays a dual role. During construction, as 25 m deck segments were launched from each abutment, the cables supported the leading edge of the deck as it extended over the void. Initially, only the topmost cables were installed but once the 100 m central span was reached,
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the full array of cables is engaged, permanently supporting the deck against traffic loads, wind, and seismic forces.
Engineering at 2 100 metres
Building in the Lesotho Highlands is not for the faint-hearted. The site sits at 2 100 m above sea level, accessible only via steep mountain passes topping 3 000 m. Most materials must be trucked in from South Africa, adding border logistics to the list of challenges.
Winter temperatures can plunge below -15°C, while summer highs can exceed 35°C. Violent thunderstorms, strong winds, and snow complicate work schedules. To keep crews safe and productive, the project team has deployed freezer suits, infrared heaters, and low-temperature accommodation units. These are measures rarely seen on African construction sites.
The terrain itself is equally unforgiving. On the west bank, access roads had to be blasted into sheer cliffs, and foundations for the first five piers were excavated sequentially from the top down.
Designing for a flooded future
One of the most unusual engineering challenges was designing tall, slender reinforced concrete piers that will eventually stand submerged up to 80 m underwater. The team had to account for hydrodynamic forces, potential seismic events, and even the potential impact of a landslide into the reservoir. This required significant reinforcement in both piers and foundations.
The extradosed deck also demanded dense reinforcement, particularly around the cable pylons, leading to complex steel fixing operations. Close collaboration between contractor and engineer was essential to keep progress on track.
Milestones and momentum
Construction of the bridge began in earnest in June 2023 following the completion of the site establishment work. By July 2024 eight of the 15 piers had been completed, and work was underway on the leading deck segments on both banks.
Fast forwarding to December 2024, the contractor had completed all 15 piers and both abutments – a major milestone. And by the end of February 2025, the two extradosed cable-stay sections had been cast and launched, the deck was more than 25% complete, and the overall project was past the 75% mark.
In early August 2025 excitement was building on the Senqu Bridge construction site: the leading edge of both decks had reached the final piers leaving only the final 100 m left to launch. On 15th August, the final deck segment on the western abutment was cast, with the final deck segment on the eastern abutment cast only a week later.
By the end of August, the final stages of the deck construction were well advanced. Inside the deck, construction of the stiffening diaphragms that sit above each of the piers were well under way. On top, the installation of the ten remaining cable stays (five on each side) had begun. On the leading edges removal of the temporary steel “noses”
was nearly complete, while on the abutments the dismantling of the temporary construction sheds was also close to completion.
With crews working from both ends of the bridge, the deck steadily extended toward the centre, with the two halves meeting during September 2025. This will be followed by the meticulous “stitching together” to form the continuous 822 m long deck.
After that the final stressing of the deck’s internal cables is done, the balustrades and handrails are completed, the approach roads finished, and finally the bridge deck will be surfaced.
If all goes to plan, the Senqu Bridge will open to traffic in February 2026 – restoring a vital artery across Lesotho’s highlands and standing as a testament to ingenuity under extreme conditions.
“This bridge is not just about engineering," says Nts’oli Maiketso, Divisional Manager for Phase II of the project. “It’s about ensuring that communities remain connected, that children can still get to school, and that trade and livelihoods can continue despite the changes the dam will bring.”
When the ribbon is finally cut, the Senqu Bridge will not only span a deep valley – it will bridge the gap between isolation and opportunity for thousands of people in Lesotho’s rugged heartland.
1 Initial earthworks and excavations under way in November 2023. The existing bridge depicted is an older structure
2 Construction of the coffer dam for pier 9 under way during November 2023
3 Casting of the massive pier 9 foundation during February 2024, safe from floods behind a temporary coffer dam wall
4 Steel fixing in progress for pier 11’s foundation
5 By December 2024, all 15 piers and approximately 10% of the deck had been completed
6 August 2025: The eastern temporary nose is cut into pieces for removal
7 September 2025: the closing gap
8 29 th September 2025: Both decks are now in their final position leaving the 1.5 m gap that must now be “stitched” 8 6 7
BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER IN THE NAME OF ASPHALT QUALITY
The Society for Asphalt Technology (SAT) has close on 750 members, individuals who collectively play an immense positive role in the quality, sustainability, and safety of the asphalt on our roads across South Africa and beyond.
In SAT’s 31-year history, asphalt practitioners running well into the thousands have benefitted from learning, mentoring, teamwork and networking under the umbrella of the Society. Thanks to the combined expertise of these consultants, contractors, suppliers, teachers, researchers, and technicians, South Africa’s asphalt industry is one of the most innovative in the world. Bringing these individuals together to create excellence and solve problems is SAT’s mandate.
Delivering value
Recent industry events hosted by different regions of SAT illustrate the Society’s commitment to delivering value not only to its members but to the industry. The technical excellence shared at each of these events highlights how a quality road begins and ends with SAT members.
Sponsorships from industry and educational institutions help significantly in keeping the prices of SAT's regular seminars and webinars low by industry standards, and illustrate the value perceived by employers and academia.
Paverlaid construction
Belindar Preethapal, Chair of the SAT Central Region, explains that its September 2025 seminar, hosted at the University of Pretoria,
showcased how paverlaid construction is transforming roadbuilding with high-quality, fasttrack solutions. “We took delegates through the different pavement layers and their application, shared the latest advancements and equipment, and unpacked the real-world challenges in delivering efficiency and durability.”
Importantly the presentations included discussions by experts on every aspect of the asphalt journey from plant mixed BSM, to achieving quality and efficiency in use of the asphalt, paving base layers, and a client perspective on expectations and project outcomes. The event attracted 49 in-person guests and 80 more online.
Site quality control
An ever-present challenge in the construction sector, site quality control was the topic of the SAT Southern Region’s event in late July, hosted at the SANRAL auditorium in Cape Town.
Southern Region Chair Nishaat Mowzer says the importance of quality control and assurance on site cannot be over-emphasised in ensuring that materials and workmanship meet the required specifications, and preventing premature failures, costly rework, and legal claims.
The 60 in-person delegates and 232 online attendees heard from senior SAT members about site lab audits, challenges with site establishment,
The Eastern Cape Region of SAT hosted the “Pothole Olympics” in East London in October 2025. This free show-and-tell workshop had students and interns hard at work patching potholes with cold mix asphalt, guided by senior SAT members.
staffing and equipment issues, laboratory systems, equipment calibration and verification, and test result considerations.
Beyond the surface
Beyond the Surface – Control and Acceptance in the Asphalt Construction Industry, was a theme selected by SAT Eastern Region members, according to regional chair Nteseng Ramoraswi. It came out of a poll conducted by the regional committee aimed at tackling matters that emerged as most relevant to the industry. This August 2025 online event attracted almost 200 participants.
“The speakers followed the sequence of activities required to yield successful projects,” says Ramoraswi. These were the importance of re-establishment and pre-supply meetings (stakeholder engagement); leading indicators to confirm a working mix that yields intended results; construction quality control intricacies required to ensure good placement; laboratory QC; and finally key details leading to acceptance or rejection of a paved asphalt mix (COTO chapter 20).
“We are in a season of high value asphalt construction projects in KwaZulu-Natal,” she points out. “Understanding what constitutes a successful project is important to all stakeholders and our webinar aimed to cultivate a proactive approach rather than a reactive response.”
Road Pavement and Maintenance Forums
In addition to its regional and national seminars and webinars and its biennial SATBinderrr conference, launched in 2021, SAT is a sponsor member of the Road Pavement Forum (RPF), and serves on the steering committee of the Road Maintenance Forum (RMF), both essential platforms represented by all the major organisations involved in the South African roadbuilding industry. SAT members also play a leading role in the Conference on Asphalt Pavements for Southern Africa (CAPSA).
Belindar Preethapal, SAT Central Region Chair
Nishaat Mowzer, SAT Southern Region Chair
Nteseng Ramoraswi, SAT Eastern Region Chair
DITSHIMEGA PROJECTS
BUILDS CITY OF TSHWANE’S FIRST PRECAST CONCRETE RESERVOIR
The roof structure, consisting of precast concrete columns and beams, as well as hollow core slabs, is the first to be integrated on site
Ditshimega Projects has partnered with Corestruc to fast-track the construction of a 20 M ℓ reservoir in Winterveld, located on the north-western corner of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (City of Tshwane).
Situated in Winterveld Extension 3 and 4, the reservoir is part of a large water supply project, including a 11 km water reticulation system, that is being constructed in this growing node which has a population of more 120 000 people.
In addition, Ditshimega Projects has been engaged to build a 10 km bulk sewer line in the area to also provide this community with access to quality sanitation. To date, many households in this community have had to use pit latrines because they are not connected to water and sanitation systems.
Ditshimega Projects has already constructed many reservoirs throughout the country for municipalities. However, this time around, the company will not use cast-in-place methods. Instead, it has opted for precast concrete, which
has proved to be a significantly faster method of building these complex structures, saving other municipalities, water service authorities and industries in construction time and costs. This development will also make the City of Tshwane the latest metropolitan municipality to harness the many benefits of Corestruc’s system.
Moses Baloyi, a seasoned Ditshimega Projects’ Civil Engineering Technologist, introduced this method of constructing reservoirs to the City of Johannesburg and its consulting engineering team Bahlaphing Consulting.
Staying ahead of the innovation curve
“Considering our strong focus on water and sanitation infrastructure, Ditshimega Projects has kept a very close eye on Corestruc’s technology especially with regards to its ability
to accelerate the construction of large water retaining structures in another metropolitan municipality.
“We must ensure that we are always at the cutting-edge of concrete design and application, with Corestruc’s award winning technology having proved time and time again to be a ‘game changer’. Our involvement in upgrading water infrastructure in Winterveld as the principal contractor provided the ideal opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the technology so that we stay ahead of the innovation curve,” Baloyi says.
Ditshimega Projects’ consulting engineering arm also evaluated the system and deemed it suitable for this project. It is also proposing building another large reservoir in the city with this system.
Baloyi, himself, has overseen the construction of many reservoirs throughout his successful career as a Civil Engineering Technologist and over the past eight years as a Ditshimega Projects’ Contracts Manager. This is knowledge that has placed him in very good stead on this project.
He notes that this method has already shown to be significantly faster than in-situ construction. The inner portion of the large roof structure, consisting of prefabricated columns, beams and hollow core slabs, as well as the insitu concrete slab, has already been completed. Ditshimega Projects is currently constructing the ring beam that supports the wall panels.
“Members of the Winterveld community are excited to see their reservoir being constructed so quickly especially considering that this project was delayed in 2016 due to a lack of funding,” he says.
Roof phase
Using cast-in-place methods, the reservoir roof can only be constructed once the wall and columns have reached their final height. The process also entails installing tons of propping inside the structure to support the formwork for the roof and concrete slab while it cures. This is not to mention the time spent on steel fixing and shuttering at height.
“We started manufacturing the roof during earthworks and site terracing so that the various precast concrete elements were ready to be dispatched once the in-situ column bases were completed. Including the roof, floor slab and column bases, multiple trades were, therefore, working simultaneously.
“This is how we are able to shave months off the production schedule whereas the traditional approach only allows for one trade to work at a
time, starting with the floor slab and thereafter the wall and columns, before work can start on the roof.
“There is very little scope for error as delays in any one of the components will impact on the next, bearing in mind that the roof is usually the most complex and time-consuming aspect and, therefore, needs to be planned very carefully,” he says.
The dowels that protrude from precast concrete columns for the roof are connected to the hold-down bolts in the column bases. Thereafter, the suspended prefabricated beams are connected to the dowels protruding from the columns. Hollow core slabs are then coupled to stirrups cast into the beams. By placing steel reinforcing inside the voids of the hollow core slabs and then filling them with in-situ concrete, the stirrups act as mechanical interlocks.
Considering the efficiency of Corestruc’s process, its precast concrete roof design is often also incorporated into cast-in-place reservoir construction projects. The floor and wall are constructed conventionally and the roof with precast concrete, saving months in construction time.
High tolerances are maintained throughout integration due to Corestruc’s expert rigging services, as well as precise design and manufacture of the various precast concrete elements.
Community participation
“As part of the socio-economic and enterprise development target of the contract, we’ve also ensured that members of the community are employed to work alongside Corestruc when integrating the precast concrete elements. This is opposed to only participating in the construction of the water reticulation system
Once the roof has been integrated, the precast concrete wall panels will be installed on top of the ring beam
and the sewer line, as well as the floor slab, ring beam and ancillary works associated with the reservoir.
“When this project is completed, we want the community to have also gained experience in specialist trades, such as rigging which is used across so many different industries and therefore a highly employable skill,” Baloyi says.
These individuals will also have the opportunity to gain further knowledge while assisting Corestruc and Ditshimega Projects integrate the wall panels and prepare for post-tensioning.
“Considering the progress made thus far, I am very confident that we will be able to complete the structure in four months, with minor challenges encountered thus far,” he says, adding that once the panels have been integrated and the wall post-tensioned, the outer portion of the roof will be completed. A grout topping is then placed over the hollow core slabs to form a monolithic structure and a precast concrete coping installed around the perimeter of the roof.
Watertight design
Having successfully supervised the in-situ construction of many reservoirs, he says that building watertight concrete structures is a complex process that is fraught with many challenges.
“It requires meticulous site practice, and this takes time, while also navigating the many variables encountered on the work site,” Baloyi says. “To avoid honeycombing that prevent a strong, watertight bond between the two layers in the reservoir wall, sound compaction and placement of concrete in the formwork are required.”
“Concrete pumping into deep forms must also be carefully managed to ensure consistent
Corestruc’s system allows for multiple trades to work simultaneously, saving on construction time
natural packing density is not interrupted by shutters as this can result in porosity at the top and bottom of the wall,” he adds.
Other important considerations include ensuring adequate cover; retaining grout between the adjacent shutters; and the correct installation of hydrophilic waterstops and bearing pads, which play a critical role in transferring loads to the foundation and facilitate movement.
“This may seem obvious, but these problems are still being encountered on reservoirs to this very day which is a significant waste of limited municipal resources,” Baloyi says.
By prefabricating the wall in a factory, Corestruc’s system successfully addresses all of these factors.
For example, curing is always undertaken in ideal conditions to ensure each, and every prefabricated element achieves its maximum potential strength. Using sophisticated mixing techniques, less permeable, denser and stronger concrete is attainable. The use of chemical additives in correct dosages also ensures a more resistant concrete that can
withstand deleterious agents such as carbon, chlorides and sulphate attack. Considering that these elements are also manufactured at ground level, precast concrete can also be a safer option.
He explains that the first wall panel is supported on the ring beam by a push and pull prop. Steel brackets hold the panels together and the completed wall is then braced back to the roof structure for temporary support, eliminating the need for installation of extensive propping.
Unbonded cables are pushed through the polyvinyl sleeves in the panels and grouted monolithically with panel joints. A high-strength and flow grout with an extended pot life is then poured continuously in between the wall panels and horizontal cable sleeves.
When the grout has cured to 80 MPa, the cables are stressed via four precast concrete buttress panels spaced along the reservoir perimeter.
The wall is then pinned by casting a 200 mm to 250 mm high reinforced kicker on both
Structa Technology is a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor , and is part of the STRUCTA GROUP of Companies
sides of each panel and the joints between the panels grouted with a high-flow and strength grout. Post-tensioning renders the panels in compression to achieve water tightness.
Slide-and-pinned system
“Corestruc uses a ‘slide-and-pinned’ system. Post-tensioning is undertaken when the wall is not yet fixed to the ring footing and it is, therefore, allowed to slide on a steel bearing or locating plates. The coated post-tensioned cables are not bonded to the grout with the reservoir designed to maintain a residual compression of a minimum of 1 MPa in all directions.
“Horizontal reactions to the wall base are transferred to the ring foundation through the second phase cast in-situ kicker. This is where the ring tension in the base is also activated to resist the reaction. Additional post-tensioning of the lower part of the wall reduces the amount of rebar required in the cast in-situ ring footing,” Baloyi concludes.
Structa Technology’s Prestanks are hygienically safe, cost effective and a reliable way to store water for commercial sectors, private sectors and even for personalized storage. Temporary or permanent erection at mines, powerstations, building sites, hospitals, water affairs, municipalities, rural communities and agriculture.
WATER STORAGE
A WATER-FRIENDLY ALTERNATIVE
The installation of natural pools or ponds is an exciting lifestyle trend in landscapes, home gardens and public spaces. A natural pool is a type of constructed wetland that is implemented to purify and store water safely and effectively.
Atypical residential swimming pool can hold anything from 20 000 to 80 000 litres of water. On the Highveld, a pool can lose up to 2 m of water a year from evaporation, while in hotter, more arid regions up to 3,5 m of water can be lost.
Natural pools are eco-friendly and do not require the use of chemicals. Integrated into the surrounding environment, they act as mini-ecosystems and can provide a habitat to several aquatic plants and animals.
Besides providing an opportunity for the swimmer to indulge in pure, chemical-free dips, natural pools can become a beautiful feature of any contemporary garden.
How do they work?
Using the concept of wetland or river ecosystems, natural pools use indigenous aquatic vegetation and simple filtration systems to clean the water. Beneficial microorganisms are inoculated into the filter system to break down waste, which is then absorbed by the roots of the aquatic plants. As a result, there are no food sources to facilitate the growth of algae.
The natural system working around, and in the pond, consists of different filtering layers.
There is a top wetland area – a large, raised plant box next to the pond, which is filled with bog plants in a substrate of coarse bark and a thick layer of gravel. The stone and bark act as an anchor medium for the plants that create a habitat for the microorganisms which break down pollutants, while the gravel acts as a natural filter.
Water is continuously circulated and pushed through this wetland area over a small waterfall, which aids oxygenation, into a lower wetland zone, establishing a beautiful water-lily pond apart from, but adjacent to, the actual swimming area. The water is sucked through the water lilies, another regeneration zone, which clears it of further impurities before it is circulated back into the swimming area.
Benefits
Natural ponds provide a number of benefits, such as:
• Providing a habitat for aquatic birds and animals.
• Extended storage of water for irrigation.
• Low cost due to low maintenance and operational costs.
• Removal of chemicals and heavy metals from water.
Maintenance of natural pools is easy – simply clearing the filter of leaves and other debris and pruning the natural vegetation once a month is enough to successfully maintain a functioning natural pool.
To reduce the costs of filling the pool with potable water, as one does with conventional pools, the efficient filtering and cleansing that occurs in a natural pool means that rainwater can be harvested to supply the pool. By using harvested water and solarpowered filter systems, a natural pool can be taken “off the grid”.
REMEDIATED WITHIN 48 HOURS
EMERGENCY SUBSIDENCE COUNTERMEASURES SAFEGUARD HOSPITAL’S MRI SUITE
During the construction of a new double-storey parking facility at a private hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, piling activities were being undertaken to support the structure. Inadvertently, the ensuing vibrations caused friction at a joint on the hospital’s main water supply line, resulting in a pipe burst and neighbouring building subsidence. IMIESA speaks to Tony Pappalardo, managing director at Uretek Geo-Systems (Uretek) about their rapid remediation response.
At the start of the weekend on 6th September 2025, surface water was noticed in the vicinity of the works. As there was no drop in water pressure, it was initially assumed to be groundwater linked to the piling operations,” Pappalardo explains. “However, by Saturday night the hospital experienced a significant drop in water pressure, and it was confirmed that a pipe rupture had turned into a major leak.”
An emergency plumber was called to carry out temporary repairs. However, during the course of the night approximately 80 000 litres of water escaped, infiltrating the soils below the section of the building that houses the hospital’s MRI facility. This water loss created voids beneath the floor slabs, resulting in settlement and structural cracking. The area was subsequently declared unsafe for daily use, with no clear timeline resolution.
On Friday 12 th September, Uretek was contacted by Fortem Consulting Engineers to assist with an urgent remediation solution.
“The affected structure was of critical importance, housing highly sensitive medical imaging equipment. Therefore, the situation required immediate intervention to prevent further ground deterioration and to restore the safety and serviceability of the facility,” Pappalardo continues.
The solutions employed were the patented Uretek Deep Injection® (UDI) and slab lifting processes. Proven locally and globally for
close to four decades, these fast-tracked geopolymer resin injected soil stabilisation methodologies continue to set the standard in the geotechnical industry.
Rapid response
“Thanks to Uretek’s extensive experience on similar projects, we were able to present a methodology statement and budget proposal over the weekend, based on the preliminary information provided,” Pappalardo explains.
Following discussions with the consulting engineer, the client, and the broader professional team, formal approval was provided late on Monday 15th September.
“The consulting engineer – who had never previously worked with Uretek – had to convince the client that our technologies could provide a reliable solution under the unique circumstances. This represented a significant leap of faith by the professional team,” Pappalardo continues.
To streamline the process, all required health and safety documentation was prepared in advance and signed off with the main contractor, GVK-Siya Zama, before work commenced.
Mobilisation
On the morning of Tuesday 16th September, a crew of three technicians departed from Uretek’s Midrand facility at the crack of dawn in one of its purpose-designed vehicles, fully equipped with an onboard mobile workshop.
A major pipe burst resulted in soil loss and void formations underneath a building housing the MRI suite at a KwaZulu-Natal hospital, causing structural settlement damage
Geopolymer injection is a non-disruptive, efficient alternative to conventional underpinning and piling which Uretek has advanced following close to four decades of research, development, testing and installation. The implementation of the Uretek geopolymer injection system can be categorised as proactive (improving the strength of soils to facilitate an increase in loading or combatting long-term settlement), or reactive (remediation of subsidence).
On Wednesday morning, the Midrand team was joined on site by Uretek’s Technical Director, Bennie du Plessis, and an additional Uretek technician from Cape Town.
By Thursday morning, 18th September 2025, the injection works were complete, and the team was able to return to base that same evening.
As Pappalardo points out, this rapid turnaround – just six days from first contact to project completion – was only possible through close collaboration with the consulting engineer, project manager, main contractor, and client representatives.
Technical challenges
While speed of completion was a key requirement, this came with several unique constraints, particularly in the MRI suite. The latter incorporates a continuous copper sheet beneath the concrete slab, forming a Faraday cage that shields the equipment from electromagnetic interference. This meant vertical drilling through the slab to insert the resin injection tubes was not permitted, as it would puncture the shielding and compromise MRI performance.
There were also magnetic and contamination restrictions. MRI facilities impose strict safety rules in terms of which no ferromagnetic tools or materials are permitted near the
MRI’s magnet. Additionally, dust or debris generation must be avoided to protect the sterile environment and sensitive equipment.
Foremost though, Uretek’s injection solution hinged on determining the precise locations and extent of the hidden voids beneath slabs and foundations caused by the massive water leakages. These voids also needed to be identified and treated without disturbing hospital operations.
Solution and execution
To overcome MRI shielding and safety restrictions, diagonal and near-horizontal drilling was carried out from outside the MRI room, allowing injection beneath the slab without breaching the copper sheeting. Deep injection tubes were then inserted up to 3 m to target suspected voids.
“Laser monitoring was installed inside the MRI suite to detect any slab movement, and there was none. This confirmed that the slab’s integrity was still fine. Therefore, since no subsidence had occurred here, the goal was strictly stabilisation and void filling and not slab re-levelling,” Pappalardo explains.
In terms of the overall scope, three columns were originally identified for stabilisation, but during the works two additional columns and a rear wall footing were added at the request of the project manager. For these phases deep
injection was carried out at multiple depths, up to 3 m, to restore bearing capacity and consolidate soils beneath these foundations.
The remainder of the 140 m² floor area surrounding the MRI suite was treated using the Uretek slab lifting process to counter settlement issues. This process successfully restored the floor slabs to their original levels while stabilising the soils below.
Conclusion
Ultimately, this project highlights Uretek’s ability to deliver fast, adaptable solutions under complex conditions with specialist technologies.
“By combining rapid mobilisation with technical precision, we successfully addressed the risks created by the burst water pipe, while arresting any ensuing damage that could have resulted,” says Pappalardo.
“The project also reinforces the value of close collaboration between consulting engineers, project managers, contractors, and owners. In less than a week from our first contact, the hospital’s MRI and allied CT scan facility were secured and restored to service within a 48-hour window, thanks to the trust placed in Uretek by the professional team,” he adds.
“Together we were able to resolve a critical problem safely and effectively in a highly sensitive healthcare environment,” Pappalardo concludes.
Uretek’s technical team setting up on site. The exposed piles form part of the foundation for an adjoining double-storey parking facility
Resin being pumped into injection tubes via strategically placed dill holes
RETAINING THE EARTH WITH MACCAFERRI
Software and professional design services
With a proud history dating back to 1879, Maccaferri, headquartered in Bologna, Italy, was the inventor of the flexible steel wire gabion system. While the original patent has long expired, the same methodology – through industry innovation and advancement – retains the same winning formula for environmentally engineered systems. IMIESA speaks to Ganpersad Luckun, General Manager: Africa at Maccaferri’s South African based entity, about aspects of the Group’s product evolution, plus local and continental market penetration.
In South Africa, Maccaferri has a wellestablished footprint across all industry sectors. Dovetailing with this ongoing local penetration is a concerted response in meeting rising demand for its solutions in Africa.
Driven by strategic public and private sector investments, here key projects where Maccaferri has delivered solutions include energy infrastructure establishment; airport runway development; mining tip walls, opencast rockfall protection, and pollution control tailings dam construction. Allied growth areas include ports and harbours; undersea pipeline protection for petroleum and communications; road and bridge infrastructure – including major SANRAL projects; rail, erosion, and river flood mitigation.
“In many cases, we’re supporting South African clients that are now working across Africa. In parallel, we’ve formed new relationships with regional contactors and built industry professionals – many of them representing multinationals on EPC and PPP ventures,” says Luckun.
“Continental markets with robust growth over the past three years include the West African region, especially in countries where gold mining is a major economic activity, frequently serving as a catalyst for allied public works initiatives. In parallel there are major infrastructure programmes being initiated in all major African cities, where the intensity of urbanisation is among the highest in the world.”
R&D evolution
As a manufacturer, Maccaferri’s global research and development (R&D) teams continue to refine their product line – well beyond the simple, but highly effective mainstay gabion basket and reno mattress offering. These include biaxial geogrids for road construction and runways – saving on the importation of commercially sourced aggregates; biomaterials for the natural greening of retaining wall structures, like Green Terramesh mechanically stabilised earth walls (MSE); and debris flow barriers.
There have also been strong gains for Maccaferri’s articulated concrete block mattress (ACBM) system to safeguard sealines, cables, and anchoring foundations against water scouring; geocells for embankment stabilisation; the MSE MacRes retaining wall system for mines and transportation engineering; and gabion and reno mattress works for dams.
In parallel over the past three years, Maccaferri has increased its penetration of the landfill segment in South Africa and Africa. Core products here include multiple geocomposite layer systems, combined with capping systems. Currently, Maccaferri is supplying product and design recommendations for two major projects in this segment, one in Morocco and the other in Mauritius.
Another priority are solutions aimed at countering climate change impacts, particularly in terms of flood risk. To date, Maccaferri has supplied product and design solutions for major protection systems in East and West Africa. Here the key factor, as for all regions, is proactive intervention.
“These and other developments are supported with the downstream client’s engineer top of mind. Included in the mix is a suite of proprietary Maccaferri design software for specific applications. These range from river hydraulic works to soil erosion countermeasures, rockface drapery systems, and mass gravity walls,” Luckun continues.
“Current examples of the latter include GAWAC, specifically developed for the design of mass gravity gabion retaining walls, and MacStars for the design of reinforced soil slopes, walls, and complex hybrid structures. We’ll also be adding a landfill design software package shortly.”
As an allied service, Maccaferri worldwide has an in-house professional engineering design team to serve every region, including South Africa and Africa. “This greatly assists in devising the final solution with the client’s professional team,” adds Luckun. “It also assists in facilitating the greater adoption of environmental engineering practices.”
Training initiatives
On the training front, during 2024 Maccaferri launched a seven-module CPD-accredited programme, totalling 1,1 points, for Engineering Council of South Africa registered practitioners. Hosted online, with the exception of the introductory classroom-based module, the programme is now available for all engineering practitioners across Africa.
The ultimate objective, says Luckun, is to introduce Maccaferri systems to new users, and to update seasoned practitioners. “Student engagement at tertiary level is an equally important focus – in conjunction with leading South African universities – to instil an appreciation of the importance and scope of environmental engineering as a career specialisation.”
The way forward
“From the onset Maccaferri has built its reputation on green solutions, starting with the development of river erosion control systems some 146 years ago. But today’s climate change challenges are shifting the boundaries of past design practices,” adds Luckun.
“To meet and ideally exceed the United Nations Net Zero 2050 targets requires an exceptional collaborative effort. Maccaferri’s ongoing R&D drive and industry partnerships are dedicated to achieving this in our areas of specialisation,” Luckun concludes.
Ganpersad Luckun, General Manager: Africa at Maccaferri
CAPE TOWN EXTENDS ITS SEWER PIPELINE LIFE WITH CIPP
A leading pipeline specialist and a CIDB CE8 registered entity, Mainline Civil Engineering Contractors (Mainline) has gained extensive experience in trenchless technology solutions for new and rehabilitated infrastructure.
Two of the key technologies employed by Mainline for pipeline refurbishment comprise spirally wound pipe lining (SWP) and cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) lining, both of which are being used extensively within the City of Cape Town (CoCT) – Mainline’s base of operations nationally. As opposed to pipe replacement, relining provides a highly costeffective solution in extending asset life.
“CIPP is the predominate choice for sewer pipeline relining in the city up to approximately 600 mm in diameter, with Mainline having completed extensive works in terms of a series of term tenders, following CCTV condition assessment by city engineers,” explains Andy Pienaar, Mainline’s contracts manager for CIPP projects. “Relining works are ongoing.”
In the past several months, Mainline has relined some 45 km of pipe – manhole to manhole at an average length of 70 m – within Cape Town’s northern and southern suburbs, with diameters ranging from 150 mm to 450 mm. The bulk of the works here have comprised 33 km of 150 mm pipe. Other key pipe sizes included 225 mm (5 km); 250 mm (1 km); 300 mm (3 km); and 375 mm (1 km). The 350 and 450 mm pipe segment were the smallest percentage, but key in terms of overall sewer flow performance.
Managing traffic conditions and pipe materials
“The fact that many of these pipes are situated within the road reserve on high traffic routes poses a key challenge. To accommodate this, we work at night on critical sections, a prime example being the relining phases completed at the Century City mix-use precinct, and the Belville taxi rank where working during the day would have caused too many disruptions,” Pienaar continues.
“Materials vary from asbestos cement to clay and precast concrete, which provides an indication of the age of these pipes in line with past specification practices. It’s interesting to note that the clay pipes – installed many decades ago – have held up really well. However, with CIPP refurbishment all rehabilitated host pipes regardless of material have a renewed long, useful life.”
The term tenders let by the CoCT make provision for point repairs, such as displaced joints, or broken pipe section replacements up to a maximum length of 15 m, which are accessed via open trench methods to remediate. Typically, the replacement is a PVC pipe section, with a coupling designed to match the existing line material.
“Corrosion remains a key factor in premature pipeline failure, which is significantly counteracted through CIPP lining, but in some cases the top or the bottom section has been eaten away, requiring replacement. Identifying this risk early enables proactive interventions, as well as minimising resulting soil settlement issues that could result in sinkholes or a sudden road collapse,” Pienaar expands.
CIPP processes
In line with global practices, CIPP liners – composed of polymer impregnated resins with a catalytic accelerator – are either hot water or steam cured.
Up to 350 mm diameter, liners are installed using an air inverter by Mainline. For diameters larger than this, Mainline utilise a scaffold mounted water tower positioned above the manhole for liner inversion aided by water pressure. To achieve this, the sewage must be over-pumped from the upstream to the downstream manhole.
“You can’t pump from the inverted manhole; you need to execute this process from the upstream manhole in the series. Once isolated, the downstream inversion process is fairly quick. Up to an hour is needed to invert the liner, and approximately 2,5 hours to cure it, followed by a cool down period of up to an hour. A robotic cutter is then sent in to open the house connections. The sewer is then ready to be re-opened,” Pienaar expands. “On a typical 70 m manhole to manhole section, we can inspect, clean and line it within two days.”
The starting point for any Mainline intervention is robotic CCTV camera inspection and reporting. In many instances, high pressure jet cleaning is needed to clear blockages for CCTV to confirm if CIPP is a viable approach.
“The experience we’ve gained on our CIPP projects have greatly enhanced our technical expertise through globally applied, tried and tested techniques that enhance our local capabilities and understanding of what works best in practice,” adds Pienaar.
“There are an estimated 9 800 km of existing sewer line in the city, installed at various stages during the last 100 years or so of the city’s development. Therefore, Cape Town’s relining programme is a massive undertaking, and we are proud to be playing our part in sustaining infrastructure renewal,” Pienaar concludes.
THE INVISIBLE INFRASTRUCTURE OF CITIES
PROJECTISATION THROUGH INFORMATION AS
INFRASTRUCTURE: HARNESSING BIM FOR URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Infrastructure is not only concrete, steel, pipes, and asphalt. It is the unseen information that underpins quality and quantity, reinforced by intelligent strategic and operational decisionmaking. This information guides budgets and sustains assets long after construction is complete. No wonder, after 60 years, we call it heritage. By Fabio Companie
Without reliable data, projects fail to deliver their full value and benefits in accordance with performance measures. Roads are resurfaced without considering the pipes beneath, housing developments are built without clarity on long-term affordability, and maintenance is reactive instead of proactive.
Our infrastructure report cards reek of dilapidation and deterioration, with the latest media reports screaming that the Gautrain is the only world-class rated infrastructure. Yet harnessing data within cities is about to change these views in the near future.
In South Africa, where the weight of urbanisation and resource constraints press heavily on cities, recognising information (data) as infrastructure has become urgent. Here, digitalisation and information intelligence such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) or, as many prefer, Better Information Management, are emerging as critical enablers for digital twins and urban-scale multi-dimensional analytics.
From projectification to projectisation
Practitioners, professionals, and scholars alike have long spoken of “projectification”, the idea that society increasingly organises itself around projects. But insight alone does not guarantee continuity. With the project economy unfolding
faster and disrupting all markets and industries, management practices of project business and projects alike become crucial. We enter into the more complex environment of mega, giga, and even tera project scales. Setting out to do new and extraordinary projects means we improve and find new tools and techniques to combat the unknowns through our learning.
That is the role of “projectisation”, embedding projects within frameworks that ensure governance, institutional memory, and systemic alignment through their selection and implementation, creating and maintaining data for future use. Where projectification offers understanding of the future, projectisation delivers outcomes. Paired with BIM, digital tools, and even artificial intelligence, projectisation allows data to become living infrastructure – structured, shared, and sustained across generations.
With the smart city evolution within our hemisphere – renewable energies, battery storage, and more – we are yet to discover how generating data through our digital and technological advancements, accompanied by artificial intelligence, will uncover generational metamorphoses of future living.
Data strategy: Enhanced by National Momentum
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs’ (CoGTA’s) National Strategic Hub aims to establish data as a “single source of truth” for evidence-based decision-making. The Hub's mandate to break down silos and promote data-driven collaboration across government levels provides a supportive national framework for municipal innovations.
One of these exemplary efforts is the City of Cape Town’s 2023 Data Strategy, which signalled a crucial shift in mindset, positioning data not as an administrative byproduct but as a core civic asset. This local vision aligns with and is strengthened by national initiatives of the National Strategic Hub.
This alignment creates a powerful synergy where the City of Cape Town's practical BIM implementation initiative contributes to and benefits from a broader national
Fabio Companie, Head: Construction Management at the City of Cape Town, and BIMcommUNITY.Africa member
data ecosystem. The Hub's focus on creating comprehensive 360-degree data insights for district spaces and empowering municipalities with decision support tools enhances Cape Town's capacity to implement its strategy effectively.
This is not just about talking and creating frameworks but about piloting and establishing the blueprint for South African and African cities alike. What more powerful tool than leading by example and continually improving – by doing so creating hope. No wonder the City of Cape Town expresses itself as “The City of Hope”. With a record-breaking expenditure of R9.5 billion for the 2024/25 financial year, a benchmark for South Africa, the future of city planning and decisionmaking is geared for further transformation.
A pilot strategy for BIM: Testing the future
But in practice, South African cities need more than insight. They need continuity. Too many projects lose momentum after political cycles shift; budgets roll over, or institutional memory fades. The operational answer emerges in the City of Cape Town's 2050 Long-Term Plan, the Data and BIM Pilot Strategy. This is not a topdown directive but a structured, non-prescriptive approach to test and refine processes across municipal departments, with BIM as a key integration platform.
Beginning with short-term rather than longterm initiatives, and smaller-scale projects instead of megaprojects, allows for controlled experimentation without compromising major service delivery. The adoption of BIM institutionally is the practical enabler of this vision. It provides a digital thread running through every stage of an asset’s lifecycle, which also unlocks private sector participation.
The BIM strategy embraces a simple principle: start small, learn fast, and scale. This acknowledges the inevitable learning curve while focusing on long-term gains in coordination, error reduction, and efficiency. Crucially, the pilot mandates measurement at every stage, documenting how BIM improves design coordination, reduces construction clashes, and enhances lifecycle costing.
Infrastructure challenges demand more than bigger budgets. They demand smarter systems where data is governed as infrastructure, and where projectisation ensures continuity beyond short-term fixes.
Why
this matters for
South Africa
Cape Town has begun this pioneering public institutional journey. By aligning its Data Strategy with the latest digital and technological transformations for the future, such as BIM and projectisation, it is showing how cities can harness data intelligence to deliver and maintain high-quality infrastructure that is affordable, sustainable, and resilient.
Across the country, infrastructure projects often falter not from lack of intent but from fragmentation, siloed systems, inconsistent data, and eroded institutional memory. Cape Town's 2050 long-term approach, supported by national data initiatives, offers a replicable model that acknowledges real-world constraints while building toward sustainable change.
The strategy's collaborative nature across directorates such as Water, Energy, Urban Mobility, Human Settlements, Spatial Planning, Waste, etc. ensures that information becomes the connective tissue rather than another silo. By proving value through demonstration rather than mandate, it encourages organic adoption and reduces institutional resistance. This is not promoting but living and demonstrating the City of Cape Town’s values of Caring, Accountability, Openness and Transparency, Innovation, and Service Excellence which all cities strive towards.
Case in point: City of Cape Town early lessons emerging
Initial implementations already demonstrate potential. The Green Point Education Dome
and Experiential Garden showcased how digital and traditional skills fabrication can harmonise innovation with heritage and sustainability. Exemplary projects such as Cape Town’s “Sky Circle”, the city’s Bellville wastewater treatment plant, Milnerton Bulk Sewer upgrade with trenchless technology, and the Paardevlei Solar Farm demonstrate how programmatic approaches to small to mega works can deliver systemic improvement overtime.
On the private sector side, Century City’s transformation into a smart city precinct demonstrates smart urban precinct management, environmental sustainability, community, connectivity, and safety, embedding its Smart City philosophy.
Cape Town’s Development Application Management System (DAMS), Wayleave Management System (WMS), and Project Portfolio Management System (PPM) are further examples – supported by cooperate digital governance and data science – which began linking permitting with spatial data, paving the way for future BIM and Digital Twin integration. These examples reinforce that structured, projectised information multiplies value across urban systems. While refining and continuously developing its spatial policies and strategies. With data analytics soon to follow, the mining of information will result in more inclusive and transparent decision-making at all levels, improving the quality of life and service delivery for citizens and visitors.
Towards
2050: Cities that learn
As Cape Town envisions itself as a resilient, inclusive, digitally-enabled city by 2050, treating information with the same seriousness as physical infrastructure becomes imperative. The BIM Pilot Strategy, enhanced by national data initiatives, provides a pragmatic pathway, demonstrating that cities need not leap blindly into digital transformation, but can build confidence through measured, scalable approaches.
A continuous learning and evolving approach, built on a long-term framework, carries the ethos of creating a citywide environment that expresses dignity, freedom, and opportunity to thrive for generations to come. Embracing a multigenerational approach towards affordability and sustainability balances the entire socio-economic and ecological system.
A continental call: Building together
Cape Town's ambitions resonate across African cities facing similar constraints. This movement gains momentum in South Africa through collaborative platforms like BIM Community Africa and BIM Africa, supported by
the Council for the Built Environment (CBE) with its associated councils, the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), the recent 8th BIM Africa Conference hosted by MillaSA in March 2025, and leading suppliers such as Modena AEC, Openspace, Autodesk, Bentley, and many more.
Research institutions, including the Centre for Applied Research and Innovation in the Built Environment (CARIBE) at the University of Johannesburg, along with various other institutes and hubs, are also contributing. This transition from theory into practice, with live examples and demonstrative projects, showcases South Africa and Africa’s capabilities to compete globally in digital and technological advancements.
This emerging ecosystem represents not isolated efforts but a collective movement toward an African model of digital urbanism, where information is valued as essential infrastructure for sustainable development.
The change in motion
Projectification reveals our project-oriented society; projectisation ensures these projects outlive their timelines through governance
and data. Cape Town's strategy, supported by national data initiatives, demonstrates that the visible city of concrete and steel must be matched by the living city of information and continuity.
We are already seeing client best practices emerging in South Africa and the public sector transforming into a model of excellence, with the City of Cape Town becoming a world-class
example. Embracing this duality builds not just infrastructure but a sustainable future.
Just as “project management” requires us to document, document, document (generating data), the City of Cape Town is an example in South Africa of walking the talk, showing its time we take data and turn it into intelligence to harvest information for optimum decisionmaking and shared benefits for all.
By fostering collaboration, sharing knowledge, and promoting best practices, the community aims to empower users and drive innovation in the South African construction and infrastructure sectors. This vibrant network serves as a hub for resources, events, and discussions that enhance BIM adoption and implementation, with the goal of enabling the country to harness the full potential of digital transformation in the built environment.
Email angela@bimcommunity.africa for further information and visit www.bimcommunity.africa
THE CROSSROADS OF POSSIBILITY
THE UBUNTU OF AI Building South Africa's digital future together
We live in a moment that will define the trajectory of South Africa for generations to come. As aspiring tertiary students and seasoned construction industry professionals, we are not merely observers of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution – we are its architects, its conscience, and its greatest hope. By Devesh Mothilall
However, this AI transition is far more than just algorithms and neural networks. There’s an underlying social consciousness at play, which in the South African and broader African context is defined as Ubuntu – a profound African philosophy that reminds us “I am because we are”. In the age of AI, this ancient wisdom becomes our most modern necessity. Because the question before us is not just what AI can do for South Africa, but what South Africa can do with AI to uplift humanity.
Let’s look at our current reality. South Africa stands at the bottomend of countries in the Global AI Index – but before you despair, understand that we're measuring ourselves against nations that began their AI journeys decades ago. What
matters is not where we start, but the velocity of our acceleration.
If an AI solution makes human connection less necessary, less valued, or less possible, then it may be technically elegant but socially destructive
In our townships and universities, in our laboratories and startup incubators, something remarkable is happening. The University of Cape Town's recent breakthrough in using AI for early tuberculosis detection isn't just a scientific achievement – it's a declaration that African innovation can solve African problems. And when students at the University of the Witwatersrand develop machine learning models to predict load-shedding patterns, they're not just coding, they're building resilience into our national fabric.
But let's be honest about our challenges. The digital divide that separates our communities is real. When 40% of South Africans still lack reliable internet access, and when data costs consume a disproportionate share of household income, we face barriers that our global competitors don't. Yet history teaches us that constraints often breed the most ingenious solutions.
Consider M-Pesa's revolutionary impact across Africa – born from the constraint of limited banking infrastructure, it became a financial innovation that the developed world now emulates. Today's AI constraints may well birth tomorrow's global innovations.
The future of work:
Transformation, not termination
Let me address the elephant in the room: “Will AI take our jobs?” This question keeps students awake at night and parents worried about their children's futures; the same scenario applies to existing industry practitioners. The answer is nuanced, and it demands our careful attention.
Yes, AI will transform work – dramatically and irreversibly. McKinsey estimates that by 2030, up to 375 million workers globally may need to change occupations. But here's what the headlines miss: transformation is not termination. The industrial revolution eliminated lamplighters but created electricians. The digital revolution made typists obsolete but gave birth to web developers.
In South Africa specifically, we face both unique vulnerabilities and unprecedented opportunities. Our mining sector, which employs over 450 000 people, will see AI transform everything from ore
Devesh Mothilall, Head of Digitalisation: Smart City Office, and Head of Knowledge Hub: ECOE at the City of Johannesburg
extraction to safety monitoring. But this doesn't mean 450 000 job losses – it means 450 000 opportunities for upskilling into roles that blend human intuition with machine precision.
Consider these emerging career paths that didn't exist five years ago:
• AI Ethics Officers: Ensuring AI systems reflect our values.
• Human-AI Collaboration Specialists: Optimising the partnership between human creativity and machine efficiency.
• Algorithmic Auditors: Detecting and correcting bias in AI systems, and
• Digital Transformation Facilitators: Helping communities and businesses navigate AI adoption.
The key insight is this: AI will eliminate routine tasks but amplify uniquely human capabilities –creativity, empathy, ethical reasoning, and complex problem-solving. These are areas where South African graduates – the vital pipeline of the future –can excel, bringing perspectives shaped by our rich cultural diversity and hard-won social insights, in turn nurtured by experienced AI built environment practitioners.
Opportunities: The African AI advantage
Now, let me share why I'm profoundly optimistic about South Africa's AI future. We possess advantages that no amount of venture capital can buy:
• Our linguistic diversity is our data advantage: South Africa's 11 official languages represent more than legal requirements – they're training data for the next generation of multilingual AI systems. While Silicon Valley struggles to create AI that understands global diversity, we live that diversity daily. Our students who grow up switching between isiZulu, Afrikaans, and English don't just have language skills – they have the cultural intelligence that tomorrow's AI systems desperately need.
• Our social challenges are global market opportunities: The problems we face – from healthcare access in rural areas to education delivery across vast distances – are problems that billions of people worldwide share. When we develop AI solutions for these challenges, we're not just solving local problems, we're creating global products.
Take the recent work by researchers at Stellenbosch University using AI to optimise water distribution in drought-prone areas. This isn't just addressing South Africa's water crisis – it's developing solutions that cities from Chennai to Cape Town desperately need.
• Our Ubuntu philosophy as an ethical AI framework: While the global AI community struggles with questions of bias, fairness,
and social responsibility, we have Ubuntu – a philosophy that inherently prioritises collective wellbeing over individual gain. This isn't just cultural heritage; it's a competitive advantage in an AI landscape increasingly concerned with ethical development.
The threats we must navigate
But let's not mistake optimism for naivety. The AI transformation brings real threats that we must acknowledge and address. These include:
• The amplification of inequality: AI has the potential to turbocharge existing inequalities. If AI literacy becomes the new digital literacy, and if access to AI tools follows the same patterns as internet access, we risk creating a society where the AI-enabled elite leave everyone else further behind.
This is why the work led by academia is so crucial. Every student who learns to code, every researcher who develops open-source AI tools, every entrepreneur who builds inclusive AI solutions is striking a blow against digital apartheid.
• The bias trap: AI systems learn from data, and data reflects historical biases. If we train AI systems on data that reflects our apartheid past or our ongoing inequalities, we risk coding discrimination into the very systems meant to liberate us. This is why diversity in AI development isn't just morally right – it's technically essential.
• The sovereignty challenge: As AI becomes central to economic competitiveness and national security, we face questions about digital sovereignty. Will South Africa develop its own AI capabilities, or will we become perpetual consumers of AI systems developed elsewhere? The choices we make in the next five years will determine whether we're AI creators or AI colonised.
The ethical imperative:
AI with African values
This brings me to perhaps the most important part of our conversation: the ethical use of AI. At a foundational level, future AI practitioners are not just learning to code – they’re learning to encode values into systems that will shape human experience. Let’s break this down further.
• The principle of inclusive development: Every AI system we design should ask: “Who is left out?” If your facial recognition system works perfectly for light-skinned faces but fails for dark-skinned ones, you haven't built AI – you've built apartheid 2.0. If your language model understands English perfectly
but treats African languages as corrupted data, you're perpetuating linguistic colonialism.
• The transparency imperative: AI systems that affect people's lives – whether determining loan approvals, medical diagnoses, or educational opportunities – must be explainable. The communities affected by AI decisions have the right to understand how those decisions are made. This is not just good ethics, it's good engineering.
• The privacy-by-design principle: In a country where surveillance was once a tool of oppression, we must ensure that AI development respects privacy from the ground up. Every data collection decision, every algorithm choice, every deployment strategy should be evaluated through the lens of protecting human dignity and autonomy.
• The community benefit standard: Ask yourself, “Does this AI system strengthen or weaken community bonds?” If your AI solution makes human connection less necessary, less valued, or less possible, then it may be technically elegant but socially destructive.
AI is set to revolutionise the construction sector, shaping the future of smart city development
Practical steps: Our collective role in building AI for Africa
So, what does this mean for those in practice when entering this AI-transformed world? For students it’s about understanding that AI literacy isn't just about coding. Yes, learn Python and TensorFlow, but also study philosophy, psychology, and sociology. The best AI practitioners are those who understand both the technical possibilities and the human implications.
Second, specialise in problems you care about. Don't just learn AI – learn AI for healthcare, AI for agriculture, AI for education, AI for social justice. The market rewards specialists who can bridge technical capability with domain expertise.
Third, think globally but start locally. The AI solution that helps street vendors in Johannesburg optimise their inventory might scale to help small businesses across the Global South.
Overall, researchers have a unique opportunity to lead global AI development by asking different questions. Instead of asking “How can AI maximise profit?” ask “How can AI maximise wellbeing?” Instead of asking “How can AI replace humans?” ask “How can AI augment human capability?”
The next wave of successful AI companies won't just have better algorithms – they'll have better values. Consumers, investors, and governments are increasingly demanding AI that serves human flourishing, not just human consumption.
Collaborative vision: Building together
The challenges and opportunities before us are too large for any individual, institution, or even nation to tackle alone. We need unprecedented collaboration.
Our universities must become bridges between cutting-edge research and practical application. Students need real-world problems to solve, and industry needs fresh perspectives on stubborn challenges.
Furthermore, the solutions we develop for cross-border trade, multilingual communication, and resource optimisation will benefit the entire continent. Think continentally, not just nationally. Foremost though, we must engage with global AI development as partners, not just consumers. This means contributing to open-source projects, participating in international AI governance discussions, and ensuring that African voices are heard in global AI standard-setting bodies.
Time is not neutral in the AI race. Every month we delay building AI capability is a month our global competitors extend their lead. But speed without direction is just motion, not progress.
African success stories
Already, thought, there are inspirational examples of what's already possible when African creativity meets AI capability.
In Kenya, iCow uses AI to provide smallholder farmers with personalised advice via SMS, improving milk production by up to 30%. In Nigeria, Ubenwa has developed AI systems that can diagnose birth asphyxia in newborns through cry analysis – potentially saving thousands of lives annually.
Closer to home, South African startup Aerobotics uses AI-powered drones to help farmers optimise crop yields while minimising pesticide use. Their technology, developed initially for Western Cape vineyards, now serves farmers across three continents.
These aren't just business success stories –they're proof points that African innovation can compete globally while solving problems that matter locally.
TECHNOLOGY FOR UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION
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Learn more on www.utt-mapei.com, info@mapei.co.za
• Products for concrete repairing, protection and coating
• Products for waterproofing: synthetic waterproofing membranes, waterproofing accessories
CONCOR’S WIND ENERGY GAME CHANGER FULL BOP UNDER ONE ROOF
In a milestone achievement for South Africa’s renewable energy sector, Concor has taken full control of the Balance of Plant (BoP) scope on the TotalEnergies Renewables De Aar 2 South Wind Energy Facility in the Northern Cape.
This marks the first time the company is delivering a fully wrapped BoP contract under its own direct engineering and construction management.
Not only is Concor the main contractor for the 25 turbine project spread across five farms near Philipstown, but it is also responsible for both the Civil BoP (CBoP) and Electrical BoP (EBoP) – from design and engineering through to execution, including the Eskom Distribution self-build scope. This comprehensive selfperform approach represents a bold departure from traditional contracting models and signals Concor’s evolution into a truly turnkey BoP provider.
“With over 13 years of experience in renewable energy infrastructure, more than 10 wind farms successfully completed since 2012 and a further six wind farms currently in various phases of construction, Concor is no stranger to the demands of this sector,” says Stephan Venter, Contract Director at Concor.
“But this project sets a new benchmark. By taking full ownership of both the engineering and construction elements, we are reducing interfaces, improving accountability and de-risking the process for our clients.”
Construction programme
The 5 473 hectare facility is on a fast track programme, with early works launched in November 2024 and completion expected by Q3 of 2026. The company’s scope includes 54 km of gravel road infrastructure, starting with the realignment and upgrading of 15 km of the existing Kranskop district road to accommodate heavy turbine components. Additionally, 41 km of
Base cleaning under way on a wind turbine foundation, preparing the surface for the next phase of construction
new internal access roads are being constructed, supported by extensive blasting and cut-and-fill earthworks to adapt to the local terrain.
A major innovation lies in Concor’s design of the turbine foundations. A unique central pit, 7 m in diameter and filled with G7 material, has been incorporated to address the region’s geological challenges, reducing stress on the 22 m diameter concrete bases. Each foundation uses 600 m³ of specially designed readymix concrete, batched on-site making use of two brand new modified 45 m 3/hr Karoo plants to ensure consistency and quality. Smart rock sensors embedded in the foundations monitor internal temperatures, allowing real-time adjustments to mitigate the risk of thermal cracking.
Electrical phases
As part of the EBoP, Concor is responsible for trenching and laying 13 km of 33 kV medium voltage cabling from each turbine’s Power Transformer Kiosk (PTK) to a termination overhead line (OHL) structure. This is linked via an extensive 80 km 33 kV OHL network to the IPP substation, which steps up the voltage to 132 kV utilising a 165 MVA power transformer. The project also includes the construction of a new adjacent Eskom Distribution 132 kV Switching Station (SWS) and an extension of a 132 kV OHL to an upstream Eskom Main Transmission Substation (MTS).
The project has not been without challenges. A high water table impacted 11 of the 25 turbine
bases, requiring the installation of subsoil drainage systems. In addition, heavy seasonal rainfall necessitated robust stormwater management to protect both access and internal roads.
Environmental compliance has remained central to Concor’s operations, guided by the Environmental Management Programme Report (EMPR). Teams receive regular training to uphold environmental protocols and safeguard heritage and biodiversity in this sensitive landscape.
“Our execution reflects Concor’s depth of experience in remote, large-scale projects,” says Concor Project Manager Gideon Niemand. “We are delivering to the highest standards, with environmental responsibility and engineering excellence at the core of everything we do.” Through innovative engineering, efficient planning, and environmental stewardship, Concor is helping shape a more sustainable energy future – one turbine at a time.
Construction of the roadbed progressing on one of the access routes at the De Aar 2 South Wind Energy Facility
Drilling in progress on a wind turbine base at the De Aar 2 South Wind Energy Facility project
Cheap pipes come at a high cost
The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) is urging engineers, municipalities, contractors and procurement officers to exercise greater care when sourcing plastic piping systems. With infrastructure designed to last decades, the choice of pipe can make or break a project.
There is a growing trend by some manufacturers to offer pipes at a reduced price, made possible by bypassing some material requirements,” says Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA. “These pipes might look the same at face value, but unless they bear the SAPPMA logo they don’t comply with quality or safety standards and will never achieve the 50+ year lifespan expected of a properly manufactured system. In the end, it’s the end-user who pays the price through premature failures, costly repairs and reputational damage.”
The SAPPMA mark as guarantee of quality
Pipes that bear the SAPPMA logo are manufactured to the highest international standards and have passed independent audits and regular inspections. For purchasers, this logo is a visible guarantee of quality and peace of mind.
“When you insist on the SAPPMA mark, you are protecting your investment and safeguarding the communities who depend on reliable water, gas and sewage networks,” stresses Venter.
What to demand in your RFQ
SAPPMA advises that the following requirements should be built into every Request for Quotation (RFQ) for plastic piping systems:
• Quality systems: ISO 9001 certificate or
approved quality management plan, with copies of recent audit reports.
• Product certification: Compliance with the correct SANS standards (e.g. SANS ISO 4427-2 for HDPE, SANS 966-1 for uPVC).
• Material certification: Evidence that only virgin raw materials are used, and no boughtin recycled materials have been used.
• Traceability: Full batch traceability linking raw materials to finished pipes.
• Testing compliance: Independent laboratory test results for each supplied batch.
• SAPPMA membership: A valid certificate plus the latest SAPPMA audit report.
Inspections on delivery
On delivery, purchasers should always check that:
• Pipes are clearly marked in accordance with the relevant standard and carry both the certification body’s logo and the SAPPMA mark.
• Dimensions (outer diameter, wall thickness, ovality) match the specification.
• Pipes are free of visible defects such as cracks, scratches, gouges or missing rubber seals.
Red flags to watch out for
SAPPMA advises buyers to be wary of unrealistically low prices. If a tender price seems suspiciously cheap compared to current polymer costs, it probably indicates corners are
Pipes that bear
manufactured to the highest international standards and have passed independent audits and regular inspections
being cut. Another red flag is a closed factory.
“A reputable manufacturer should be willing to allow unannounced inspections during production,” Venter says.
Quality saves in the long run Infrastructure is a long-term investment, and plastic pipes are engineered to deliver reliable service for half a century or more. However, this will only happen if they are manufactured to strict standards and audited for compliance. The short-term saving from buying a cheaper, inferior pipe is quickly erased when it fails prematurely.
Always insist on the SAPPMA mark SAPPMA’s advice to purchasers is clear: choose quality, choose standards, choose the SAPPMA mark.
“With SAPPMA-certified pipes you can have confidence that you are getting products that will perform safely and reliably for decades. Without that assurance, you are simply gambling with your project, your budget and your reputation,” Venter concludes.
For more information visit www.sappma.co.za
Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA
the SAPPMA logo are
Need clean processes? We’ll deliver them – and ensure absolute clarity!
Water is the essence of life. That’s why a type of measurement technology is required that does justice to its importance. Our level and pressure sensors ensure quality with precise measured values to support reliable treatment processes – especially when every drop matters.
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ULTRA DURABLE STAINLESS STEEL SUBMERSIBLE PUMPS
KSB Pumps and Valves has launched a rugged stainless steel submersible pump range designed for deep borehole use and other demanding freshwater and saline pumping applications.
The new CORAChrom pumps are a game changer for African conditions with all wetted components, including the diffusers, being fabricated from corrosion resistant high grade AISI 304 stainless steel, or a choice of stainless steel or engineered polymer impellers, depending on the environment. This ensures the longest possible operational life even in mineral-rich or aggressive groundwater.
According to KSB Pumps and Valves area manager, Hugo du Plessis, the CORAChrom series is available in 100 mm (4”) and 150 mm (6”) multistage centrifugal variants and is tailored to cope with the kind of variable borehole conditions and challenging water chemistry commonly encountered in South Africa and across the continent. This includes high iron or salt content, variable water tables and unreliable electricity supply, especially in rural areas.
Unlike traditional cast iron or bronze pumps that may degrade or clog over time, the new KSB CORAChrom submersible pumps use investment cast stainless steel for key components such as the suction housing and non-return valve. The range also features integrated intermediate bearings and a counter-thrust ring to support axial loads and extend bearing life and further enhance reliability.
The pump’s lightweight modular design allows it to be installed vertically, horizontally or inclined, which makes it adaptable to a variety of borehole and tank installations.
Power and flow rates
What really makes the CORAChrom unique is its wide power compatibility. It can operate on both single and three-phase AC power and is also available in DC solar-ready options, which are proving especially valuable in off-grid or energy constrained areas.
“Our CORAChrom pumps are capable of delivering flow rates of up to 12 m³/h (200 litres per minute), with maximum heads of 638 m at 50 Hz (2 900 rpm) or 780 m at 60 Hz (3 500 rpm). Motors are available up to 22 kW, depending on model and application. This is tested and certified in our global manufacturing sites where each pump undergoes rigorous hydraulic testing under ISO 9906 Grade 3B standards verifying its realworld efficiency,” says du Plessis.
KSB CORAChrom series is already gaining traction across multiple sectors with successful deployments in:
• Borehole-based irrigation for farms and smallholdings.
• Garden and nursery watering systems.
• Domestic water supply in rural or peri-urban housing developments.
• Dewatering and groundwater management in construction and mining.
• Pressure boosting and cooling water systems in commercial and industrial buildings.
Du Plessis notes that in drought prone areas such as the Northern Cape, Karoo and North West, where boreholes may be drilled to depths exceeding 500 m, and access to reliable electricity remaining a challenge, the solar ready DC models have proven to be game changers.
“These pumps deliver excellent output per wattpeak (Wp), even in low-light conditions, which makes them ideal for solar applications. It’s part of KSB’s commitment to sustainable water
Solar ready AC and DC pump options are available
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
• Flow rate: Up to 12 m³/h (200 ℓ/min)
• Maximum head: Up to 780 m (60 Hz)
• Motor capacity: Up to 22 kW
• Power options: Single/three phase AC and solar DC
• Efficiency: ISO 9906 Grade 3B
• Applications: Borehole abstraction, solar irrigation, industrial dewatering, building pressure boosting
access and long-term value for our customers,” du Plessis adds.
As with all KSB products, the CORAChrom range is backed by KSB’s extensive South African sales and service network, with expert support and technical backup available through its nationwide branches and distributors.
Hugo du Plessis, area manager, KSB Pumps and Valves
The Municipality of Walvis Bay has strengthened its sewer and drainage maintenance capabilities with the addition of a South African manufactured Werner Pumps jetting trailer to complement its existing Werner Pumps combination jetting and vacuum truck.
Werner Pumps’ Earl 4-Cylinder Trailer is designed for heavy-duty performance, with a 600 litre UV-protected service water tank, a Werner positive displacement self-priming highpressure pump, and fully adjustable hose reels, making it ideally suited for municipal applications.
According to Immanuel Gabriel, Foreman: Reticulation in the Department of Water, Waste Liquid and Environmental Management, the decision to invest again in Werner Pumps equipment was influenced by the quality and reliability of the first unit. The latter was procured via an open national bidding process, with the company contracted to build a robust solution through local supplier Hino Pupkewitz.
“We mostly use the truck for cleaning and the trailer to unblock sewer lines,” Gabriel explains.
“Together, they enable us to service pump station sumps that are more than six to eight metres deep, and to ensure uninterrupted service delivery to our residents.”
Quality and support
For Gabriel, what stands out about Werner Pumps is not only the equipment itself but also the support behind it. “Quality and timely support when needed from the team are what encouraged us to come back as a customer,” he says.
Sebastian Werner, Managing Director of Werner Pumps, says the company is proud to support Walvis Bay and other municipalities across Southern Africa.
“Our focus has always been on building robust, reliable equipment that helps local authorities deliver essential services. We’re committed to standing by our customers with the kind of
aftersales and technical support that ensures their investment keeps working for them – and for the communities they serve,” he says.
With a proven track record in South Africa and Namibia – and actively looking to service other African countries – Werner Pumps continues to provide innovative jetting and vacuum solutions that help municipalities meet the challenges of wastewater management and service delivery.
Highly economical cost to volume ratio
Easily transportable, especially for multiple tanks
Easy assembly, even at elevated heights
NO CRANES REQUIRED
Robust steel tank with high life expectancy
Replaceable liner allows for extended
The Municipality of Walvis Bay’s new Werner Pumps jetting trailer
DESIGNED FOR THE LONG-TERM
Within KwaZulu-Natal’s rural and peri-urban regions, an ongoing series of programmes are transitioning communities from a reliance on borehole sources to formal potable water service connections.
Aprime example is the Nhlambamasoka / Nhlathimbe and Khathi-Khathi Water Project being rolled out by uMgungundlovu District Municipality (UMDM) within the Impendle Local Municipality (LM). UMDM is the district’s Water Services Authority and Water Services Provider, with Makhaotse, Narasimulu & Associates (MNA) appointed as the consulting engineer and project manager for the civil engineering services.
“Since around 2013, we’ve delivered multiple projects for UMDM – including the uMshwathi Secondary Bulk and Reticulation Water Supply Project – and have a key understanding of the need for practical, cost-efficient solutions that are also scalable to meet future water demand,” explains Sagren Narasimulu, MNA’s managing director and the project director for the current UMDM phase rollout. “We are proud to partner with UMDM in their quest for safe and sustainable water solutions that enhance the dignity of their communities.”
Key phases
The Nhlambamasoka/Nhlathimbe and KhathiKhathi Water Project has been split into phases, based on current and future funding approvals by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) under the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG) programme. The first phase (now approved and under construction from October/ November 2025), and the subsequent phases of the programme, will service a combined population of around 3 922 residing within approximately 653 households.
MNA was responsible for the design of all current and future phase development, which includes the servicing of two additional villages within Ward 1, namely Enkangala and Glenmile. The design for all phases meets projected water consumption patterns up to 2050, based on population growth projections.
Currently, existing water supply is sourced from spring protection systems, hand pump boreholes and solar powered boreholes. These systems are rudimentary and generally do not
meet SANS standards. Additionally, small-scale concrete reservoirs presently in use are in a deteriorated condition and rapidly approaching their end of life.
First Phase
In the first phase, the project scope entails the installation of new secondary bulk and reticulation networks for five villages in Ward 1 (servicing some 1 082 residing within approximately 270 households). These comprise the Mahlutshini, Nhlambamasoka, Khathi-Khathi, Nhlatimbe and Maitland villages.
Here the scope of works includes the construction of two reinforced concrete reservoirs with a capacity of 250 k ℓ (for Mahlutshini village) and 400 k ℓ (for the remaining four villages), plus associated chambers and pipework; the laying of approximately 7.5 km of 100 mm to 160 mm Ø uPVC CL16/GMS CL25 and CL40 gravity main pipelines; and the laying of approximately
uMshwathi Secondary Bulk Water Scheme
30 km of 50 mm Ø HDPE and 75 mm to 200 mm Ø uPVC CL16 reticulation pipelines.
Allied works include the construction of 112 associated valves and chambers; the provision for booster pumps (duty and standby) and associated works; and the laying of approximately 1 km of 90/110 mm Ø uPVC class 16 rising main pipeline and associated valves.
Where practical, MNA has incorporated a labour-intensive construction component within the project’s contract participation goals, where a percentage of the programme has been allocated for labour. Enabling SMME involvement is also a key mandate, as is the provision for local material supply.
Impendle Bulk Water Supply –Stepmore Scheme integration
“The key to making all of this work is the uMngeni-uThukela Water (UUW) Impendle Bulk Water Supply – Stepmore Scheme currently under development to support all phases on the Nhlambamasoka / Nhlathimbe and Khathi-Khathi Water Project, plus wider scale municipal supply within this KwaZulu-Natal region,” says Narasimulu.
“For our project, that requires close coordination between UMDM, NMA and UUW since the first phase and subsequent phases will connect with the Stepmore Scheme’s primary bulk line via an outlet chamber positioned at Lotheni 1 reservoir.”
abstraction point will then be delivered to the Stepmore Water Treatment Works (WTW), which is scheduled for construction. The latter will have an initial capacity of 1,6 Mℓ/d, with provision for an upgrade to 3 Mℓ/d to account for subsequent phases implementation.
The purified water will be pumped to the Stepmore Reservoir with a capacity of 1 Mℓ. From there potable water will gravitate to the existing 500 kℓ Harry Gwala District Municipality reservoir and be pumped to the 650 kℓ Lotheni 1 reservoir. The latter serves as the command reservoir for the Nhlambamasoka / Nhlathimbe and KhathiKhathi Water Project.
gravity, using the steep terrain in the area to maximum advantage, based on detailed hydraulic analysis. Optimising this approach was a major feature of MNA’s design.
From MNA’s experience on rural projects, another key consideration was the need to factor in effective pressure management to minimise leaks in the system. Here UMDM’s operations and maintenance (O&M) team were extensively involved during the design stages to perfect the asset management approach. That included the installation of strategically positioned meters so that O&M personnel can monitor and detect potential leaks timeously.
To supply the scheme and downstream villages, UUW will oversee the construction of a new river abstraction facility on the uMkhomazi River. Raw water from this
As a contingency measure, provision has been made to utilise the existing WTW situated at Mahlutshini village as a temporary water source for the first phase in the event of delays with UUW’s primary bulk system.
Yard connections
“Rather than having communal standpipe locations – which is the current set-up in these villages – a key feature of the design is that all homes will have yard connections. This is a progressive shift that UMDM started initiating on its rural community projects several years ago,” explains Kyle Naidoo, MNA’s design lead for the project. “The design standard adopted is similar to that applied in urban areas.”
“In addition to enhanced convenience, this approach also comes with an added responsibility to use water responsibly as all connections will be metered by UMDM. In addition to promoting water conservation, this ensures an equitable payment for services.”
Gravity optimisation and pressure management
“We design our rural projects to operate under a 6 bar threshold – even during peak flow rates – with pipes appropriately sized for future demand,” Naidoo continues.
“In addition to stemming non-revenue losses, operating within a low pressure environment significantly reduces the need for maintenance interventions caused by pipe bursts, which you definitely want to avoid – especially in remote rural areas,” adds Naidoo.
“Overall, we’ve received universal support from the communities that will benefit from the first phase, which is scheduled for completion in early 2027, and we’re excited about the subsequent phases. Experiencing infrastructure in action is an uplifting experience and a reinforcement of the value of municipal engineering,” Naidoo concludes.
There will also be energy savings for UMDM as the entire reticulation system will operate under www.mna-sa.co.za
Sagren Narasimulu, MNA’s managing director
Kyle Naidoo, senior technologist at MNA
An important consideration when monitoring groundwater is sampling depth in relation to the water table
MONITORING LANDFILLS KEY TO KEEPING GROUNDWATER CLEAN
The contamination risk that landfill leachate poses to groundwater can be effectively managed through diligent monitoring practices and timeous intervention.
This is becoming increasingly important as the country relies more on precious groundwater resources to supply a growing population resulting in expanding urban areas, which may encroach on landfills, according to SRK Consulting South Africa (SA).
“However, all too often, groundwater monitoring is mainly done just to comply with legislation as opposed to being used to effectively manage the groundwater resource,” says Richard O’Brien, Principal Environmental Geochemist and Partner at SRK Consulting SA.
“It is essential that groundwater monitoring is conducted scientifically and diligently – and that the data is technically analysed so that any required action can be taken.”
SRK monitors groundwater around landfill sites on behalf of several municipalities and waste management organisations. This is to provide municipal managers and operators with insight into contamination risks emerging from potential leachate plumes arising from these facilities.
O’Brien emphasises that it is essential for sampling to be performed consistently and accurately to ensure the collection of comparable data of a known quality; the results are then interpreted by experts to detect changes in
groundwater chemistry, which could indicate signs of groundwater contamination.
Accurate groundwater sampling
However, collecting accurate samples that represent groundwater as it occurs in an aquifer is not a simple process as it is dependent upon well-maintained monitoring infrastructure. This is not always the case on a typical South African landfill site, where monitoring well headboxes are often damaged, allowing dust and debris ingress into the monitoring well.
As part of one of the company’s monitoring contracts, SRK Consulting SA is also maintaining monitoring infrastructure to ensure integrity of results. For instance, the accumulation of silt in a well can negatively impact the sample chemistry and restrict sampling depth. The functionality of a monitoring point can be restored as required and well in advance of sampling by removing the silt.
“Use of internationally applicable groundwater sampling methodologies is critical for the collection of representative groundwater samples. Groundwater samples taken from ‘standing water’ which has contact with the atmosphere will undergo
chemical changes such as oxidation. As such, they will not deliver an analytical result that accurately reflects the aquifer chemistry,” says O’Brien.
Consistent and comparable results
Another important consideration when monitoring groundwater is sampling depth in relation to the water table.
“When installing the monitoring pump, we ensure that it is positioned in the target zone so that results are consistent and comparable over time. We monitor electrical conductivity, indicating the level of dissolved salts in the water, and measure indicators like pH, redox potential, dissolved oxygen, temperature and drawdown,” he continues.
The company executes detection monitoring protocols by diligently collecting samples, testing them at accredited laboratories, and interpreting the results. In this way, municipalities and waste management organisations can determine if they comply with the parameters laid out in regulatory licenses for landfills, and if operations are impacting groundwater quality and increasing risk.
“This monitoring data also provides insight regarding the evolution of the landfill leachate they generate,” he explains. “In this way, we can draw conclusions about the interaction between leachate and groundwater chemistry.”
Broad expertise deployed
An effective monitoring programme requires broad expertise, including sampling technicians and scientists who are, in turn, led by a professional geohydrologist, environmental geologist, or geochemist.
Outside of the landfill context, O’Brien encourages the private sector to also implement sound groundwater monitoring practices – in the interests of compliance and risk mitigation to timeously identify sustainable solutions, if necessary.
“By encouraging a broader water stewardship approach, we motivate clients to glean as much insight as possible from the monitoring process – and then to interrogate the data more closely to generate valuable strategic and operational guidance,” he adds.
“There is tremendous value in groundwater data, in terms of understanding and minimising the impact of every industrial operation; and this impact, of course, is the key indicator that all companies should be working to reduce.”
Richard O’Brien, Principal Environmental Geochemist and Partner at SRK Consulting SA
DIY TOILET WASHER REPLACEMENT EASY STEPS FOR EVERYONE
One of the biggest culprits of water wastage in homes is leaks. Left unchecked, even small drips can add up to significant water loss.
Leaks are often caused by factors such as incorrect installation, lack of maintenance, aging fixtures, or high water pressure, and they contribute directly to water scarcity. For example, a constantly dripping tap or a leaking toilet can waste between 30 and 60 litres of water per day. That is water you pay for and that the environment loses.
This is why detecting leaks early, fixing them promptly, and maintaining your plumbing are essential. Not only do these steps save water and money, but they also
STEP 3: Flush the toilet cistern to empty the water inside
STEP 6: Remove the old sealing washer from the valve
STEP 9: Put the cistern parts back together following steps 4, 2 and 1 in reverse order
help ensure the longevity and safety of your home’s plumbing system.
Water Wise has created a DIY guide to help replace a leaking toilet washer and stop your money from going down the drain.
STEP 1: Locate the toilet water shut off valve, usually behind the toilet, and turn off the water
STEP 4: Remove the clip (bracket) that secures the toilet cistern valve to the flushing mechanism. Simply press the red tube and lift up the clip
STEP 7: Replace the worn-out sealing washer with a new one. You can get these at your nearest hardware store. Check that you have bought a sealing washer with the same shape and size
STEP 10:
Congratulations. You are now Water Wise.
Toilet cisterns can vary, so use this guide as a reference if your cistern mechanism looks different. If you are unsure, it is best to consult a registered plumber for assistance.
STEP 2: Remove the toilet cistern lid carefully and place it aside. You do not want to break this lid; they are hard to find
STEP 5: Carefully remove the cistern swivel lever arm out of the way, then take out the cistern inlet valve from the cistern
STEP 8: Put the cistern inlet valve back into the toilet cistern and secure with the clip (bracket)
INNOVATIVE FILTER MONITORING IN DRINKING WATER SUPPLIES
ENSURING PURITY AND RELIABILITY THROUGH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
Clean drinking water forms the bedrock of public health, safeguarding communities against illness and fostering prosperity.
In recent years, rapid technological advancements have revolutionised the way we monitor and maintain water quality. Rather than relying solely on manual checks or basic filtration methods, today’s systems harness intelligent sensors and automated processes to ensure that every glass poured is not only safe but also exceeds global standards for purity.
These sophisticated filtration and monitoring solutions operate continuously, analysing water quality in real-time and swiftly detecting any potential contaminants. By integrating electronic sensors, such as differential pressure probes and temperature monitors, utilities are empowered to respond instantly to changes, automatically triggering cleaning cycles or maintenance alerts if required. This not only guarantees consistently high water quality but also reduces downtime and operational costs.
Modern systems are designed to be robust and user-friendly, employing advanced materials that withstand harsh environments and resist corrosion or abrasion. Smart diagnostics and intuitive interfaces simplify maintenance, allowing technicians to easily interpret data and make adjustments, streamlining the entire process. Ultimately, the fusion of cutting-edge technology and vigilant monitoring ensures that clean, reliable drinking water is delivered to homes and businesses, reinforcing public confidence in the safety of their most vital resource.
How filter monitoring works
The process begins with raw water, pumped directly from a natural source, such as a lake, into
a dedicated holding tank. From there, it passes through a drum filter where suspended particles and coarse impurities are effectively removed.
Key to this stage is the integration of electronic differential pressure measurement, which continuously assesses filter contamination levels. When contamination exceeds the set threshold, the system automatically initiates cleaning – ensuring uninterrupted water quality and operational efficiency.
Reliability is a cornerstone of the system, with all materials meeting stringent FDA and EC 1935/2004 standards, alongside local certifications to ensure the safety and integrity of drinking water throughout every phase.
In terms of cost effectiveness, installation is streamlined by the use of two interconnected sensors operated with a single cable, which reduces complexity and helps to minimise expenses. The user-friendly design further enhances operational ease, as multivariable sensors, such as differential pressure probes, simplify both routine operation and maintenance.
Technical highlights
The VEGABAR 82 is an electronic differential pressure measuring instrument that delivers long-term stability and reliability. Its moistureproof measuring cell stands up to challenging environments, while an integrated temperature sensor eliminates the need for separate temperature monitoring devices. The ceramic CERTEC ® measuring cell offers substantial resistance to abrasive particles, further enhancing operational durability.
To optimise sensor power supply and diagnostics, the VEGATRENN 141 separator is employed. It provides immediate on-site status feedback via LED indicators and allows for easy parameter adjustments using HART sockets. This ensures that maintenance and troubleshooting are both efficient and straightforward.
Advanced filter monitoring is not just a technological luxury; it's a necessity for safeguarding drinking water supplies. With integrated systems like VEGABAR 82 and VEGATRENN 141, communities benefit from reliable, cost-effective, and user-friendly solutions that support the ongoing delivery of clean, safe water. As regulatory standards evolve, these innovations remain at the forefront of meeting and exceeding public health expectations.
Maximise ROI and performance with strategic asset lifecycle management
Asset lifecycle management (ALM) is a structured approach to managing an asset from conception to retirement – encompassing planning, acquisition, deployment, operation, maintenance and eventual disposal or replacement.
“The objective of ALM is to extract maximum value, performance and return on investment from an organisation’s assets, while keeping costs and risks under control,” explains Fahdli Adams, Senior Key Account Manager at FM Solutions Technical.
To fully realise the benefits of an asset management strategy, organisations must assess the type and criticality, and the risks posed by underperforming or failing assets, plus the broader impact of frequent repairs or replacements on their operations.
Five core principles
When developing an asset management plan, Adams advises companies to consider five core principles:
• Planning and design: Identifying the need, type, and specifications of an asset, aligned with the facility’s overall design and operational intent.
• Acquisition and installation: Procuring the asset through the appropriate processes, followed by correct installation and commissioning.
• Operations and maintenance documentation: Often overlooked, these manuals are essential to optimal lifecycle management. They include standard operating procedures, certificates of compliance and critical maintenance guidelines.
• Operation and maintenance: Ensuring the asset performs within defined parameters through regular preventative and occasional reactive maintenance.
• Responsible disposal: Timely replacement of assets that are no longer cost-effective to maintain, ensuring environmentally sound disposal or recycling where applicable.
A robust computer aided facilities management (CAFM) system further enhances ALM by delivering critical data insights that enable
A robust computer aided facilities management (CAFM) system further enhances ALM by delivering critical data insights that enable informed decision-making
informed decision-making, more accurate budgeting, and better resource allocation. Adds Adams: “Technical maintenance should never be treated as an isolated service. Developing and executing a comprehensive ALM plan allows organisations to unlock efficiencies, reduce costs, and ensure their assets consistently deliver value – both operationally and financially.”
For further information contact FM Solutions Technical on 086 000 9599 or visit www.fm-solutions.co.za.
MINING | INDUSTRY | MUNICIPAL | AGRICULTURE | FOOD AND BEVERAGE | FIRE FIGHTING
CREATING A DIRECT ROUTE THROUGH ROLLING TERRAIN
Located on Perron Street in Vredenburg, Western Cape, an ambitious infrastructure project has successfully connected the main road to the town’s Louwville area by cutting through challenging valley terrain.
As the road undulated through the landscape, the Terraforce® system adapted seamlessly to these complex geometric requirements
The project, which required filling to a maximum height of 7.5 m, demonstrates the versatility and aesthetic appeal of the Terraforce® retaining wall system as a core component of the new road design.
For the retaining wall phase, the project team selected Terraforce® L11 blocks in round face finish for several compelling reasons. “The system's inherent flexibility proved crucial in accommodating the varying parameters of the roadway, both vertically and horizontally. As the road undulated through the landscape, the Terraforce system adapted seamlessly to these complex geometric requirements,” explains Dale Meyer from WCB Group.
“Aesthetics played an equally important role in the decision. The round face finish of the L11 blocks provided an attractive scalloped appearance that enhanced the visual appeal of this prominent infrastructure project, ensuring the retaining wall would be a positive addition to the community landscape, especially when vegetation was added at a later stage.”
Creative engineering
Beginning with carefully positioned cast footings, each individual section was methodically laid and stacked from start to finish, building up to the final height. The
PROJECT TEAM
Terraforce wall design: KCE Consulting Engineers
Engineering: Siroccon
Construction: WCB Group
Terraforce licensed block manufacturer: Van Dyk Precast
4 As the vegetation takes hold the steep retaining walls will blend into the environment 1 2 3 4
1 The project required earth filling to a maximum height of 7.5 m to accommodate the roadway undulating horizontally while simultaneously decreasing in height from start to finish
2 The wall construction methodology included concrete filling of the lower and upper courses, while the entire height was reinforced with geotextile tie-backs for enhanced structural integrity
3 The completed route with its signature retaining wall
construction methodology included concrete filling of the lower and upper courses, while the entire height was reinforced with geotextile tie-backs for enhanced structural integrity.
“The setting out requirements were particularly elaborate, demanding extensive preparation and careful calculation. The roadway being retained undulated horizontally while simultaneously decreasing in height from start to finish, creating a complex threedimensional puzzle,” Meyer expands.
Adding to the complexity, there was a dramatic 15 m height difference from the start point to the end point at road level, coupled with separate ground level variations that rose and fell throughout the site. “These multiple elevation changes had to be precisely
accommodated in both the design phase and the calculation of setting out positions for individual footings and the face line alignment of all initial blocks,” adds Meyer.
Simon Knutton at KCE Consulting Engineers, who provided the wall design, has high praise for WCB Group for their skill in transforming the design into physical form: “The structural design of the Terraforce wall was pretty straightforward, but modelling the foundation location for the wall to have a fixed top point with a varying height and topography, combined with vertical and horizontal curves in the road, took a lot of detailed calculation. WCB did a great job given what was effectively a 4-D problem.”
Project timeline and scale
Construction commenced in March 2023, with the Terraforce section beginning in July 2023 and reaching completion in March 2024. This ambitious timeline was maintained despite the project's complexity, demonstrating effective project management and construction expertise.
The scale of the project is impressive, requiring a total of 30 965 Terraforce® L11 blocks to complete the retaining wall. This substantial quantity reflects both the length and height of the installation, making it a significant Terraforce project in the Western Cape region.
Going forward, Saldanha Bay Municipality has committed to handling future landscaping initiatives, which will further enhance the
ABOUT
A Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) member for over three decades, Terraforce has maintained a strong foothold in the South African retaining wall market for over 40 years. During the past decade the company has also seen a steady expansion into the international retaining wall market with an evolving country footprint that includes Australia, Canada, Egypt, Ghana, India, Lesotho, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Spain, Eswatini, and United Arab Emirates.
integration of the retaining wall with the surrounding environment.
Ultimately, the project not only solved a practical transportation need for the Vredenburg community but did so in a way that enhanced rather than detracted from the local landscape, proving that functional infrastructure can also be aesthetically pleasing.
Sika powers SA’s wind energy future with proven solutions
As South Africa accelerates its renewable energy ambitions, Sika South Africa is the trusted partner behind the foundations of the nation’s wind energy infrastructure.
From grouting wind turbine bases to sealing precast joints and protecting concrete against harsh conditions, Sika provides a complete suite of solutions engineered to last.
“We don’t just participate in renewable energy – we lead it,” says Jacques Reinecke, Head of Renewable Energy at Sika South Africa. “Our products are approved by all major wind turbine OEMs, fatigue tested for
long-term durability, and many of our grouts are proudly manufactured locally, ensuring rapid supply and support to remote project sites.”
At the core of Sika’s offering are specialised grouts such as Sikagrout®-295 ZA, 3200 ZA, 3350 ZA, and 9400. These high-performance grouts are engineered specifically for wind turbine base applications, delivering longterm stability and proven fatigue resistance under the toughest loading conditions.
At the core of Sika’s offering are specialised grouts engineered specifically for wind turbine base applications
Sika also drives concrete optimisation through advanced admixture technologies. Sika ViscoCrete® is designed for precast production, ensuring the quality of keystones in wind towers. Sika ViscoFlow® maintains workability and consistency in large pours for turbine bases, while SikaPlast® improves performance and durability in demanding conditions.
Complementing the structural solutions is a wide basket of sealing, repair, and protection products. From Sikadur®-31 CF for structural bonding, to Sikalastic®-560 for waterproofing, and SikaTop®-550 Seal for carbonation protection, every system is designed for long-term performance.
The MonoTop® range provides advanced repair mortars, while SikaTop® Armatec®-110 EpoCem® protects reinforcement steel. In turn, trusted sealants like Sikaflex®-11 FC and Pro-3 ensure lasting elasticity in highstress environments.
Hands-on support
One of Sika’s greatest advantages lies in its hands-on technical support. “Our team travels between provinces to assist directly on-site,” adds Marchant Sevenster, Technical Sales & Vertical Market Energy. “We provide everything from specification guidance and applicator training to on-site checks –ensuring the system performs as intended.”
Combined with a national distribution network, rapid turnaround times, and deep knowledge of South African site conditions, Sika enables contractors and developers to build smarter, faster, and more sustainably.
Customised HDPE lined pipes supplied for Meyerton water project
Rocla has supplied customised HDPE lined precast pipes for a water treatment plant in Meyerton. The project, which was completed in partnership with Civil Element Nkateko Group, entailed the fabrication of 1 000 x 2 500 mm units manufactured to the client’s required specifications.
The advantages of Rocla’s HDPE lined pipes is that they offer both the benefits of a conventional concrete pipe as well as a plastic pipe. The pipe is a rigid pipe that loses no shape under load and is inert to acid attack. The pipe joints deliver a degree of flexibility, making them well suited for the water treatment plant project,” explains Sifiso Manqele, Rocla Sales Manager for Gauteng.
HDPE lined precast pipes do not rust, rot, corrode or leak, and are the preferred solution to transport water, chemicals, and sewage. Their resistance to acids, bases, salts, dissolved solids and brine enables the HDPE lined pipe to offer lifespans of up to 100 years under normal conditions. This longevity makes HDPE lined piping a cost efficient and reliable solution for critical sectors of infrastructural maintenance.
Key benefits include a surface that is smoother than concrete, and therefore a
pipe with a smaller internal diameter can be used. Alternatively, the same diameter can be used at a flatter gradient.
An HDPE capping strip is welded over the joint of the pipes after installation. The capping strip is generally 200 mm wide and the same thickness as the lining used in the pipe. One 100 mm long section of lining at the invert or at 60 ° either side of
the pipe invert should not be welded so that any groundwater that may gradually accumulate over time in the space behind the lining is relieved.
“It is one of Rocla’s strengths that it has the flexibility and adaptability to design and manufacture to meet customer needs, as evidenced by the project contractor specifying Rocla bespoke HDPE lined pipes for this project in Meyerton. Quite a feather in our cap,” adds Manqele.
Rocla HDPE lined precast pipes have been selected for sewer and wastewater projects throughout South Africa and were supplied recently to the Driftsands Collective Sewer Augmentation in Nelson Mandela Bay to increase its capacity.
Rocla’s HDPE lined precast pipes offer lifespans of up to 100 years under normal conditions
Water Institute of Southern Africa wisa@wisa.org.za
Wam Technology CC support@wamsys.co.za
Wilo South Africa marketingsa@wilo.co.za
WRCON ben@wrcon.co.za
Zimile Consulting Engineers info@zimile.co.za
Zutari charmaine.achour@zutari.com
New standard form construction contract option needs proper preparation
South Africa's construction industry is preparing for change following the release of the General Conditions of Contract (GCC) 2025, which aims to improve how construction projects are managed and disputes are resolved.
Michelle Kerr, director at MDA Attorneys
Construction law specialists MDA Attorneys say that the new GCC contract from the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) brings changes that could catch contractors and employers off guard if they're not properly prepared.
Michelle Kerr, a director of MDA Attorneys, says, “The GCC is widely used in South African construction projects, so these changes are relevant to many players in the industry who choose GCC 2025 as a standard form contract. Some of the new provisions that have been introduced could have serious financial consequences for those who don't understand them.”
Kerr unpacks the new GCC 2025 and its potential implications. Perhaps the most comprehensive changes relate to how disputes are handled. The new system introduces a two-stage claims process, giving contractors more time to prepare detailed claims. However, it also gives stricter deadlines for the employer’s agent to rule on claims, introducing an automatic rejection of claims if responses aren't provided on time by the employer’s agent.
"The dispute process is becoming more structured but also more complex," notes Kerr. “Parties will need to be much more disciplined about meeting deadlines and following procedures.”
Another significant new provision means that parties who fail to comply with adjudication decisions will lose their right to challenge those decisions in subsequent proceedings until they've complied. This change is designed to strengthen the enforcement of adjudicator’s decisions. The grounds for terminating contracts have also been expanded to include failure to comply with an adjudicator’s decision.
The changes reflect lessons learnt from recent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, with provisions covering government-declared states of emergency and disaster as valid reasons for project delays.
“These updates show SAICE has been listening to industry feedback and addressing real-world problems,” says Kerr. “However, the devil is in the details and will determine how these provisions will work in practice.”
With the GCC 2025 expected to become the standard for many new projects, industry players are advised to familiarise themselves with the changes and consider updating their internal processes accordingly.
“The key is preparation,” concludes Kerr. “Companies that understand these changes and adapt their procedures will have a significant advantage over those caught unprepared.”
High-impact SLP execution in Laingsburg
The upgrade of the stadium provided a fertile training ground for the learners to put their theoretical knowledge to practice
The workmanship quality of the nine unemployed young adults from Laingsburg who upgraded JJ Ellis Sports Ground has received utmost praise from Laingsburg Municipality.
These six women and three men undertook the project under the watch of Tjeka Training Matters’ training facilitators as part of the practical component of their skills training. The project provided an ideal opportunity for these individuals to apply the theoretical knowledge that they had learnt in the classroom to attain a Construction Education and Training Authorityaccredited qualification.
This building skills training course was funded by Power Construction as part of the social and labour plan (SLP) associated with the mineral rights to Doornfontein quarry, from where this leading construction company sources aggregates for its projects in the area.
In compiling the SLP, Power Construction worked closely with Laingsburg Municipality to ensure that it was closely aligned with their integrated development plan. In this way, the municipality makes sure that SLPs address the real needs of communities in its jurisdiction.
Youth skills development and training remain a top priority for Laingsburg Municipality. It also insists that training projects undertaken as part of the Human Resources Development component of SLPs are of an exceptionally high quality. They must lead to a recognised qualification and ensure that young adults are “work ready”.
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS
Furthermore, education and training initiatives need to be closely aligned with the skills needs of industries, hence the reason that Power Construction elected to fund training geared at developing basic building trades proficiency. This includes bricklaying, carpentry, plumbing, painting, plastering and tiling, as well as paving.
Quality in practice
John Komanisi, manager of Laingsburg Municipality’s Infrastructure Department, says that the refurbished sports facility reflects the quality of the skills learnt by the individuals.
“While they diligently attended two months of classroom training to learn the ins-and-outs of their trade, the three months spent on an actual building project working to tight deadlines and a real budget was the real test of their grit and determination to succeed in a tough industry. Needless to say, they’ve definitely got what it takes, which includes a willingness to learn and be mentored,” Komanisi says.
Komanisi adds that this project is a stellar example of the positive impact that SLPs can achieve when all stakeholders collaborate in the process. All too often, SLPs fail because they are undertaken without the input of communities.
“Power Construction has demonstrated that it is invested in ensuring that its corporate social
Laingsburg community members now have a completely refurbished sports and recreational centre
responsibility programmes provide sustainable community benefit,” he says. “For example, the group of individuals can also use their newfound skills to help uplift their communities where there is a shortage of professional construction services. The most enterprising members of the group may, therefore, also pursue starting their own small construction businesses to supply this demand.”
Community members now have a completely refurbished sports and recreational centre. The cloakrooms were repaired and upgraded, toilets and ceilings refurbished, and the grandstand resealed and repainted. Power Construction also donated a container ablution unit with two women’s toilets, providing a safe and dignified space for female players and spectators.
The training was funded by Power Construction
Flowing Towards a S ustainable F uture
Magalies Water keeps your water clean and reliable. One drop at a time. Empowering communities with every drop. Ensuring safe and sustainable water for generations to come.
Magalies Water is committed to sustainability through various initiatives:
• Rainwater Harvesting
• Wastewater recycling
• Public education campaigns
• Resource conservation
• Working with local government and industries to promote sustainable water management practices
SPECIALIST PIPELINE CONTRACTORS
With over 50 years of combined experience nationally and internationally, Mainline Civil Engineering ensures professional project delivery every time.
Mainline Civil Engineering is a specialist civil engineering contractor in the field of pipeline construction, trenchless installation of underground pipelines and utilities, and trenchless pipeline rehabilitation and tunnelling in both the public and private sectors.
We are at the cutting edge of pipeline construction, rehabilitation, and tunnelling in South Africa and throughout Southern Africa. At Mainline, we use the latest techniques and equipment to ensure minimal environmental impact and offer comprehensive infrastructure technology to all service providers and utilities. With Mainline contracting team’s vast range of experience in the field at home and across our borders, our attitude is “nothing is impossible”. We offer the best solutions from our comprehensive trenchless toolbox, using our experience, knowledge, and equipment to ensure professional project delivery for all stakeholders.
