RE-ENGINEERING A F R I C A’ S B U I LT ENVIRONMENT
SERVICE YOU CAN TOUCH
RE-ENGINEERING A F R I C A’ S B U I LT ENVIRONMENT
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STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
Stefanutti Stocks is reshaping Southern Africa’s construction landscape through multidisciplinary expertise, digital innovation, and sustainable infrastructure solutions. Russell Crawford, CEO, tells us how the group continues to navigate challenges whilst building for future growth Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: James Melton
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he construction industry in South Africa (SA) has evolved alongside the country’s built environment and urban growth, demonstrating resilience through successive periods of economic, social, and technological change. Since the 19th century, the construction industry has had a profound impact on SA’s socioeconomic makeup, driven by the changing needs of the nation’s infrastructure and rapid technological change. Construction has been closely linked to SA’s mining sector for more than a century, supporting industrialisation, urbanisation, labour mobility, and infrastructure development since the late 1800s. Indeed, the growing mining industry at the time generated greater demand for critical infrastructure such as railways and bridges, logistics and transport, industrial buildings, roads, and evolving urban settlements. The expansion and diversification of the construction industry was therefore not an isolated event, as it evolved in the early 1900s from local building activity into an increasingly multidisciplinary landscape concerning labour movement, transport, materials, and urbanisation. The discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886 led directly to the founding of Johannesburg, which within a decade had become the country’s largest town. Into the 20th century, deep-level mining and a growing manufacturing base drove sustained investment in transport, industrial, and urban infrastructure. Once again, this highlighted the construction industry’s position as an economic driver, forging a connection between mines, ports, manufacturing facilities, and housing, thus helping to physically connect the emerging industrial landscape. By the late 20th century, SA had developed a substantial infrastructure and construction base, spanning civil Africa Outlook Issue 122 | 3
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
CAN YOU PROVIDE KEY DETAILS ABOUT STEFANUTTI STOCKS’ FIVE-YEAR ORGANISATIONAL RESTRUCTURING AND HOW THIS WILL HELP BOOST THE GROUP’S CAPABILITIES? Russell Crawford, CEO: “The restructuring was both financial and operational. Its successful completion removed a prolonged period of uncertainty, settled historic lender arrangements, and established a more sustainable capital structure. “Operationally, we simplified the organisation around empowered regions, specialist disciplines, and streamlined shared services. This more focused structure strengthens accountability, accelerates decisionmaking, and enables technical expertise, specialist resources, plants, and systems to be deployed more effectively across the group. “It also enables us to build on and expand our strengths in targeted subsectors whilst ensuring best practices and specialist knowledge are shared throughout the group and deployed on projects where required. “Most importantly, management can now focus fully on safe execution, disciplined growth, operational excellence, and longterm value creation rather than legacy restructuring matters.”
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engineering, energy infrastructure, complex water systems, and modern urban planning, although Apartheidera policies severely restricted labour mobility and skills development across the sector. Following the 1994 democratic elections, the sector became central to redressing housing shortages and infrastructure inequality, with the Reconstruction and Development Programme driving a significant phase of public investment in housing and services.
INDUSTRY OBSTACLES Fast forward to the 2020s, and the past five years have tested SA’s construction industry, which faced declining fixed investment, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, and severe loadshedding that disrupted project delivery until mid-2025. Reduced investment A prolonged period of fixed investment instability resulted in the industry operating in an environment with limited financial backing for many years. In 2024, real fixed investment across the South African economy declined by 3.7 percent (after growing by 3.9 percent in 2023) and construction output contracted by 5.1 percent, the sector’s eighth consecutive annual decline. More recent Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) data shows gross fixed capital formation in construction fell a further 5.4 percent in 2025. This reduced infrastructure investment had tangible consequences for the construction sector: when fewer factories, housing developments, mines, and renewable energy projects proceed,
contractors face a smaller pipeline of work. At the same time, the public sector’s construction pipeline also reduced, with significant delays in roads, hospitals, schools, and water and rail infrastructure ultimately restricting the industry’s contributions to national GDP. In 2026, Infrastructure South Africa reported that fewer than 30 percent of advertised public construction tenders had been awarded, with the remainder either cancelled or not concluded. Addressing an infrastructure delivery forum in September 2026, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, noted that only one in six public infrastructure tenders had been concluded in the past 12 months, stating: “This is simply not good enough.” COVID-19 pandemic aftermath During the COVID-19 pandemic, clients across both the public and private sectors held back on their original investment decisions, and 70 percent of industry professionals surveyed reported that construction projects were being cancelled (Musonda & Rakolote, Acta Structilia, 2022). That caution persisted well beyond the pandemic. The pandemic impacted project economics, with direct consequences on material shortages and price fluctuations, labour disruptions, changes to contractual obligations, delays, and substantial health and safety requirements, all culminating in greatly reduced activity, increased costs, and limited revenues. Other obstacles Although SA has now recorded more than 500 consecutive days without loadshedding, years of frequent power disruption left a lasting mark on the sector, resulting in lost working time and complicating project scheduling.
Combined with logistics constraints, cost volatility, and criminal disruption on construction sites, this has placed contractors under sustained pressure. Site disruption has since become a national priority. Following the Durban Declaration in November 2024 (which brought together the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, South African Police Service (SAPS), National Treasury, and CIDB, the South African cabinet approved the Integrated Social Facilitation Framework in July 2026 as a binding national policy to prevent disruptions before they occur. Since September 2025, 52 contractors have been blacklisted. Meanwhile, the failure of several major domestic contractors has reduced local capacity, and international firms have increased their presence in selected markets, intensifying competition for largescale work. For contractors that have remained in the market, this has created a clear opportunity. Clients increasingly require partners with proven delivery records, strong local knowledge, and the multidisciplinary capability to manage complex projects across SA.
A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH With more than 80 years of delivery
across SA’s economic cycles, Stefanutti Stocks understands the challenges the industry has faced and has the multidisciplinary capability to deliver through them. “I am cautiously optimistic. The country’s water, energy, transport, mining, and digital infrastructure needs are substantial, and there is encouraging activity in private sector investment and publicprivate collaboration,” opens Russell Crawford, CEO. Public-private partnerships are gaining traction across the sector, which bring with them significant budget improvements, particularly for transport logistics, water, sanitation, and renewable energy projects such as expanded solar, wind, and power grid capacities. “Sustainable growth will however depend on converting announced pipelines into bankable, properly procured projects and ensuring fair competition, payment discipline, and accountable delivery,” he says. The Stefanutti side traces its roots to 1971, when Gino Stefanutti and Ivo Bressan began building bridges and culverts in KwaZulu-Natal. The group’s heritage also incorporates Stocks & Stocks, whose origins date back to 1945, which later became Stocks Limited. Stefanutti & Bressan (S&B) listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in August 2007 and
merged with Stocks Limited in 2008 to form Stefanutti Stocks. The group therefore draws on more than 80 years of combined construction heritage.
12 DISCIPLINES UNDER ONE ROOF Today, the group brings together a broad range of 12 specialist construction disciplines to provide world-class services to clients across diverse markets. These disciplines span building, civils, geotechnical, roads and earthworks, marine, renewable energy, data centres, electrical and instrumentation, mechanical, oil and gas, concrete rehabilitation and repairs, and mining services. Decades of experience afford the group unique insight into the business challenges faced by the sectors it serves, and this supports its ability to propose innovative, project-specific solutions. The building discipline offers the full scope of traditional and niche building expertise (airports, hospitals, and data centres) to local and international clients and has pioneered international project development trends in Africa by offering the traditional building market (including industrial, retail, residential, office accommodation, and hotels) alternative procurement options. Africa Outlook Issue 122 | 5
Demolition and Excavation A FAMILY BUSINESS CHANGING HOW SITES ARE DEVELOPED
DEMEX (Pty) Ltd brings together specialist demolition, bulk earthworks, civil construction, mining, load and haul, crushing and screening, and material recovery. Its work spans the removal of existing structures, mass excavation, road and service construction, and the processing of aggregates and minerals, alongside material recovery and reuse. The aim is to give clients a coordinated operation that takes a site through the demanding early stages of development while making better use of the resources already there. DEMEX forms part of a second-generation, family-owned group of companies with a 25-year operating history. The group includes DEMEX, Hamilton Plant Hire, Rock & Soil Recycling and Umkhombe Mining Services. Together, these businesses connect construction, plant hire, recycling and mining services, supported by a fleet of 180 pieces of plant and the teams required to operate, transport and maintain them. Based in the Western Cape, the group has grown around practical experience in moving ground, handling difficult materials and delivering work in demanding environments. Under Ryan
Plasket’s leadership, that experience is being combined with a clear ambition to change how the industry works. DEMEX is developing an approach in which specialist equipment, coordinated services and a substantial recycling footprint are part of the construction plan from the beginning.
SPECIALIST DEMOLITION FROM PRECISION WORK TO IMPLOSION
Demolition is a core DEMEX capability. The company undertakes mechanical demolition and implosions, with methods selected around the structure, its surroundings and the required outcome. Its offering extends from precision work in restricted spaces to the removal of substantial buildings and industrial structures, followed by breaking, sorting, loading and site clearance. The demolition equipment available includes high-reach excavators, remote-controlled excavators and a range of specialist attachments. Shears, hydraulic hammers, concrete munchers and selector grabs allow teams to cut, break, reduce and separate material using equipment suited to the task. Highreach machines provide access to elevated structures, while remote-controlled equipment gives the team options for work
capability extends to the work around the event: preparing the structure, organising the site, and dealing with the resulting material. The implosion is one stage of a broader demolition operation that must also deliver a cleared site for the client’s next phase. Material recovery is planned alongside demolition. Selector grabs help separate different streams, concrete can be reduced for processing, and recoverable metals can be handled separately. Where project conditions and specifications allow, suitable concrete and masonry can be crushed for reuse. This links the demolition operation directly to the material requirements of the development that follows.
CRUSHING AND SCREENING FOR AGGREGATES AND MINERALS
where positioning an operator directly at the workface would be difficult or undesirable. This range of equipment supports a considered demolition sequence. Concrete and steel require different tools; a confined work area changes machine selection; and retained structures or neighbouring activities influence how the job is approached. DEMEX can combine demolition plant with loading equipment and transport so that material moves away from the workface and the site remains organised as the structure comes down. Implosion adds another specialist dimension. These projects require detailed engineering, preparation, a planned collapse sequence and carefully managed exclusion areas. DEMEX’s
Crushing and screening form a dedicated part of the group’s operation, serving both aggregate producers and the mining and minerals sector. DEMEX has access to specialised equipment, including jaw and cone crushers, mobile screens, conveyors and the excavators and loaders needed to feed them. The offering covers aggregate production, the size reduction and screening of mineral feedstocks, and the recovery of suitable construction and demolition material. The equipment is arranged around the feed material and the product required. Crushing trains combine primary reduction, further crushing and screening to achieve the specified size distribution. Screening and scalping can separate usable fractions and remove oversize material before the next processing stage. For aggregates and minerals alike, the plant configuration depends on feed size, hardness, composition, required grading and production volume. The operation also has to work as a complete production system. Loading capacity must keep pace with the processing plant, conveyors need to move the output effectively, and stockpiles must be organised so finished products remain separate. DEMEX’s access to plant, haulage and maintenance support helps it manage those connections rather than treat the crusher as an isolated machine.
Mobile processing creates opportunities to use material close to where it is generated. Rock excavated during site preparation and suitable demolition arisings can be assessed for processing into products needed on the same project. Reuse remains subject to the relevant specification and testing, but where it is appropriate, it can reduce material sent away and replacement aggregate brought back. This is especially valuable on projects with substantial excavation or demolition volumes. A processing plan established early can influence the excavation sequence, stockpile areas, haul routes and programme. It gives the client a clearer understanding of which material can be retained, how it will be processed and where it can be used, with disposal reserved for streams that require a different destination.
MINING AND LOAD AND HAUL
Mining and load and haul are a key focus for the group. Through Umkhombe Mining Services and the group’s shared plant resources, the offering brings together excavation, loading, hauling, drilling and blasting, and material handling for mining and quarrying operations. This connects the movement of material at the mining face with the requirements of the processing plant and stockpile areas. Fleets of excavators, articulated dump trucks, dozers and loaders can be configured around the material, haul distance and required output. Load and haul planning balances excavator capacity with truck cycle times, haulroad conditions and the receiving point. The objective is a steady flow of material that keeps the excavation fleet and processing equipment productive while controlling unnecessary waiting and rehandling. The ability to combine load and haul with specialised crushing and screening gives clients a coordinated service from excavation through to a sized product. Whether handling rock for aggregate production or mineral feed for a mining operation, the work is organised around agreed tonnage, product specifications and site requirements. Workshop, transport and operational support across the group help sustain the equipment and logistics behind that service.
BULK EARTHWORKS ROADS AND CIVIL SERVICES
DEMEX undertakes heavy-duty earthmoving and mass bulk excavation, using fleets of articulated dump trucks, dozers, excavators, loaders and compaction equipment. Its capability covers cutting, loading, hauling, filling, shaping and compacting material to create development platforms and prepare sites for construction. The work can range from confined excavations to large operations requiring coordinated fleets and substantial daily production. The focus is on balancing the full earthmoving cycle. Excavators need enough haulage to remain productive, haul routes need to support the movement of loaded trucks, and the receiving area needs the capacity to spread and compact incoming material. DEMEX plans these elements together, selecting equipment around the ground conditions, haul distance and required programme. Civil construction extends the offering into roads, services and associated infrastructure. This allows the business to follow bulk excavation and platform preparation with the next stages of site development. Coordinating these packages helps manage handovers, access and material requirements as a site moves from demolition or open ground towards a functioning development. The broader service range includes rock breaking, dynamic compaction, asbestos removal, landfill management and mine rehabilitation. Rehabilitation connects these earthmoving and material handling skills with reshaping disturbed ground and preparing it for the agreed end use.
RECYCLING BUILT INTO THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Rock & Soil Recycling gives the group a substantial recycling footprint and a practical route for recovering suitable construction and demolition materials. The ambition is to make recycling part of how a job is planned and executed. That starts with understanding the material before it is mixed, damaged or transported to a destination that removes the opportunity for reuse.
On site, this means separating recoverable streams, identifying suitable concrete and rock, and planning where material can be stored and processed. Crushing and screening can then produce material for an approved use. Where suitable recovered products can replace imported material, the project may benefit from fewer transport movements, reduced demand for virgin aggregate and less pressure on disposal facilities. The same thinking applies across demolition, earthworks and rehabilitation. Material removed from one part of a site may have a useful role elsewhere, provided it meets the engineering and environmental requirements. DEMEX’s connected capabilities allow these options to be considered while the project is being planned, with the processing equipment and earthmoving fleet available to put an approved material strategy into practice.
A COMPLETE SERVICE FROM SITE CLEARANCE TO PRODUCTION
Clients can engage the group for an individual service or a combined package covering demolition, excavation, load and haul, crushing and screening, civil works and rehabilitation. The scope can follow the full material cycle: removing a structure or excavating rock, moving material to the processing area, producing a specified product and placing suitable recovered material where it is needed. For mining and quarrying clients, the emphasis is on reliable material movement and processing. For developers and contractors, it is on clearing sites, undertaking mass excavation, preparing platforms and constructing roads and services. Specialist machines and attachments, coordinated
fleets and workshop support provide the resources behind these services. Investment in electric equipment also supports the group’s focus on efficient site delivery. DEMEX’s drive to change established practices is rooted in how it delivers the work. Planning demolition alongside material recovery, combining load and haul with processing, and reusing suitable material on site can make the operation more efficient and reduce unnecessary transport and disposal. The focus remains on meeting the client’s programme, quantities and specifications. After 25 years as a family group, the next generation is building on established experience with a broader, more connected service offering. With 180 pieces of plant and specialist businesses across construction, mining, plant hire and recycling, the group brings the equipment and operational support needed to take on demanding site and production work.
021 790 1001 tenders@hamiltonplanthire.co.za www.hamiltonplanthire.co.za
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
Its civils discipline supports major infrastructure and industrial projects, with capabilities spanning water and wastewater treatment works, reservoirs and dams, transport infrastructure, bridges, rail and marine facilities, industrial civils, caisson construction, desalination infrastructure, and precast concrete solutions. The geotechnical discipline’s complementary services include piling in all soil conditions, design and construction support, lateral support, rock anchoring, shotcrete, void fill, specialist grouting, dolomitic treatment, and sinkhole remediation and repairs. Stefanutti Stocks is also subSaharan Africa’s leading concrete repair and rehabilitation specialist, with the discipline applying proven concrete repair, rehabilitation, and maintenance strategies to keep infrastructure assets performing for their full intended lifespan and beyond.
STEFANUTTI STOCKS’ 12 CONSTRUCTION DISCIPLINES - BUILDING - CIVILS - GEOTECHNICAL - CONCRETE REHABILITATION AND REPAIR - ROADS AND EARTHWORKS - MARINE - RENEWABLE ENERGY - DATA CENTRES - ELECTRICAL AND INSTRUMENTATION - MECHANICAL - OIL AND GAS - MINING SERVICES
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The roads and earthworks discipline delivers road construction and rehabilitation, bulk earthworks, bulk civil services and infrastructure, large earth dam construction, rail and water infrastructure, pipeline installation, crushing and screening, tailings storage facilities construction, and agricultural land preparation. The group’s mining services discipline is focused on two principal areas: materials handling and tailings operations. Its services include dump reclamation, screening, blending, placement, slurry disposal, final dump rehabilitation, waste rock dump management, tailings storage facility design, construction and operation, digital monitoring and reporting, and hydraulic mining or reclamation. Stefanutti Stocks’ extensive
mechanical, electrical, and piping (MEP) capability covers control systems, field instrumentation, materials handling systems, mechanical equipment, switchgear and motor control centres, overland and underground pipelines, process plant construction, process piping, structural steel and pipe support fabrication and erection, pipe spool fabrication and installation, tank and tank farm construction, turnarounds, shutdowns, maintenance, and commissioning support. The group’s electrical and instrumentation service offering supports high-, medium- and low-voltage installations, electrical step-down facilities, control and instrumentation systems, industrial process plants, shutdown and
“Our success is measured not only by the completion of a structure, but also by its safe delivery, lasting capability, and the fact we leave clients and communities with infrastructure that performs as intended” – R U S S E L L C R AW F O R D , C E O , S T E FA N U T T I S T O C K S
maintenance projects, data centre fit-outs, and renewable energy infrastructure. Its oil and gas capability further strengthens this multidisciplinary platform, supporting pipe-spool fabrication, bulk tank construction, petrochemical plant work, refinery upgrades, maintenance, and related industrial infrastructure. Moreover, the group’s renewable
energy discipline delivers civil and electrical balance of plant (BoP) services for wind and solar projects, including main transmission substations, independent power producer (IPP) substations, solar photovoltaic (PV) balance of system works, battery energy storage systems (BESS), medium-voltage reticulation networks, and overhead lines.
The data centre discipline provides a one-stop solution for large-scale data centre rollouts, covering earthworks, civil, structural, and architectural (CSA) works, MEP services, in-house 3D modelling, building information modelling (BIM), and specialist fitout support. Since 2018, the group has continuously delivered fasttrack projects for hyperscale and colocation clients and has to date delivered 70 megawatts (MW) of IT capacity. The marine discipline has delivered complex port, wharf, and marine infrastructure projects across Africa, supported by its wider civil, geotechnical, roads and earthworks, mechanical, and digital delivery expertise. Africa Outlook Issue 122 | 11
Slow in moving but impressive on arrival
W
hat started as a vision in 2005 has grown into one of the leading names in plant hire, with operations stretching across South Africa and, more recently, into Zambia. Founded by Wynand Botha, Dzombo Civils and Plant Hire forms part of the Dzombo Group of Companies, proudly based in Lephalale, Limpopo.
From the beginning, the company was built on a hands-on approach and a belief in taking ownership of every aspect of the work. “Since starting our company in 2005, we first concentrated on doing developments in the domestic housing and commercial retail markets and believed in doing the levelling of building sites, preparation of platforms for construction, installation of
water and power services and the construction of roads, ourselves,” says Wynand Botha. This philosophy of doing things properly, investing in the right equipment and developing the right skills has remained at the heart of Dzombo’s growth. Over the years, the company has expanded its capabilities significantly and today operates a fleet of more than 150 CAT machines.
More than
150
CAT machines in the fleet For this reason, we carefully select our operators to ensure that every member of our team meets the high standards of skill, experience and commitment that our clients have come to expect. By placing the right people behind our machines, we are able to provide our clients with a reliable, efficient and quick service, whilst maintaining the quality of work that Dzombo is known for. Whilst Dzombo has grown from a small civil construction business into a company with an extensive fleet and an expanding international footprint, its success has always been about more than machinery. Whilst proudly rooted in Limpopo, Dzombo’s footprint extends across South Africa, where the company provides plant hire services to projects in a wide range of industries with their focus now in mining. The business has also recently taken an important step beyond South Africa’s borders, establishing operations in Zambia after a client approached Dzombo to supply earth moving equipment for its operations. The expansion into Zambia represents an exciting new chapter for the company and demonstrates the confidence that major industry players place in Dzombo’s equipment, expertise and ability to deliver. The name Dzombo carries a special history and meaning. Dzombo was one of the legendary Magnificent Seven elephant bulls that once roamed the Kruger National Park. The name also originates from the Xitsonga word for a stream that moves slowly, but leaves a lasting impression upon arrival. It is a fitting description of the company’s journey - built steadily over time through dedication,
hard work and perseverance, before growing into the powerful and respected business it is today. One of Dzombo’s greatest strengths lies behind the machines. The company employs its own qualified mechanics and invests in the development of future generations through apprenticeship training. By training young mechanics and creating opportunities for practical experience, Dzombo is not only maintaining its own equipment but also contributing to the development of valuable technical skills. The company’s in-house technical capabilities extend even further. Dzombo carries out its own machine rebuilds, including the rebuilding of engines and transmissions. This level of self-sufficiency allows the company to maintain a high standard across its fleet whilst ensuring that equipment remains reliable and ready to perform in demanding environments. At Dzombo, we understand that even the best equipment is only as good as the people operating it.
Behind every project, every machine and every achievement is a dedicated team of people who work tirelessly to keep the business moving forward. “Our team is hardworking, committed and plays an essential role in everything we do. Without them, Dzombo would not be where it is today.” From carefully selected operators and skilled mechanics to workshop teams, management and support staff, the people of Dzombo remain the driving force behind the business. As the company continues to grow across South Africa and expand into Africa, Dzombo Civils and Plant Hire remains committed to the values on which it was founded: hard work, reliability, quality, self-sufficiency and a determination to always keep moving forward. From a steady stream to a powerful force, Dzombo continues to make its mark - one project, one machine and one dedicated team at a time.
Phone: +27 83 586 8120 Email: admin@dzombo.co.za
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTION Stefanutti Stocks’ multidisciplinary expertise has cemented it at the forefront of the construction industry in SA, offering end-toend capabilities with a transparent delivery model. From the outset, the group offers clients a range of procurement and delivery options tailored to each project’s requirements, including conventional contracting, turnkey and design-and-build solutions, early contractor engagement, and project management support. Its multidisciplinary structure allows buildability, sequencing, risk allocation, and cost considerations to be addressed early, with CSA and MEP inputs coordinated through a single delivery platform. Supported by BIM, 3D modelling, and specialist technical expertise, this approach strengthens design coordination, improves constructability and provides clearer accountability across the project lifecycle, from planning and procurement through to construction, commissioning, and handover. “Our multidisciplinary model brings the key construction interfaces together under one accountable delivery structure,” says Crawford.
THE STEFANUTTI STOCKS WAY FOUNDER’S MENTALITY - OWNER’S MINDSET: All staff members are so invested that they feel and act like owners. - FRONTLINE OBSESSION: Every employee is driven to support the success of Stefanutti Stocks’ construction sites. - AGILITY: The group collectively makes good decisions, adapts to change quickly, and reduces bureaucracy. - RESILIENCE: Stefanutti Stocks deals with difficulties and challenges effortlessly, bouncing back in the face of adversity and never giving up. FLAWLESS EXECUTION - ACCOUNTABILITY: The group is responsible for its performance and outcomes when delivering excellence. - PROFESSIONALISM: Its employees are competent, disciplined, reliable, and meticulous. - INNOVATION: Stefanutti Stocks uses new processes, techniques, and ideas to seek continual improvement. - STAKEHOLDER ALIGNMENT: In the best interests of its projects, a common understanding is developed and maintained by Stefanutti Stocks amongst clients, vendors, and communities. CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS - CLIENT CENTRIC: Stefanutti Stocks creates the best experiences for its clients through focused and continuous engagement. - SOLUTIONS-DRIVEN: It assists clients by creating value and helping them solve problems. ENERGISED AND ENGAGED EMPLOYEES - PEOPLE AND FAMILY: The group’s colleagues are its family and main differentiator.
A SINGLE POINT OF ACCOUNTABILITY
- SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Leaders and managers are responsible for helping employees learn, grow, and perform to their full potential.
Depending on the scope of the project, the group can combine earthworks, geotechnical works, civils, structural, and architectural delivery with mechanical, electrical, and instrumentation services, as well as offering commissioning support and digital modelling. This substantially reduces client interface risk through a single counterparty model, which means each customer only works with one contracting entity that is accountable for coordinating and delivering the integrated scope.
- CELEBRATE SUCCESS: The business celebrates victories, recognises excellence, shows appreciation, and provides motivation.
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- HIRE AND DEVELOP THE BEST PEOPLE: Stefanutti Stocks employs, grows, and promotes the best.
This model allows risks to be identified earlier, improves constructability and sequencing, and reduces the gaps that often arise between separate contractors, thereby significantly improving the client experience. Moreover, Stefanutti Stocks’
multidisciplinary model means regional teams remain close to clients and local supply chains where they are most needed, whilst group disciplines, shared systems, and specialist resources can be easily deployed wherever required.
“For the client, the result is clearer accountability, fewer interfaces, and more predictable safety, quality, cost, and programme outcomes,” states Crawford. Stefanutti Stocks operates across all of SA’s provinces. Beyond its borders, the group’s businesses in Botswana, Eswatini, and Zambia are established local contractors; it has numerous cross-border operations, including in Namibia and Zimbabwe, and the ability to mobilise across selected sub-Saharan African countries. The group is a Level 1 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) contributor, and its CIDB Grade 9 rating allows it to tender for projects without restriction on size.
SOLUTIONS THAT ENRICH PEOPLE’S LIVES Stefanutti Stocks is guided by a
“Our objective is not to replace engineering judgement, but to equip our people with better information, reduce rework and manual effort, strengthen controls, and improve the predictability and efficiency of project delivery” – R U S S E L L C R AW F O R D , C E O , S T E FA N U T T I S T O C K S
clear vision: to re-engineer the built environment. This is underpinned by its mission of being a multidisciplinary construction group delivering exceptional engineering solutions that enrich people’s lives. “We give practical meaning to this by delivering infrastructure that supports economic activity and communities across water and sanitation, energy, transport, mining, industrial facilities, public buildings, and digital infrastructure,” explains Crawford.
The group works hard to combine technical excellence with local employment, skills and enterprise development, responsible procurement, and environmental stewardship. “Our success is measured not only by the completion of a structure, but also by its safe delivery, lasting capability, and the fact we leave clients and communities with infrastructure that performs as intended,” he shares. Africa Outlook Issue 122 | 15
Service is our pride. Briefly introduce BPCR Steel Fabrication BPCR Steel Fabrication (Pty) Ltd started from humble beginnings in Secunda, Mpumalanga as Notefull Engineering in the year 2000. In 2007 our BEE partner acquired the business, as Brian, one of the current directors, needed to relocate to Gauteng. Together with a new BEE partner, Brian registered BPCR Trading Enterprise in 2008 and in 2019 converted to a (PTY) LTD with a name change to BPCR Steel Fabrication. The company manufactures heavy structural steel, cast in items, bolts, chutes, conveyors etc for the mining and construction industries. We can work with various types of steel, if you have the drawing, we can manufacture it!
What differentiates BPCR Steel Fabrication from the competition? I think the fact that we have a small but very dedicated and efficient team differentiates us from the competition. We have 30 plus years of experience, we’ve been around the block!
Our team understands the urgency of each clients order, weather it’s a few bolts or a full scale project. We focus on meeting the clients requirements and getting the details right while building lasting customer relationships through personal service and accountability.
Could you elaborate on your partnership with Stefanutti Stocks? Stefanutti Stocks is an exceptional company and our largest, valued client with whom we have built a strong relationship. Our partnership with them started some 18 odd years ago. We have been privileged to be able to offer on site advise to them in the manufacturing process as well as with site installation of various structures that we have built, while also gaining knowledge from them. Our complementary strengths lie in bringing fabrication expertise to their construction requirements.
For Stefanutti Stocks, we offer direct access to a dedicated fabrication team, with hands-on involvement from reviewing requirements through to manufacture and inspection. For BPCR, the relationship provides valuable ongoing business and opportunities to develop our capabilities in line with the expectations of a major construction company. We place great value on the trust they put in us. Our priority is to continue earning that trust through quality workmanship, responsive service and close attention to their project requirements.
Are there any recent projects or investments you would like to highlight? We are very excited and blessed to be involved in the project which Stefanutti is running in Zambia – the Lumwana Expansion Project. This is a significant ongoing project for which we have been supplying approximately 60 tonnes of steel components per month.
Our scope includes cast in plates ranging from 10mm to 40mm thick , cast in frames, chutes, tunnel components and holding down bolts ranging from M16 to M80 The tunnel work includes large cast in plate assemblies for a 12 x17metre long concrete beam. This project has been a great challenge!
Looking ahead, what are BPCR Steel Fabrication’s key priorities? Our key priorities are to stay consistent, putting clients first and offering the best turnaround time for any order. We strive to keep the business sustainable so that employees can build a future for themselves. We train as much as we can from the bottom up and are proud of those who have been with us for 11 years and more. We believe that behind every successful company, there is a team of dedicated people and leaders that keep operations running and solve problems, making it possible and for that we salute our team.
OFFICE: +27 11 818 1222 BRIAN: +27 82 383 9814 BIANCA: +27 64 522 9831 EMAIL: brian@bpcrtrading.co.za EMAIL: bianca@bpcrtrading.co.za
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
AWARDS AND ACCOLADES The same five years that tested SA’s construction industry also tested every contractor’s ability to deliver. Between 2021 and 2025, through the aftermath of the pandemic, severe loadshedding, and constrained investment, Stefanutti Stocks’ project teams across SA, Botswana, Eswatini, and Zambia were recognised by clients, industry bodies, and independent judges for quality, safety, sustainability, and innovation. Recognition has continued into 2026. At the Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) National Health and Safety Awards in September, the group’s Western Cape Region won first place in two categories: the Paarl WWTW (Civil Engineering Works) and the Philippi Potable Water Treatment Works (ZAR100 million to ZAR250 million). Both projects had also placed first at the Master Builders’ Association Western Cape Regional Health and Safety Awards, where the region received the special award for Best Company Safety Practice and three further entries were highly commended. At the same national awards, the Coastal Region was recognised across five projects. It won the Plant Yards and Workshop category and, with the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) Fire Protection System at Island View Berth 9, the ZAR40 million to ZAR100 million category. The region also received nine accolades at the FEM Health and Safety Awards of Excellence 2026. Furthermore, Stefanutti Stocks has been named a finalist in the 2026 Avetta Customer Awards, a global programme recognising organisations that set the standard in safety, sustainability, and operational performance. Other recent awards include: • Kusile Contractor of the Year Award – The Kusile Civil Works Joint Venture received the 2025 Kusile Contractor of the Year Award for its contribution of exceptional value. • Sasol P&E SHE Recognition Award – Stefanutti Stocks
This ethos is further supported by the group’s long-standing operating philosophy – the Stefanutti Stocks Way. This central pillar has guided the business since its inception, ultimately always putting stakeholders first. “It brings together an owner’s mindset and frontline obsession, client-centric and solutions-driven 18 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
Coastal Region’s DSP Pipeline Protection team was recognised in 2025 for outstanding performance in a high-risk operating environment. • Construction Company of the Year Award – Stefanutti Stocks Zambia received the Construction Company of the Year Award in 2024 at HSE Nations’ sixth African Safety Award for Excellence. • World Luxury Hotel Awards – The Radisson Blu Mosi-OaTunya, Livingstone Resort, constructed by Stefanutti Stocks Zambia, received three accolades at the World Luxury Hotel Awards in 2024: Luxury Family Resort (Regional), Luxury New Resort (Continent), and Luxury Riverside Resort (Continent). • Steel Awards – The Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal (constructed by the group’s Coastal Region) was nominated in the Innovation, Light Steel Frame, and Metal Cladding category for the Steel Awards 2024. • SAPOA Property Development Awards for Innovative Excellence – Bridge City Shopping Centre in KwaMashu, KwaZulu-Natal won the Refurbishment Award at the South African Property Owners Association (SAPOA) Property Development Awards for Innovative Excellence in 2024. • 6-Star Green Star – Stefanutti Stocks Botswana delivered the country’s first as-built 6-Star Green Star building in 2023 at the Bank of Botswana Redevelopment Project. • Highest Rated Building Award – The Bank of Botswana Redevelopment Project also received the Highest Rated Building Award from the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA) in 2023. • Service Provider of the Year – Stefanutti Stocks Eswatini was named Service Provider of the Year at the 2023 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Quality Awards. • Biodiversity Offset Award – Stefanutti Stocks Eswatini received the Biodiversity Offset Award in the Construction category at the Temvelo Environmental Awards for four consecutive years – 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 – with recognition also received in 2021.
relationships, flawless execution, and energised and engaged employees,” Crawford details. “Putting stakeholders at the centre does not mean compromising execution; it improves it.” The Stefanutti Stocks Way additionally helps to foster early alignment with clients, employees, suppliers, and communities, resulting
in shared expectations, faster decision-making, and stronger accountability. Internally, leaders support their teams through professional development, recognition, and a visible presence on site. With clients, meticulous pre-planning, transparent communication, and a solution-based culture protect safety,
quality, programme, and commercial outcomes. This set of values helps maintain client relationships and cements the group’s industry-leading position. “I believe long-term relationships are earned through consistent delivery. Our values require us to understand each client’s objectives, raise risks early, propose practical solutions, and honour our commitments,” says Crawford. A combination of technical depth, local experience, disciplined execution, and transparent engagement has helped Stefanutti Stocks build repeat business and maintain its standing as one of SA’s prominent listed construction and engineering groups.
REGIONAL RESPONSIVENESS In a market shaped by logistics constraints and cost volatility, procurement is a delivery discipline in its own right. Stefanutti Stocks organises its procurement regionally, with four principal teams supporting its Inland, Coastal, Western Cape, and Africa operations within a common group governance framework. This keeps decisions close to projects, suppliers, and site requirements, whilst allowing the group to coordinate strategic sourcing where its scale creates value. “Standard controls cover approved specifications, delegated authority, safety and environmental requirements, quality, cost, delivery, ethical conduct, and preferential
procurement,” Crawford tells us. Supplier relationships are managed through Stefanutti Stocks’ vendor management system (VMS), a central database of supplier information, compliance records, and B-BBEE certification that integrates with the group’s accounting systems. The VMS allows Stefanutti Stocks to identify expired documentation, manage supplier risk, and track procurement spend and B-BBEE performance down to site level, supporting both the group’s transformation objectives and clientspecific compliance requirements. The result is a procurement model that secures the right goods and services at the right time, without compromising governance or transformation goals. Africa Outlook Issue 122 | 19
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
STEFANUTTI STOCKS’ KEY STRENGTHS Positioned as an industry leader in civil construction, the group’s strengths include its: • Solutions-based culture, diversity, and strategic positioning. • Ability to seamlessly mobilise across the group. • Technologically advanced approach to managing production sites. • Single point of accountability on projects, thus removing any interface risk from the client’s domain. • Wealth of experience used to create supportive project infrastructure, even in the harshest environments. • Track record of successful recruitment and upskilling of local community members. • Unwavering commitment to sustainability and transformation.
20 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
INNOVATING PROJECT DELIVERY As the construction industry evolves alongside SA’s economy, digital innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and the rapid growth of data centre development are reshaping how projects are planned and delivered. At Stefanutti Stocks, digitalisation is a core part of business transformation rather than a standalone technology initiative. BIM is embedded in the group’s project processes, creating a trusted single source of project information that supports clash detection, improves constructability, and enables 3D and 4D planning. “We are progressing towards ISO 19650-aligned information management and expanding our use of digital surveying, drone mapping, common data environments, automated workflows, project dashboards, and digital assurance,” highlights Crawford. AI is being introduced in a governed and practical manner to automate routine tasks, improve reporting,
identify trends, and support faster decision-making. These capabilities are underpinned by the group’s ISO 27001-certified information security management system, which provides a structured framework for protecting information, managing cyber and data risks, and supporting secure digital collaboration. “Our objective is not to replace engineering judgement, but to equip our people with better information, reduce rework and manual effort, strengthen controls, and improve the predictability and efficiency of project delivery,” he says.
THE FOREFRONT OF DATA CENTRE CONSTRUCTION Data centres underpin SA’s cloud services, digital commerce, and growing data-driven economy, and Stefanutti Stocks has established itself as a mission-critical contractor in this market, delivering fast-track data centre developments and associated infrastructure for hyperscale and colocation clients.
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The group offers a one-stop, end-to-end service that brings together earthworks, piling and geotechnical works, CSA works, MEP services, in-house 3D modelling, and quantity surveying. This provides clients with a single point of accountability from breaking ground through to Level 3 commissioning and integrated systems testing, removing interface risk from the client’s domain. The group’s in-house modellers use 3D modelling and BIM platforms to coordinate on-site and deliver an as-built digital model on completion. Specialist partners for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), cabling, fire protection, security, and racking are integrated into a single delivery structure, reducing interfaces and supporting safe, timely, and 22 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
high-quality delivery in technically demanding environments. “Data centres demand higher standards of coordination, energy resilience, information management, and delivery certainty. Given our multidisciplinary capability, digital expertise and experience in this market, Stefanutti Stocks is well-placed to deliver on these requirements,” Crawford acclaims.
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Mining The mining industry also remains a major growth market for Stefanutti Stocks. “Our diversified offering enables us to support both new mine developments and stay-in-business requirements with one accountable multidisciplinary team,” explores Crawford.
The group’s current mining construction portfolio includes work associated with the expansion of the USD$2 billion Lumwana copper mine in Zambia. The wider expansion aims to double the mine’s copper-processing capacity, whilst Stefanutti Stocks’ awarded scopes include camp infrastructure, bulk earthworks, and civil works for the dry plant, stockpile, and reclamation areas. “The project demonstrates our ability to mobilise multidisciplinary teams and specialist resources at scale across our established African footprint,” says Crawford. Elsewhere, Stefanutti Stocks is constructing DRDGOLD’s regional tailings storage facility (TSF) for the Far West Gold Recoveries (FWGR) project near Fochville in SA.
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MILESTONE RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS The Renewable Energy team boasts an impressive portfolio of experience gained within the renewable energy sector, having participated in the construction of projects that total more than 4 GW of generation capacity. Recent highlights include: 450 MW Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Cluster • Various early works packages consisting of geotechnical investigations, detailed design work, and long-lead equipment procurement. • BoP engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for the Ummbila Emoyeni One – 155 MW Wind Energy Facility (25 x 6.2 MW Goldwind turbines), undertaken for Goldwind New Energy South Africa (EPC contractor) for developer Seriti Green which commenced in June 2024. • BoP EPC contract for the Ummbila Emoyeni Two – 155 MW Wind Energy Facility (25 x 6.2 MW Goldwind turbines), undertaken for Goldwind New Energy South Africa (EPC contractor) for developer Seriti Green which commenced in August 2025. • BoP EPC contract for the Ummbila Emoyeni Three – 155 MW Wind Energy Facility (25 x 6.2 MW Goldwind turbines), undertaken for Goldwind New Energy South Africa (EPC contractor) for developer Seriti Green which commenced in November 2025. Scope of Works: Civil
Electrical
• 130 kilometres (km) of gravel roads
• Three IPP 33/132 kilovolt (kV) substations consisting of six 95 megavolt-ampere (MVA) transformers
• 75 hardstands • Drainage works • Cable trenching • Upgrading of surfaced intersection
• Eskom self-build works including 17 km of 132 kV overhead line and a 132 kV switching station • 33 kV overhead lines • 33 kV underground cable • Meteorological masts • Operation and maintenance building
148 MW-peak (MWp) Bolobedu Solar Plant The contract to build Voltalia’s 148 MWp Bolobedu Solar Plant in Limpopo was undertaken in a joint venture with H.E. Jackson and included civil, mechanical, and electrical scope, with the consortium building the entire plant from site clearance all the way through to commissioning.
24 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
Civil
Mechanical
Electrical
• Site preparation and temporary facilities
• Micro-pile foundations
• Direct current (DC) cabling
• Site earthworks • Internal and access roads • Platforms and storage areas • Cable trenching • Drainage systems
The cluster consists of:
• 75 reinforced concrete wind turbine generator (WTG) foundations
Scope of Works:
• Upgrading of surfaced intersection
• Erection of tracker system
• Meteorological station
• Mounting PV modules
• Transformer stations
• Junction boxes
• Medium-voltage (MV) inverters • MV system – 51 748 metres (m) • Low-voltage (LV) cabling – 400,000 m • Communication network
• San Kraal and Phezukomoya wind farms – Supporting the Koruson 1 project, Stefanutti Stocks provided civil and building works, including earthworks, layerworks for the substation platforms, and Eskom substation buildings, alongside drainage, landscaping, and site rehabilitation. The project was completed in December 2024. • Nxuba wind farm – Stefanutti Stocks supplied the 799 precast concrete segments for the 100-m-high concrete towers in September 2021. The contract required it to construct and commission the factory warehouse for the wind farm, install all the services and equipment, and align the moulds and reinforcement templates. In total, 2,380 t of reinforcement cages were assembled in the reinforcement template to ensure accuracy and precision upon the project’s completion. Moreover, 15,745 cubic metres were cast using a detailed method and sequence to minimise cold joints and segregations on the tower shell. • Grootegeluk coal mine – Part of Exxaro’s Grootegeluk GG6 Project, Stefanutti Stocks’ activities included the complete construction – including fire detection, electrical installation, structural steel, and HVAC design and installation – of the small coal substation, pump station substation, south substation, and free-standing transformer bays. • Kathu Solar Park – Stefanutti Stocks was contracted to conduct the civil works on the Kathu Solar Park’s underground systems, steam generators, heat exchangers, and rack foundations at its thermoelectric generation plant in March 2018. Completed one month ahead of schedule, the project called upon the group’s vast capabilities, ranging from large monolithically constructed concrete foundations in the steam generator area to several deep in-situ manholes for the underground system. • Ilanga-1 concentrated solar power plant – Contracted by Dankocom (Pty) Ltd, Stefanutti Stocks completed the power block foundation for Ilanga-1 in October 2017. The group had to overcome many hurdles to reach project completion, including working to limited timelines, demanding skills development, and sourcing specialist materials for thermal tank foundations. Nevertheless, the team gained valuable experience working with international clients, with the project completed on schedule.
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“The renewable and wastewater markets address two of Southern Africa’s most pressing needs: energy security and water security. For Stefanutti Stocks, these two areas allow us to diversify our order book whilst using skills and resources that already exist across the group; for the industry, they represent a shift towards infrastructure that is more integrated, sustainable, and performance-driven” – R U S S E L L C R AW F O R D , C E O , S T E FA N U T T I S T O C K S
Set to span approximately 1,000 hectares, the facility is designed to store up to 800 million tonnes (t) of mine tailings upon completion. “The FWGR TSF is widely recognised as one of the largest lined tailings depositories of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and is frequently cited as one of the largest plastic-lined tailings facilities in the world,” Crawford notes. The Blinkwater 2 TSF is a key infrastructure expansion project taking place at the Mogalakwena platinum 26 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
mine in the Limpopo province. It involves a major tailings expansion to sustain the mine’s capacity as the nearby Blinkwater 1 facility reaches its closure window in 2028. On top of this, the Mareesburg TSF is a multi-phase deposition facility in Mpumalanga, which serves the concentrator plant of the Mototolo platinum mine owned by Valterra. Currently in Phase 5, Stefanutti Stocks’ participation in the project has so far included roads and earthworks, civils, and geotechnical services.
The mining sector portfolio is supported by repeat tailings management work for established mining clients. Energy, Water, and Marine Renewable energy and water infrastructure address two of Southern Africa’s most pressing needs, and both draw on capabilities that already exist across Stefanutti Stocks’ disciplines. The group’s renewable energy discipline self-executes all civil works and the majority of electrical BoP works for wind and solar farms, high-voltage substations, and BESS, including substation construction, underground cable networks, and overhead lines. “Our team’s collective experience spans more than four gigawatts (GW) of generation capacity,” Crawford says. For water and wastewater projects, the group combines civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, and process capabilities, including specialist water
STEFANUTTI STOCKS CONSTRUCTION
clarification and sludge handling solutions. “The renewable and wastewater markets address two of Southern Africa’s most pressing needs: energy security and water security. For Stefanutti Stocks, these two areas allow us to diversify our order book whilst using skills and resources that already exist across the group; for the industry, they represent a shift towards infrastructure that is more integrated, sustainable, and performance-driven,” he explains. At Seriti Green’s Ummbila Emoyeni Wind Energy Cluster in Mpumalanga, planned as SA’s largest hybrid renewable energy cluster at more than 900 MW, Stefanutti Stocks has delivered multidisciplinary BoP works across three phases totalling 465 MW. “The first phase has been completed and commissioned, whilst the other two are currently under construction,” Crawford confirms. In the Western Cape, the group is delivering Phase 2 of the Paarl Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), which combines complex water infrastructure with a centralised sludge handling facility and the 28 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
“Infrastructure is ultimately about people: those who build it, those who benefit from it, and the communities whose long-term prospects are improved by it” – R U S S E L L C R AW F O R D , C E O , S T E FA N U T T I S T O C K S
potential for future biogas-based electricity generation. In KuGompo City (formerly East London), Stefanutti Stocks is using BIM-supported construction to restore the historic Latimer’s Landing quay in a constrained marine environment. “Together, these projects demonstrate our ability to deliver technically complex infrastructure across energy, water and marine markets whilst creating enduring economic and community value,” he says.
BUILDING BEYOND THE SITE For Stefanutti Stocks, investing in people and communities is central to how the group operates.
Its corporate social investment (CSI) and socioeconomic development activities focus on education, skills development, community upliftment, and local economic participation, often in the communities surrounding its construction sites. Eye health in schools is a longstanding focus. Through its partnership with the Vision 4 Change charity and its own Framing the Future programme, the group funds eye screening and prescription spectacles for primary school learners whose poor eyesight is a barrier to learning. “Since its inception, the initiative has screened approximately 10,000 learners and provided almost 600 pairs of prescription spectacles, enabling those affected to participate more and act confidently in the classroom,” shares Crawford. The group also supports educational facilities, communitybased training, local contractor development, and initiatives that assist vulnerable children and families, contributing time, skills, and materials. “Infrastructure is ultimately about people: those who build it, those who benefit from it, and the communities whose long-term prospects are improved by it,” he reflects. In August 2024, Stefanutti Stocks handed over a fully equipped physical and life sciences laboratory at St David’s Marist Inanda’s Alexandra Campus, converting an unused classroom into a facility intended to inspire learners towards careers in science and engineering. In the Western Cape, the group’s long-standing partnership with The Umtshayelo Foundation’s Komani social enterprise (meaning ‘queen’ in isiXhosa) addresses period poverty, a common reason young women miss school. Komani provides reusable, hygienic, and environmentally friendly menstrual packs, together
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with education on period health. At Ihlumelo Secondary School in Paarl, nominated by the group’s client Drakenstein Municipality, Stefanutti Stocks sponsored almost 1,000 Komani packs, one for every female learner at the school.
ENERGISED AND ENGAGED EMPLOYEES Alongside its CSI, the development of the group’s people is of equal importance. “At Stefanutti Stocks, our employees are our greatest investment; they are our colleagues, our family, and our differentiator. Without their commitment, resilience, and dedication, we would not have successfully navigated our recent restructuring plan,” Crawford says. An engaged and energised workforce is one of the group’s strategic drivers, and its most recent employee engagement survey achieved a score of 90 percent. “We are also proud of the role we play in social transformation, with 92 30 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
percent of South African employees deemed previously disadvantaged individuals,” he proudly states. In the past financial year, the group invested approximately ZAR13 million in skills development and supported 271 bursaries, learnerships, and apprenticeships. Its accredited Stefanutti Stocks Academy offers 134 courses, including 32 specialist earthmoving equipment mechanic apprenticeship modules, delivering industry-relevant curricula, sitespecific skills, and operational training that maintain performance standards across the group’s disciplines. A comprehensive employee wellness programme supports health and well-being at work and at home, offering telephone and face-to-face counselling, trauma counselling, and financial and legal advice. This is complemented by benefits including medical aid, retirement funding, children’s educational cover, and funeral cover.
SAFETY, QUALITY, AND ENVIRONMENT Safety remains central to how Stefanutti Stocks operates, guided by its commitment to zero harm. In FY26, the group recorded zero fatalities, a lost-time injury (LTI) frequency rate of 0.06 against a benchmark of 0.10, and 31.6 million LTI-free hours. “These numbers were achieved through a shared culture of accountability, vigilance and continuous improvement, supported by visible leadership and planning,” says Crawford. The group’s safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 (quality), ISO 45001:2018 (occupational health and safety), and ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management), and applied across all operations to manage the risks inherent in construction and continuously improve standards. Stefanutti Stocks’ board and senior
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management apply the principles of the King IV Code on corporate governance: an ethical culture, strong performance, effective control, and legitimacy. A flat management structure and hands-on leadership style enable the group to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges, both on-site and with clients. Visible felt leadership is central to the group’s culture, with senior leaders engaging regularly with construction teams on-site. “In construction, leadership must be visible. You need to spend time on sites, understand the detail, recognise good performance, and intervene early when safety, quality, programme, or commercial outcomes are at risk,” Crawford says. “Ultimately, leadership is about aligning people behind a common objective and giving them the clarity, support, and confidence to execute.” 32 | Africa Outlook Issue 122
SUSTAINABLE, PROFITABLE GROWTH Over the next 12 months, Crawford has a clear set of priorities. Top of the list is executing Stefanutti Stocks’ existing order book safely and efficiently whilst protecting quality, strengthening cash conversion, and maintaining disciplined risk management. “I will continue to support selective investment in our people, plant, and digital capabilities, including BIM and the practical use of data and AI,” Crawford sets out. The group’s growth focus will remain on sectors where it has proven expertise and can add meaningful value, including water and wastewater, renewable energy, data centres, mining infrastructure, marine works, roads, and rail, together with the continued development of design-and-build solutions. Alongside this, Stefanutti Stocks
aims to deepen its established presence across Southern Africa, evaluating new opportunities selectively based on client demand, appropriate risk allocation, and sustainable returns. “We are not pursuing turnover or growth for its own sake. Our focus is on securing profitable projects where our experience, multidisciplinary capability, and solutions-driven approach give us a clear competitive advantage. “The objective is sustainable, profitable growth underpinned by disciplined project selection and execution,” concludes Crawford.
Tel: +27 (0)11 571 4300 holdings@stefstocks.com
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