Grinaker Gazette - September 1984 - No. 24

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Contracting in the present times Brian Oliver

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with the subject as seen by someone close to the 'coal face'.

After a relatively shorl, talse boom in the early eighties we have experienced a sleady decline in the volume and pricing levels of contracts which is still continuing and any improvement is difficult to lorecast. ln the previous edjtion of the Gazette, the group chiel executive was quoted as referring to "prices verging on the irresponsible" and there is more than enough evidence to support this viewpoint. ln our society companles are at liberty to commit financial suicide but lhe damage the industry could do to itself might lake many years to repair and limit its capacity in the next upturn. Despite

Brian Oliver, member of the lnstitution of Sfructural Engineers (London), went to school in Zimbabwe and completed hls studles in the UK. He joined the Grinaker group in 1963 as a design engineer but went straight into the construction side where he has played a prominent role ever since.

He became an alternate director ot Grinaker Con' struction (Transvaal) in 1972 and a full director in 1974. He was aiso made a director ot Grinaker Qonstruction ( Pty) Limited. He iscurrently managing director ol Grinaker Construction (North)and a director of Grinaker Construction (lnland) Having 10 lollow a number of writers ol lead articles over the years, who have dealt with subjects weighty, it would have been more in my nature to have dwelt on a lighter subject than this.

The circumstances which currently prevail in business and more particularly jn the civil engineering industry are regrettably not a light hearted matter.

As ldo not propose to be an economist, and wouldn't like to go on the basis of their track records recently, I will conline myself to dealing

this and provided the recession does not last long enough to cause damage there are, strange as it may seem, positive aspecls to a downturn.

I believe we are all honesl enough with ourselves to appreciale that, being mere mortals, in buoyant trading conditions we are prone to leading the good life and developing bad habits in terms of unnecessary expenditure and a lowering of productivity at all levels.

Just as nature has ils cycles to adjusl to, so does the business world. This applies particularly to conditions which are notoriously cyclical and lbelieve we are entering a period oJ adjustment. ln the present tjmes we need 1o lake a good hard look at our operations, how we use our assets and resources, and to attend seriously to a major problem in our industry - our productivity.

The subject oI prod uctivity is too vast and com plex to be deall with in this article and is a national problem which is receiving urgent attention at government and industry level. ln its most simplistic form as it affects us in the construction f ield, il we are not at least as productive or competitive as our rivals, we will eventually fade from the scene_

Notwithstanding the serious nature of the foregojng we must rememberthat in the end we are in a 'people business' and we must maintain the f aith in ourselves and our organization that has brought us through similar situalions in the past. lf allowed to be, the contracting ind ustry is a ferti'e source for the madhouse, and we should remember never to take ourselves too seriously and lose the humilily and sense of humou( which makes the Grinaker organization what it is. tn conclusion I leave you with my own philosophy and that is: When you work, work hard and when you play, play hard bul never confuse the two. ctinaket

Gazetre

SeDtenbet 1984

At last: a modern bridge for Richards Bay toharbour Grinaker Zululand builds a new bridge the old double Bailey bridge

replace

The Manzanyama/Bhizolo bridge:45t beams are hoisted on to the transoms.

by Ted Fountain

situated at Richards Bay Harbour.

The new bridge, being built by Grinaker Zu lu land, replaces the existing double Bailey b rid ge and

level crossing to link lhe main harbour entrance to the coal terminal access road.

The unusual design consists ol hollow and solid V-shaped piers with conventional straight piers adjacent to the railway line. Posttensioned, precast beams (U-

Designed by South AI rican Transport Services, the 630m lon g Ma n za nyama/Bh izolo roadover-rail-and-canal bridge is cnnaket Gazette septenbet 1944

shaped) are positioned on Vshaped transom beams. Decks have three diaphragms and are 250mm th ick. Twenty-two Joundations are piled and another eleven have sp read founds.

One third oI the bridge is at 230m radius with two transition curves

and a vertical curve which changes the grade from plus five per cent to m inus five per cent in the horizontal curve. The remainder of the bridge is straight, with one vertical curve to level the grade over the canal and join the abutment on the north bank.

Roberto Buson is co n t racts manager, I am site agent and Trevor Ward is the engineer.

Frank Tennent, on loan from the estimating department, has designed a system of lilting gantries to lift the 45t beams on 10 the transoms. Rob de Vos is using the system and cranes are required only to move the gantries from one transom to another.

Peter Miskin, our surveyor,' has 1

Men on the Bhizolo bridge site. Back: Mike Batshelot, Manuel Almeida, Josd Hutton, Craig Wilson, Johan Nel, George Hattingh, Peter Miskin, Ricatdi Ricardo. Front: Phillip Hauptllesh, Frank Tennent, Ted Fountain, Bernd Kankowski, Stanley Pietersen, Trevor Ward, Jorge De Oliviera, John Mynhardt the unenviable task of placing the bridge in the correct position taking into account all oflsets due to

curves, gradients and superelevation. Jorge De Oliviera, who has valuable experience from Sandile Dam in the Ciskei. i5 the general loreman. He is assisted

by Jose Hutton on joundations

lnstalling piles in the canal 2

and Manuel Almeida on piers and

d

iaph rag ms and George Hattingh

transom beams.

is our earthworks man responsible Ior excavations and road-

Stanley Pietersen and Johan Nel

wo rk s.

are on manulacturing p recast

beams while Craig Wilson and Bernd Kankowski do stressing and grouting. Rrcardi Ricardo is

constructing

the decks and

An rnreresting aspect of the job is piling {rom a pontoon in the canal

with flow and tidal variations to contend wilh. Piling design and installation has been sub-contracted out to Mclaren & Eger with Grinaker being responsible

ln the casting yard Gt)naket oazette Septenbet 19a4

GR!MKER G4ZETTE The Grinaker Gazetie is published as a house journal by Grinaker Holdings Limited.

Viewpoints expressed are not necessarily shared by the publishers or the editor.

for piling platforms, supply

of

precast concrete piles and settin

g

out.

The beam yard consists of ten soffits p laced lengthways. After seven days the bearns are Crosstravelled and stored. Seven days prior to hoisting, they are fina ly stressed and grouted. They are then long-travelled and hoisted, using the two lift in g gant ries, and cross travelled on the transom beams to their final pos t ons.

At present we are two months behind programme, la rgely due to cyclone Domo na and unex pecred complexiries wrth lh s type of structure. However, with piling ln the cana only one month from completion and all the 'gadgets working, we hope to complete the contract by the end of February 1985.

Editorial offices, 5 Ronbex Road, Elandslontein, Transvaal. P.O. Box 8042, Elandsfontein 1406. Telephone

(01 1)

58-8915

EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS: A.N. Saulez A.E. Sherwood E.C.W. Vels ED ITO R:

Mighael Sandrock PUBLISHING ASSISTANTS: Diana Hallowes Allyson Armstrong AREA COBRESPONDENTS: Peter BloJield, Amalgamated Reinlorcing, Natal Ted Todd, Bay Stone Sales Di Jefiery, Harare, Zimbabwe Grinaker Plant: Russell Cowdrey, Harry Mahraj, Jack Denz Schalk Vorsler, Grinel Vic Church, Natal and Coastal Lionel Liebenberg, Grinaker Building Company Nico Maas, Grinaker Piled Foundations Brian Stobbart, Grinaker North Jorge Hayes-E'Silva, Grinaker Cape Mary Warrior, Grinaker Precast Koos Le Grange, Richards Bay Jimmy Grinyer, Grinaker Mining Front cover: Hoisting beams on the Bhizolo bridge in Richards Bay harbour. Picture by the Gazette.

Back cover: Construction on the intake tower tor the Fika Patso Dam in the mountains ol Qwa Qwa. Picture by the Gazette.

Gr.ar-pr Gazerre Seplerrl-Pr r!3,

The re was more than construction atU lco The R70 million Concor-Grinaker joint venture called for high level of administrative ability and effort surveyor. Susan lvlcIlear Uoint venture)acted as drawing reco rding and issue clerk Jor the aPp roximate ly seven thousand contract drawinqs.

The administration function was led by mysell with an ollice manager, Hennie Els from Concor, who unfortunately d ied in a motor accident. After that Mike l\4cDonnell, who is well known in Grinaker, took over this position for the major part of the contract.

Arnold Olivier tel/s

the story

Paymaster Rex Mollentze was replaced by Karl Rost, a local

farmer, who la'ter took over as

office manager when

N4ike

lvlcDonnell returned to Concor in

February 1984.

Like the rest ol the Ulco site'. the administration crew also had its fair share of innovation, compro-

mrsing'and adapting to do o

in

rder to ensu re that the ind ivid ual

systems from Concor and

Grinaker ended up in a compatible whole.

When Grinaker won the Ulco tender in a joint venture with Concor it was realized that it would be a fast track contract with the turnover of a fair sized company. lnstead of cluttering uP one of the companies with the

administration and acco u ntin g work it was decided to establish the full function on site. ln retrospect this was the correct decision as I have no doubt that it

would have proved impossible to ad m in istra'te this particular contract effectively lrom J ohan nesbu rg.

As Concor led the quantitY sur-

veying, their certificate Programme was selected and the quantity surveying team led

bY

Rainer Schmitz consisted of Mike Brophy (Grinaker) and Deon van

Niekerk (Concor) on civils and Nigel Bush (Concor) who joined us later as the building quantity 4

The wages were done on

the

Concor system which incorporates an im p ressive week ly costing system and here Jerry Schalkwyk, Lucas Jannetjies, Halton Sukwana and Johannes Leh u tjo did themselves proud. The 1500 employees were paid within lortyfive minutes of the commencement oI the pay parade.

Being so remole, the stores run

by Lucas l\4aponya and George Kgoale played a major part in keeping the wheels turning. Not on ly contract requirements but also subcontractor and employees basic req u irements were supplied and a great task to ensure that the money for these issues was recovered was well done.

The month ly costing system was the normal Grinaker system and we adapted contract costing to cater for individual plant cost recording. ln this respect a lot of credit goes to Robbie Schmidt and his clerk Lennox Faku who d id a g reat job with the adm inistration of the workshop.

The clerical staft for the duration of the contracl consisted of Emily van der l\4erwe, Lizette Visser,

a

Anita van Wyk and

Kobie Hoffman. These ladies took care of creditors, cash book, petty cash, telex, computer and all the other general ottice duties. What makes their achievement more

amazing is that lhey are all basically local housewives who were roped into a work situation after many years of leisurely existence in Ulco. and their dedication and quality of work equalled that of any career orientated person.

The medal however, must go to I/rs Swanepoel who kept the telephone calls going on the original 'Nommer Asseblief' type switchboard. This is what living off your nerves is all about - when every single call has to be booked and you have seven outgoing lines and thirty extensions.

G lo ria Baden horst took care of all sec retarial fu nctions and caterin g arrangements. Her ability to organize is outstripped only by' her ability to churn out the most delicious snac ks for meetings.

The buyer, Pierre K itchen master, kept abreast of the requirements

and with telephone

lines

crackling and calls being cut olf this did his blood pressure no good. To keep a contract doing more than R4 million a month and peaking at R5,2 rnillion in September 1983 supplied timeously wilh its requirements is no fun at all.

Now with two years beh ind us and

our sorrow at leaving new found riends we look back on a most rewarding job and the memory of how nice it is to live in the country for a while and work so close to f

home.

With our departure the employees that joined us there are looking forward to once again relaxing in the tranquillity ot U lco as it was before. But it will never be the same again.

C

naket Gazette Septenbet 1981

Fitst stages of the Fika Pa6o Dam in the mountains of Qwa Qwa. It will hold twenty -six million cubic metresof

watet.

Making a lake in the mountains The Fika Patso Dam being built by Grinaker Transvaal and Grinaker North will meet Qwa Qwa's water requirements for the next ten years h's Fika Patso Dam project in the mountains of Qwa Qwa is on Grinaker Transvaal/No

rt

schedule. The evidence of a manmade structure is beginning to show in the steep-sided valley where the Namahadi River will be dammed up to meet Qwa Qwa's water requirements for the next

ten years. ln the June Gazette Jimmy Quail told us how Fika Patso 'the split rock' was dynam ited to make way tor progress. This old landmark Gtnaket Gazette Septembet 193,]

on the pack-animal route from Lesotho is beinq replaced by a

substantial example ol modern dam b u ild ing tech nology.

The wall will be 60m high and 180m long. The inlet tower will stand Bom high and the dam will h old lwenty-six million cubic metres of water with a maximum depth oI 95m and a surface area of approximately 155ha.

The main items of work wh ich the

contract comprises are: (a) a Toned earthfill and rockfill em-

bankment reinforced on the lower portion oI the downstream side; (b) an elliptical shaped concrete conduit which will be used to divert the river during construction oI the embankment and subsequently to h ouse the d raw-off and scour pipes; (c)a concrete intake

tower with all pipework and valves, variable d raw-of ts, a

winch house at the top and an access bridge with steel frame deck and concrete piers; (d) a draw-off pipe and scour pipes, inclu d ing all f ittings, anchor b'locks 5

etc. and a control house at the downstream end of the conduit. ln addition there is a side-cha n nel spillway with ogee crest, concrete lined throughout with rock anchor support of base throughout, rock anchor support of side wall linings in competent rock and gravity side walls elsewhere.

The spillway includes a ski jump with necessary training walls, cutofl walls and apron. A foot-

bridge with steel frame deck spans across the spillway

channel. The dimensions of the spillway channel are p rovisional as the final shape will be decided alter model tests.

"lt's not the size oI a dam,that cou nts, " says contracls manager Jan Hatting h, "b ut the com plbx jty of its construction. I think this is

one of the most dilf icult dams that

Grinaker has yet u ndertaken."

Jan moves around the mountains with amazing speed and carries a stick which he says is for additional traction. We have the feeling that it may also be used for increasing productivity on site (the direct method) because part oI the work on the spillway is actually ahead oI program me.

Excavations are u nder way on the core contact area and the cond u it where the base has been poured.

The intake tower is starting to take shape. Great scars on the sides of the valley indicate where the completed dam wall will slot in.

Pieter Waqenaar is site agent and

is the concrete r. Owen Shepstone

Peter Brown en g inee

r-

r'

handles survey and the concrete oremen are Herkies Oosthuizen, John Gomez and Tony Coelho.

Jerry Oosthuizen is on earthf

works with Ndawoyakhe

and

unki Radebe.

N,4atiso

Bruce Demmer is working as section engineer on the intake tower and Ch

Joubert Roux looks alter the batching

p

lant.

Rowan Cashel is the quantity surveyor and site clerks are

1.:].-'-"=

'l

-a--- -

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Typical cross section of the embankment 6

G

naket Gazete Seprenbet 1981

Simon Papo and Raymond Seh

u

rutse.

The completed dam will not only

provide water storage but will serve as a holiday resort. The mountain scen ery is dramatic and chalets for the resort have alread y been built overlooking the valley.

At the moment they are occupied

by Grinaker staff. As someone said, "These must be the most picturesque sing le quarters ln the

world."

Being only 1 1km trom lvlont-auxSources at an altitude o1 1800m the site is bitterly cold in winter. A temperature o1 minus fou rteen deg rees centigrade was recorded in July. "On that day," says a Grinaker team member, "we saw one of the consultants walking across the river. For a moment we had hopes but the ice held and he made it." Perhaps when summer comes the consultants will use

lntake tower in the making

rafts.

Luxurious staff quarters with a spectacular view. They will later be used as tou rist chalets.

.,:

-.

Back: Peter Brown, Brian Herd, Jan Hattingh, Pieter WagenaaL Simon Papo, Bruce Demmer, Chunki Radebe,

Matiso Ndawoyakhe. Front: Joubert Roux, Herkies Oosthuizen, Jerry Oosthuizen, Rowan Cashel, John Gomez, owen Shepslone, Tony Coelho, Raymond Sehututse, Steven Makoena cnnaket Gazette septenbet 1934

Grinaker Projects returns to Elandsfontein to build for CNA

The CNA factory site in Elandsfontein. ln the left background is the IBM lactory which was also built by Grinaker Proiects.

Rietfontein Pan in the ProPosed Jet Park Extension. The contract

by Rowan Griff in

includes

9

500m, of normal ware-

housing in a steel framed structure, with eave height of eight metres, as well as a high racking area of 2000m2 with an eave height of thirteen metres. There are four double storey structures within the warehouse, one being an airconditioned ollice block and the olhers being changerooms and toilets. as well as k itchen and canteen facilities.

housinq and the same area of mezzanine which is designed as comfortable office space. There are also carports to be erected and an area oI paving to be done,

as well as a private braailentertainment area. The existing warehouse and offices are also to be revamped and refu rb ished.

The warehouse is 136 metres long

and 90 metres wide and has twenty-one receiving/loading docks.

Grinaker Projects have

been

commissioned by CNA Ltd. to bu ild a warehouse with high racking facilities at Elandstontein and also to e{Ject additions and alterations to the Dawson Royle & Willan building at City DeeP, Johan nesbu rg. These two contracts follow on from previous work executed for CNA, such as the lBlvl wa re house at Elandsfontein built in 1972 and the Hallmark b uild ing at Aeroton, Johannesburg completed in 1982.

The Elandsfontein warehouse rs situated on a site overlooking the 8

Work started on site on 18 June 1984 with six weeks ol earthworks. Completion is due at the end of March 1985. The project manager is Siggie Ne uschafer and lam srte eng inee r. The arc h rtectural design and d raug hting was all don e by Dave Scott who is now with Grinaker Projects in Natal. Our sister company, Techtonics, is handling all the civil design.

The Dawson Boyle & Willan project, being looked alter bY Stuart Walls. includes the addition ol approximately 500m2 of ware-

Making sure that everything is in the rig ht place G

naket Gazette septenbet 1944

First of two more bridges for South Coast freeway Grinaker Natal begins work on Mpambinyoni and Amahlongwa bridges after completing Umkomaas

Mpambinyoni bridge: view from the launching nose

by Hans Liebel

in the main bid and third in the bids for alternatlve designs. Yet we were awarded the contract in lvlarch 1984 and moved on site on 4 April.

-..tr*On 14 December 1983 the tender the result was that we came stone last

for this project closed and Gnnaket Gazelte Septenbet

1981

,

The alternative design was prepared for us by VKE (Bruno Ullman) using, yes, you guessed right, the incremental la u nch ing technique. This f itted in very well with the end of the Umkomaas contract, and most of the team and equipment simply moved 10km south to carry on launching.

To fill you in on some facts and Iigures for the project, it consists of two bridges, one over the Mpambinyoni and one over the

Amahlongwa Fliver, opposite the town of Scottburgh. This will all form a part of the N2 South from Durban to Port She pstone.

The first bridge is a six lane freeway bridge consisting of two carriage-ways wjth a length of 250m each. lt is launched overfive piers i.e. six spans. The second bridge is a two span cast-in-situ beam and slab construction, usin g con-

venlional slagrng. This one

is

ninety metres lon g.

A not inconsiderable part of the contract is stone-pitching and bank protection in the form of gabions and stone matt resses.

The total value of the contract rs F9,5 million and the contract 9

Overall view of Mpambinyoni bridge

si te

period is twenty-two months.

As you can see from the picture we have quite a large team here, most of them well known faces and names.

The deck is under the able wings ol Bill Burridge and Francisco Cardosa and prestressing is bY Phillip Zondo assisted bY Jorg SchLlltz. The valley sees Paul Cilliers and Phil Pratt chasing the likes of Hans Klaas (Grirraker Piled Foundations) and his team over the valley Plains, JeverishlY

Pakkiri, chief surveyor, leaves so uch as the notion oI a Peq in the ground.

sinking p iles wherever

BobbY

m

Site clerk is Logan Pillay, who also molests our computer quite frequently, as he attacks the keyboard without warn ing.

And to end lhis reporl. here rs another'Did you Know?'

The name Mpambinyoni t ranslaled into Eng lish means'Deceiver of birds As the story goes lhrs

river dries up frequently in to high

summer. However due

tide (it's nearthe sea), there might be water in the morning. So the birds have their bath and return rn lhe evening only to lind the river

empty, therefore having d

been

ece ived.

NB Could it be that the birds then quench their thirst in the nearby hotels, because in summertime the bars are full of birds in the evenings. (A utho r's note) We woncler who's the biggest deceiver of the blrds. (Editor's note)

Men on site. Back: Govindsamy Chetty, Tim Hay, Phil Pratt, Stanley Govender. Middle: Paul Cilliers, Logan iiitay, francisco Cardosa, AoOOy Ca**iri, Hans Liebel, Jose de Freitas, Danny Moodley, Bill Burridge, Nene Oiiga. fiont: aete Babo, Joka F;debe, Rassoul Gootam, Phitlip Zondo, Livingstone Nyale, welcome Badebe, Benny Mabelesa, KhanYisa M jwara .10

Gnnaket Gazelle Septenbet 19A4

Big up-grading operation under way at Kwazakhele Township Grinaker Cape installs modern sewerage and water systems to replace previous primitive arrangements

by Graham Watermeyer

I it I

l.

r*r: Grinaker Cape moved into the Port Elizabeth area in February this year to take on two township up-grading contracts worth F6,5

million. The contracts

in

volve

laying 23000m of sewer lines, 34000m of water retic u lation,

10km of surlaced roads, 2 000m of stormwater pipes and the installation oI some 3 500 toilets.

Kwazakhele Town sh ip was established in the 1940s. Up to now it has been served by a pail system G

naket 5azette Septenbet 1984

of sewerage disposal and com-

munal water taps placed in every second block. This is being replaced by a waterborne sewerage system with a WC installed in an outside building Jor each house and a water tap inside each home.

The contracts are for the East Cape Development Board. The consultants for Stage Seven are Stewart Sviridov and Oliver and those for Stage Five are Jeffdres and Green lnc. Doug Botha rs contracts manager, Larry van den Heuvel is site agent on Stage Seven and I am site agent on Stage Five.

Other team members on Larry's Stage Seven are Colin l\,4eyer (engineer), N4ark Ch u rley (measuring engineer), Ken Keig htley (survey). Johan Erasmus, David van Rensburg, Ray Phillips, Clive Spring and Gary Robinson do the

Loubser, Jacob Khanyile, Stuart Godden and Piet Theunissen on pipelaying and house con nections. Dolf Williams is the workshop {oreman with Robin N,4orse as hrs mechanrc and lsaac Koba is the secretary {or both contracts.

The undertaking has its own peculiar dilficulties as the sewer lines and water s u pply lines are in

rest.

On Stage Five I have Walter Glennie (engineer), Cats Zote (measuring engineer), Moses lvlq ikela {survey). Chris Marais (survey, roads) with And ries

What it's all about waterborne sewerage for every home 11

the names of team members, istinct lac k of townsh rp men (site agents included). On my contract I have Andries Lo u bser, an earthwo rks shift fore-

the re is a d

man ex Sandile Dam, laying sewer pipes while Larry has Johan Erasmus, ex Bush ma ns

Krantz Dam, laying h is. Nevertheless, what we lack in experience

The new look: renovation of

Old single

q

uarters

the back yards of

inhabited homes. This could have been a major restraint but we set about establishing a good working relationship with the local authorities and the local in habitants from the start. As a result, this has been one of the easiest aspects ot the job A factor in our favour is that we are tackling the work systemati-

single quarters in Progress

cally and are doing

sewer and

water pipelines as well as loilet

conversion s sim u ltaneo uslY. The tenant thereJore has the benefit of a toilet and a water tap soon after

being inconvenienced by having trenches dug through his back yard. To date some six hundred toilets have been'handed over' to their respective tenants.

As readers probably noted from

we ma ke u p f o r in e nth usiasm and by the end of this job we will have a couple of good township teams

for Jutu re co ntracts.

As i't is our intention to stay in the Port Elizabeth area for some time it was decided that the improvement of our sing le mens'quarters was warranled. We have some eig hty skilled and semi-skilled workers who were 'transferred into the area and live in hostels.

Ben Willemsen has been loaned to us from East London to supervise the project and it is intended

ir

ctinaket Gazexe Seotenbet

1981

to spend approximately R50 000 on the renovations.

A notable jeat perlormed by the Grinaker team has been to produce three sons in two months.

The proud parents are Colin and Anne [,4eyer. Walter and Rene Glennie and my wife Rosemary and myselJ. As somebody said:

"Port Elizabeth isn't only

a

friendly city, it's also fertile."

We have a ten-pjn bowling team which competes in the local league once a week. We ll be in the nationalS next year.

However, it's not all play in Port Elizabeth. The East Cape Development Board has a substantial commitment to townsh ip development in the area and we hope to establish a firm footing in this friend ly city.

Mark Chutley, Cats Zote

Cartoon on the site office wall.

Any resemblance to any living

person ls entirely accidental.

Jacob Khanyile, Norman Mxiki, Sipho Calata

Men at Kwazakhele. Back: lsaac Koba, Larry van den Heuvel, David van Rensburg, Gtaham Watermeyer, Gary Robinson, Colin Meyer, Ray Phillips, Andries Loubser, Piet Theunissen, Ben Willemsen. Front: Robin Morse, Cats Zote, Stuart Godden, Clive Spring, Moses Mqikela, Richard Makeleni, Dolf Williams, Chris Marais,

Johan Erasmus Gt)naket Ga2eue Septenbet 1981

13

by Leslie Durston

1..

.'!t

"'r

..'it',,i

The coastal based comPanies oJ Grinaker have Jor some time cherished the desire to have their own oftice building designed to meet their particular requirements and project the image of the g rou p.

The number o{ such comPanies has recently expanded bY the reestablishment of a branch oI Grinaker Projects in Pinetown This together with the burdeoning req u irements of Grinaker Property DeveloPment ComPanY has cieated an accom modalion crisis at Murray Square where Grinaker Mininq has allocated all its spare ollice caPacitY without the needs being met. Furthermore. the lease at Murray Square expires in December 1984 and alternative accommodation has not been lou nd.

Ch ris Oosthuizen, Property Development's managing d irecto r has therefore organized the PUrchase of lwo adjacent vacanl stands 3 235m2 in extent just two blocks f rom the Old Main Road in a p resently sem i-residential area on the {ringes of the commercial area of Pinetown. One stand is on Kings Road and the other on

Union Lane and access is

available {rom both streets.

Kings Road is a wide tree-lined street bounding one side of the

town's municipal offices

and

promises to be a slreet of some elegance and imPortance in days to come.

Roland McNamara (ProPerty

development co-ordinator) underlook investigations 14

wh ich

An a/tlst's sketch of the proposed new office development for the coastal comPanies

is a general shorlage of good office show that there

accommodation in Pinetown and parlicularly in this area which is likely lo be desirable for Prolessional Iirms such as lawyers, accountants and consultants. A number of such firms have indicated real interest in such accommodation and have emphasised the need lor adequate covered pa rkin g.

A survey of our grouP's own needs reveal that in addition to Grinaker lvlin ing, Projects and Property Development, Construction Coastal def initely req u ires more s Pace and

Grinaker Computing

Se

rvices,

Building and Plant may also require space. ln all some 1500m? of oflice area is required immediately and some 2 000m2 will be needed in five years' time.

It was therelore clear that office accommodation in excess ol

could be b u ilt, dePend ing on viability. and that the sPace rn excess ol the g rou P's needs cou ld be let without anY difficultY Chris Bodmer, one ol Projects' architects, prepared a number of 2 oo0m?

schemes on the two sites endeavouring to retain some of the beautiful vegetation and mature trees. This proved to be virtuallY impossible il adequate Parking basements were to be Provided al ground level. Adequate Parking for the group's employees is of cou rse a prime requirement.

Eventually a scheme was evolved lor development on the stand adjacent to Union Lane, comPrising two levels o{ Parking Pro-

viding space for s ixlY-two vehicles and three levels of offices providing

1

992m2 of renl-

able oflice space. This scheme envisaged the stand on Kings

Road remaining u ndeveloped for the time being and enabled it to

be laid out as a garden, with some

visitors'parking space. lvlost of the vegetation and many of the trees could be retained.

This scheme has now been adopted and the final details of

the design are being worked out.

The sketch shows the general appearance of the scheme and we will commence building as soon as mu nicipal approval is received.

Completion will be earlY in 1985.

GriFa\et Gazetrc Septenbet

1984

Saldanha Precast makes a million

Grinaker-Dura joint venture an outstanding success

The one miltionth FY sleeper made at Saldanha Precasts Vryheid factory and presented to South African Transport Servlces m illio n concrete sleepers were supplied for the Sishen-Sa ldan ha iron ore line.

A second contract was awarded to Saldanha Precast in 1981. also

where 1,7 by Mike Rash On Thursday 10 [,4ay a celebratory Iunction was held at Salda nha Precasl s sleeper factory in Vryheid. Durinq the function the one millionth FY type concrete sleeper manufactured at the factory was officially handed over to South A{rican Transport Services

(sArs)

Saldanha Precast is a joint venture between Grinaker Precast and Dura Holdings and tirst produced sleepers in Saldanha Bay Grnaket Aazette SeDtenbet 1931

for 1,7 million sleepers, for the upgrading of the Fichards Bay coal line to the same heavy duty standards as the Sishen-Saldanha line. This will enable the coal line to take maximum axle loads of 28t

compared Io 221 lot normal main I

in es.

The first sleepers were produced

in the Vryheid jactory during

October 1981 and the millionth sleeper was produced in April 1984.

The tunction was attended by htyJive people, comprising

eig

SATS officials, members of the Vryheid Town Council. prominent businessmen and the board of directors of Saldanha Precast.

Handing over the one millionth sleeper, Euqene Sadie, present chairman of Saldanha Precast, thanked SATS for the excellent co-operation which had been a key facto r in b rin g in g the co ntract to th is stage s uccessfu lly. l\ilessrs

Andre Smith and Roger Traill

accepted the presentation on behalJ oI SATS.

Following the official presentation the guests enjoyed an excellent sh eep-b raai.

The factory is managed by Ron Hogg, who is assisted by me as t5

proiect engineer and Frans Grey

as administration oIJicer. Ray Hagemann is the production manager with Roy Heine

and Andy Grobler as supervisors. Des

Dewar is at the helm in the main-

tenance deparlment with Dirk Olivier (electrician) and Gert van Greuning (fitter).

Facts and statistics Construction of tactory started : : First sleepers cast : despatched First sleepers 5000001h sleeper produced : 1000000th sleeper produced : 1000000th sleeper despatched :

5 May 1981 14 October

1981

25 November 1981 23 November 1982 30 January '1984 6 April 1984

Materials used to make a million sleepers Cement:

50OOot oJ rapid hardening cement. Delivered by 1250 rail tankers which it placed end to end would make a train approximately 18,75km

long.

Stone:

150 OOOI ol 19mm crushed dolomite which it placed into one stockpile would cover a rugby field to a height ol 20m.

Sand:

of river sand which would cover the same rugby faeld to a 11m. of depth

55 OO0m3

Wire: of high tensile 4mm'Von Moos'prestressing steel wire which in one length would go one and a quarter times around the world Waler: 18 million litres oI water which would filla reservoir of 150m diameter 5 O00t

to a depth of 1 m.

Genera l:

1O00OOO sleepers represent 650km oI rail track, and have a total weight of 295000t. This amount ot concrete if poured into one column a metre square would be 120km high Seven 150D2 rail trucks were used to despatch the sleepers which would make a train 107km long.

At last the penny (or is it

the rand?) has dropped. Even those of us who believe that a dividend yield is some kind ot traffic sign have come to realize that this country is having an economic depression.

What can we do to help ? Well, the master strokes in the fight to survive will be played by those with a flair for Iinancial management or a skill at making more etfective use of men. materials and machines.

We who paddle a communications canoe at the Gazette will not make a d ramatic breakthrough.

The process of keeping people informed is an on-going procedure without sudden fireworks. Yet it plays a fronl line role.

Perhaps the most da ngerous th ing in d ifJicu lt times is the cumulative effect ol panic and despair. Anyone who is approaching thal frame of mind should quietlY read th rouq h this Gazette.

It desc ribes activities which ra nge {rom bridge building, piling and dam building to the erection of factories, min ing operations and a world Iirst in electronics. The Contracts at a Glance column tells a straightforward story: the group is Iar more active than you thought.

These are not the signs of a company that is lying down. Let us remember thdt the Grinaker organization was born in the depression years of the thirties. l1 has survived a world war, the aftermath of Sharpeville and all the ups and downs since then. lt has good leaders, good people, a

nd it's to ug h. Whe n the ch iPs are

really down lt is probably better to be with Grinaker than anywhere e

lse.

Feeling reassu red ?

Good. Then let's get uP and make just one more charge at the FY concrete s/eepers lr)

in their habitat

enemy. lf nothing else, it willgive us something to write about in the next Gazette. l\,4S Grnaker Gazette Seplembar 1944

The warehouse and otlices being built by Grinaker Natal for Muller

& Phipps

Warehouse under way for Muller & Phipps by Rowell Haigh

Early April 1984 saw Grinaker Natal start the construction of a steel framed building to Provide 40000m3 ol storage space and 700m2 of office area for the clie nt,

Muller & Phrpps. The building is in Phoenix lnd ustrial Park near Durban.

The excavatio ns and fo u ndations got ofJ lo a flying start wilh Jon Adams chasing the Yumbo excavator from hole to hole while Ali Toelly and his crew promPtlY lilled lhe excavations with concrete,

situated

Gn..ket Gazelle SeDtenbet

198.1

From the inside looking out

reinforcement and holding-down bolts. By the end of l\,4ay the holes had been s uccessfu lly completed ahead ol programme and the structu ral steelwork su b-co ntractor started the erection of the 122m long x 35m wide and 19m

high steelwork trame wilh great impact.

Ali Toelly and his

team lhen moved across to the Mona Boad contract and were rePlaced bY the eneroetic Lu is Salvaand histeam who iave started the suspended l7

floor slabs to the office section and the 300m ol retarning walls.

given to me by the foremen and their teams.

Jon Adams and his team have since started the building work

Thomson and Van Eck and the architect is Neville Armstrong.

The major sub-contractors are lmpact Engineering (steelwork)

and are quite confident that the project will be completed before '14 December 1984, with the Grinaker stamp ot q ua lity and reliability. As the site agent lappreciate the support that is being

The consulting engineers are

and H Burde & Co. (roof and clad ding) who have performed excep-

tionally well and have been a p

leasu re

to deal with.

Grinaker Data Systems set to take large slice of modem market The recent deregulation of

the

data modem market by the South African Post Office is part of the

Post Oflice's continuous pro-

r-r

gramme to libera lize the s u pp ly of ce rtain peripherai equipment and services. This has led to a sudden expansion of the modem market and Grinaker Data Systems inten ds to take f u ll advan tage of th e

situation. lvla nag ing director Graham Bell has been quoted as saying of

Grinaker's inclusion in the su pply industry: "Our

modem

expe rience, as

wellastullsupport

back-up across the country, means we will be able to meet the new demands head on. We are

already recruiting technicians

and engineers, and have plans to augmenl our service in the main metropolitan areas."

Computer users will benefit lrom

this de monopolization of modem systems by having a wider and less expensive range of modems to select f rom. lt a lso ens u res a faster respo nse time and a higher level of service from su pplie rs.

Diq it modems which convert digital computer sig n als into

analog sig Of

Grinaker Natalteam. Back: Luis Salva, Rowell Haigh, Jon Adams, David Matsekopane. Frcnt:Sipho Khanyile, Million Makamya, Mike Mazibuko, Murray Anderson 18

f

na ls

carried by the Post

ice telephone lines enable

computers and terminals to commun icate over long distances.

Other major competitors in the modem supply field include STC (an Altech company), lB[,4, Telsaf (part of the ltalian based Telettra group) and one of the Barlows group companies. Grinaker Data Systems rs tortunale. however. in being the sole distributor of the UK/US man ufactu red Racall\,4ilgo modems to the private sector rn South Africa. This particular range of modems has already been accepted by the Post Office as the standard in the high speed modem segment.

Gnnaket Gazete Septenbet 1984

This is where your Disprins will be made

Part ot the new pharmaceutical factory being built for Reckitt & Colman by Grinaker Natal

by Barry Steenhuisen

nearby refinery and APV Hall, our

air-conditioning s u b-co ntractbr.

Grinaker Natal started work on this R4 million pharmaceutical

factory, which will produce main ly Disprin and Senokot

tablets, on 20 February 1984. lt is due lor hand over in February next year.

The tine silty sand over the entire

site presented no problems for excavating column bases and wall loundations but the high

The new factory for Reckitt

&

Colman is growing steadily at the

site in Old South Coast Road, L4oben i, despite occasional bomb

blasts and rocket attacks on the Grinaket Gazetb Septembet 1984

water table in the basement area hampered compaction. Undercutting and backfilling with river sand soon solved this problem.

This very clean and hygienic factory consists of a sing le storey building covering an area of

357m2 with a sem i-basement (area 538mr) formlng a double storey section at one end. The construction involves a reinforced concrete frame with isolated columns and beams supporting a structuralsteel root with insulated aluminium roof sheet4

ing over it. The suspended slab over the basement and the sur-

lace beds are of reinforced, poststressed concrete using the unbonded cable system. The external envelope comPrises brick infill panels and colou r-lin ished, fluted, pressed steel cladding on steel support work.

The huge interior consists of brick and partition walls demarcating rooms which include planl, powder mixing, g ran u lation, tablet compressing, oftices, change rooms and a large Packing hall. The basement houses the air-condition ing Plant and a staff canteen.

Finishes to the building include power floated floors, a large Pro-

portion being covered with a special terrazite epoxy coating, painted plaster and glazed tiled walls and a suspended ceiling. A special requirement o{ the contract is that the root be built prior to the floor slabs being poured to

help minimize shrinkage and protect the f loor Iin ish.

Minor alteration and renovation work to an existing warehouse

presently being utilized as our site olfices and stores is also

included in the contract. The size of this warehouse, wh ich is 18,5m wide, 50m long and 8m high. is surely a record for office accommodation on site.

General site works, roadways and services will Iorm the latter part oI the programme in December and January. With the main concrete structure completed and the root going on. the first of our twentylwo sub-contraclors is now arriving on site.

The stafl on site consists of myselt as site agent, Bru no Ciutto as our'quiet-spoken and tactfu l' general f oreman, AnthonY Simm as engineer and Babs shrigopaul as site clerk. Our student continqent up to J uly consisted oI Geofl Cheek and Louis Webber, both performing their tasks well at a difficull stage of the Project.

Grant Thorne has now ioined us as a trainee supervisor and Robbie Shunmugum is help ing out with the quantities until another major contract requires h is services.

Natal team at Reckitt & Colman. Back: Robbie Shunmugum, Barry Steenhuisen, Bruno Ciutto, Philemon Ndlovu, Jacob Zuma, Grant Thorne, Anthony Simm, Babs Shrigopaul Front: Mbusonamakhosana Mkhize, Anton Zuke, Section Mgele, Ephraim Zondi, Simon Jali, Sithombe Mabhunu 20

G

naket Gaze e Septenbet 1984

How we beat the deadline at Mooi River Vital pump station was completed by Grinaker Natal ahead of schedule

At the end ot it

all

commissioning the pumps at Mooi River

by

fom Bassell

September. The scope of the works at that stage incorPorated 11 000m3 of restricted earthworks, 2 700m3 of concrete, 3000m2 oI shuttering and the laying of 100m of 2,2m diameter steel conduit. The major task was that of completing the concrete works

lo the pump station in approxi-

mately eleven weeks from the end of September to beginning of Decem ber 1983. to ensure the com-

Grinaker Natal has just recentlY put the finishing touches to the extended works at the Mooi River pump station contract. ln the December 1983 issue ol the

Gazette John Jackson intro-

duced lhe project, outlining the objective ol constructing a PumP station to pump waler at a rate ot three cubic metres Per second from the Mooi River to Midmar Dam, 'to ease the water shortage in the grealer Pietermaritzbu rg and Du rban areas.

The tender closed on 25 August 1983, was awarded on 1 September and lhe team was on site bY 3 Gtioaket Gazette SePtehbet 1984

missioning of the pumPs oh 15 December. Ce rtain program me milestones had to be met 10 Provide access for the independent mechanical and eleclrical conlractors jrom 15 November onward s.

By mid-September the

Project

had taken on a comPletely differ-

ent perspective. U nsuitable fou ndation conditions. the add itional

excavation

for 200m ol

1,4

diameter steel conduit and additional extensive earthworks Preparation for the large Escom substation resulted in a total ol 40000m ot restricted, predominantly rock, excavation having to be undertaken before the estab-

lishment of the concretlng plant cou ld commence.

Koos lvlinny and ElPhas Mazibuko together with surveyor Danie van der Merwe and blasters

Gary Malton and HUIJy AbrahamcomPleted the mammoth task, such that es-

son enthusiastically

tablishment of the Liebherr 90 tower crane and Winget 750R re-

volving drum m ixerlbatch Plant was completed and concreting began on 14 Oclober.

Concrete general f oreman Phil Pratt and his crew had at this stage been burdened with the task of pouring an additional 5 000m3 oI mass concrete, 3 000m3 of which had to be poured belore construction of the

pump station could begin

earnest.

2

in 500m3 of concrete were

poured in the first week and the construction of the main PumP station structure began - three weeks later than the programmed

tender start date.

At this point in time further constraints had been placed on the programme as the independent 21

main mechanical contractor's

Iirst access date had been

brought forward from 15 November to 31 October. Furthermore the consultants had ascerta ined that far more of the mechanical

and electrical plant had to

be

under cover before comm issioning could begin. Our sub-contractor had therefore to complete the erection of the structural steel and cladding before the pumping target date. As about a third of this erection had, at tender, been programmed to be cornPleted rn January 1984 this required further acceieration of our works.

Ph il Pratt with key men Joe Ban jo, Raj R aja ra m, Livingstone Nyanale, Alfred Ntwape and a seemingly tireless labo u r torce stuck to their almost impossible task seven days a week, twentyfour hours a day, to successfully meet every revised commitment date which ensured that the othe r

inflow

b

etwee

n

January and

April.

Two other key men on the proiect

bu ild ing general foremen Peter du Plessis and earthworks foreman Joseph Zuma. Peter, a

were re lat

ive newcomer to

the

Grinaker fold, joined the project in November to supervise the building of Esco m's switch ho use and a number of other building works. Joseph took over the earll^works tro'n Koos M nry rn December and together with Peter du Plessis, Gary l\,4alton and rece n t ly g rad uated Simon Osborne, com pleted other additional works from February to June 1984.

Other people not mentioned above who assisted at various stages in the contract between September and December were engineers Jorg Allen and Grant

r-James, tech n icians Keith Meyer and Peter Nichols, Sam van der Merwe and trainee Craig Wilson. Contracts manager was John Jackson and lwas site Liste

agent.

The consultants Ior our pump station contract were Campbell, Bernstein & lrving. The client for the project was the Department of

Environmental

Af

f

airs, although

tf'e entire project at approxrmately R26 million is being funded by the Umgeni Water Board. Our contract blossomed rom a tendered R 1.7 milllon to R4,3 million. lam sure that Danie van der Merwe who, as surveyor, had the respon sibiiity of pointing everyone in the rig ht direction will long remember this contract for its frequent'survey by torch lig ht'.

A successful result was achieved by true G rinaker teamwork. f

independent contractors Pro

gressed unhindered.

The achievement by these men

warrants particular praise because, iron ically, while we

were doing our utmost to comp lete a drought-relieving project the men worked without stopping through seventeen days ol heavY rain in the month of November.

All in all, 7 500m] of concrete had

been placed and 3 500m: of shutter turned around in the pump station alone in the seven

week period from 14 Oclober to 2 December. The prog ranimed

pump commissioning date oI 15 December 1983 was met, though unfortunately due to the appal-

lingly wet condilions. the

marn

Concrete. structural steel and mechanical installation

pipelaying contractors were delayed in the laying oI the 20km d e live ry pipeline, so actual pumping to Midmar Dam began on 3 January 1984.

It may be of interest to note that pumping of water was originally estimated to be possible on aPp'oxrmately a lhird of the daYS rr'

:t

the months of January and Febru-

ary 1984. Pumping actually continued non-stop until the Planned shutdown on 30 April 1984, wh ich was necessary lo enable the main

pipelaying contractors to complete the interna I lin ing o{ the delivery pipework. By that time

Midmar Dam was overilowing wrth the contract having contributed roughly tifty Per cent of the 22

Mass concrete

tor the pump station G

naket Gazelle Septenbet 1934

l a'

Piling in ptogress on the banks of the Klip River

Drilling into the dolomites at Daleside Grinaker Piled Foundations installs piles lor two rail bridges

by Gerry McShane

meter h ave to be installed fo r both bridges to various depths predeterm ined by percussion d rilling into the notorious dolomites of th is reg ion.

The inconsistency and

t

other

problems associated with the dolomite ranges can play havoc with any job planning. However, any doubts as to whether we would

f

in

ish inside the eig ht week

programme were removed with

,&' "l

!, t Grinaker Piled Foundations has been busy at the Daleside site nea r Vereen ig ing since the beg in n ing of Ju ly. The piles are Ior two

rail bridges about 600m apart, one crossing the Klip River and the other the Kareekloo{ Boad.

EightyJive piles of 900mm diaGnnaket Gazette Septenbet 1984

&

rg

p

a ic;1, . ''i

llt''*.. -l

.'

*

xx Nlco/us Mbatha, Samuel (The General) Tatubana, Simon Masoka the arrival of that awesome Piling machine,'Mister Bushy'.

We had intended to approach both bridges simultaneously but because of power cables on the Kareeklool Road site we had to

concentrate both Piling rigs on the river bridge site until the power cables were removed.

The two machines began work on

opposile banks of the KliP River and with no nearby crossing Point it became clear that a temPorary

bridge was needed to ensure the smoolh running and co-ordination of the two sites. John GuY came to the rescue here with an instant design using material on site and produced a crossing

which, although it caused a few stirring moments during launching, now cuts out a long detour.

Piling has been continuous with progress always ahead of schedule. This is mainly due to elleciive planning being rigorouslY employed by the piling team and any plant problems being immediately attended to bY Aubrey Lrtkie s section. Chris Long is contracts engineer and I am site

Temporary bridge made trom materials on site links the two river banks.

engineer. Foreman Simon

Masoka is controlling Piling on both bridges at Present and is ably assisted by general charge hand Samuel Tatubana who is involved in ju st about everyth ing on s

ite.

Aubrey Litkie

/t /t //

6i1 .&

{

{..}..?'./

/.

-. :.1

t'&:; piling team at Dateside. Back: Gerry McShane, Nelson Mabonga, Johannes Moote, Elliot Sizani, Johannes Mok"wena. piet Masuku, Simon (Tie Btack Bomber) Masoka. Front: Ozia Mkwanazi, Simon Zwane, Qhosa Nzimande. Petros Lekota, Nyondelelo Mangaliso 24

Gnnaket Gazette Se1tembeI 1944

Another shaft sunk

Grinaker Transvaal's mining division completes pre-sink at No 8 Shaft West Driefontein X3r-

lwr" i.

\,

Vrcw up the shaft.

A hibble is suspended from a mobile crane

by Brian Cawood

The mining division of Grinaker Transvaal was recently awarded the contract to do the pre-sink oI the number eig ht ventilatio n shaft at West Driefontein mine by Gold Fields of South Alrica.

The scope of the work was to sin k and line the 7m diameter shaft to a G

naket Ga2ere SePtenbet 1941

depth of 50m. The contract was later extended to require comPletion of the work to a depth of 65m.

The task was not easy as the shaft is situated in unstable dolomitic material which often caused collapsing of the side walls.

The excavation was done by an Eimco 630 loader into a kibble suspended from a mobile crane The reinlorced concrete in the side wall was placed from a hanging platf orm.

Lukas Le Roux was site agent on the job. The sin king team co nsisled of Zulu Cornelius, Kallie Harmse and Johan Botha. Surveying was done by Nic Oelofse and Grinaker Plant personnel involved were Piet Wolmarans and Danie de Beer. The administralion work lor th is site was carried out from our site office at Klool

mine nearby, which we

used

when sinking No 4 Shaft, Kloof.

On that job Gawie Espach was site agent and I was engineer.

The value of the West Drrefontein

contract was R425000. lt was completed on 10 August 1984 rn just u nder twelve weeks.

On site at West Driefontein mine. Back: Zulu Cornelius, Kallie Harmse, Piet Wolmatans, Danie de Beer, Lukas

Le Roux, Letsoho Tsilabela, Jim Mashabela. Front: Paulus Machachamisa, Thabo Nthonyana, Goliath Mokete, Lerato Mosola, Tsobotsi Peiso, Kelwez zulu

Gtihaket Gaze o Septenber 198a

I ')

I

1;!

Men at West Driefontein. Back: Palo Sepet/a, Lepofa Semano, Frctty Mahobane, Lebetsa Lebohang, Goliath Mahokeng, Lucas Polanka, Eric Phenena, Emson Tumbu. Middle: Selake Ntsenyeho, Thenese Mapatla,

Letuka Shekoe, Lackson Khumalo, Moteuli Moteuli, Mohapi Morapeli. Front: Johannes Sethenkane, Sefula Malefetsane, Komiti Tilakanelo, Mahlele Nthonyana, Khotso Mohoang, Dipholo Molefe

G

rinaker

pu b presented

A hill overlooking the No. 4 Shalt complex at Kloof gold mine has become a permanent home for a Grinaker mobile pub. The pub was presented by the Grlnaker Transvaal mining team to the employees of Kloof mine as a token of appreciation for co-operation received during the Grinaker pre-sink ope ration at No. 4 Shaft.

The Grinaker team beqan the presink in November 1983 and took the shaft down to a depth of 325m

by June this year. This was outstanding in the circu mstances.

Brian Herd and Arnold Klintworth

provided direct ion and Gawre Espach was Grinaker's master sinker on site. He was assisted by Zulu Cornelius, Lukas Meyer and a highly motivated team.

Main speaker at the handing over

of the pub in July was

lan

Johnston. chairman of Grinaker Transvaal.

"There is no such th ing as the perG naker Gazette Septenhet

1984

to Kloof

m

ine

The handing ovet of the pub. lan Johnston (left), chairman of Grinaker Transvaal, shakes hands with lan Watson, manager of Klool mine.

fect contract," he said, "any more than there is a perfect husband or a perfect wife. But some people come pretty close and some contracts are nearly perlect. This was one of them." l\,4 r lan Watson, manager oI Kloot

mine,

re p

lied and

Grinaker lor the pub. He also praised the quality of the work done by the Grinaker sinking team. "l think that Grinaker and Kloof are lucky," he said. "We both have fine teams of chaps working for us. "

thanked 27

Durban and Pietermaritzb u rg has

by Malcolm Wyndham

^) Grinaker Projects have in the Past conducted successlul raids into

Natal

to obtain and

execute

various contracts. This is now something of the Past as Projects have established a local oIJice at Murray Square, Pinetown That was at leasl up to the end of MaY.

also been surveyed bY me on a number of occasions. (l am still trying to find'The Wall'that was built at Radnor during the 1983 Comrades Marath o n. For those outside oI the running scene'The Wall' is where your world comes to an end during a race.)

The team at Present consists of Denis Nothard (ex Grinaker Piled Foundations), Vernon Stuart (ex Gri'naker Natal), Dave Scott and Colin Jardine (ex Grinaker Projects, Johannesburg) New members are Heather Ken nedy, Roland SimPSon, lan B uchanan ' Melan ie l\4oolman and, most important, 'Tandi' who makes the tea. Having worked with Denis on the BloemJontein radar station it will be good having him in the

However. due to a shortage ol space, we have now moved to the SA Permanent Building in New Germany sh opping centre.

The Natal environment is not new to me having worked on various contracts in the area, the {irst

team.

Richards Bay with HenrY van den Heuvel in 1968. The road between

soent some time, which we believe wrll bear truit later' is in

being Alusaf earthworks

rn

The first six months have so far been very active with our havlng started Iive conlracts and completed two of them bY the end of [.4ay. This has given little enough time to market the Projects concept. The one area where we have

developing a closer relatio nsh ip with other companies in the group, establishing an understanding ol the Projects concept

and allaying.lears that we

are

competitors.

At present we have Den is Nothard

looking alter the Suncrush proPietermaritzburg with Colin Jardine and lan Buchanan on site. This contract is due for completion later th is year. Roland Simpson is project manager for our new Grinaker Coastal head office building in Pinetown together with Geolf Skeen, Lothar Wortmann and Joe Earl-SPUr of Grinaker Natal. We look lorward

ject in

successlul in-house Proalso looking after the North Coast Road project, assisted by Vernon

to

a very

ject. Denis Nothard is Stu art.

Despite the light market conditions at present we believe there are still opportunities and with hard work a few good'fish'can still be landed.

(PS. Us 'K-daars' in the team have now been taught how to eat a banana, not like a mielie You okes l)

{

r Ii a

t

'lor Freig ht Servi ces by Grinaker Property Development Company irt The new oflice block being erected assoclatlon with Grinaker Natal and G naker Proiects 2A

G naket

Gazette Se1tenbet 1931

. . . ln-house co-operation. Grinaker Natal, Projects and Property Development combine forces on North Coast Road

contract

Earthworks on the North Coast Road site by Grinaker Construction Natal

,.i

Sign of the C

times

naket Gazetle Septentbet 1981

no iob

North Coast Road earthworks team. Back: Reg Mkombe, Michael Mazibuko, Dennis Mbambo. Front: John Greenway, Joe Biccardi, Doug Sowden, Koos Minny 29

,'ln the present times . . . we need to attend seriously to a maior problem in our industry our productivitq." Brian Oliver "tf ptoductivity is to be raised then management has to PaY meticulous attention to Planning, ory an izati on an d control."

Harry de BruYn

condi'tion will remain with us and it is up to top management to en-

sure that the organization has available sulJicjent and adeq uately trained supervisory staff. I cannot em phasise en oug h the im portance of management train jng.

"There is simply no poinl doing more and more skills training if

supervisory competent

to

afl are not manage those

st

skills."

-

be held respens ible for a situatio n over which he has no control or only partial control.

I am called upon to present regular in-house symposiums on our overall Grinaker costing system which I believe to be in the Rolls Royce class; lhe delegates to these lectures are largelY Grinaker site agents, eng ineers, quantity surveyors and ad m in istrative people.

The majority oI them

have her education mainlY through universrlies and tech n i-

received

.

productivitv or the lack ol it is ultimately governed by the sum of peoPle and communication."

". .

G

ri na

ker

Bu

a

ptess release issued by i ldi ng Cam PanY.

Extract from

Management

N

utter

at all levels is

largely,to blame for the Poor Productivity in the South Alrican bu ilding industrY according to Harry de BruYn, managing director of Grinaker B u ild ing Company. lf productivity is to be raised'then he believes management has to pay meticu lous altention to planning, o rg an izat io n and control. An aggravating factor rs thal management has been spread too thin. A shortage of competent line management has g iven rise to su perv isors havin g lo direct far too large a work force and they cannot hope to give the right attention to instruction and Jrequent and necessary co ntrols to ensure that the arrangemenls lo r meetin g the Plan are ach ieved

"The cyclical work flow o{ the industry has not helPed matters," he says, "everY downtu rn sees the exodus oI valu able suPervisorY

personnel into other b usiness sectors. Furthermore, ever shorter construction Pro-

grammes have Placed excePtional demands on management This 30

Ken

h ig

cons and l. as a contractor, am constantly bewildered bY our graduates' purely academic aPproach with little or no grasp or concept of the commercial aspects of our industrY: aPParentlY no formal training in logic, Philosophy, industrial psychology or industrial relalions has been received, knowledge of which will be essential ingredients in his life within our ind ustry. ln relerring to industrial psychology I am suggesting that it is a good idea 10 understand what makes the other man tick, what basic motivation is Present and how to avoid most of ou r need less co nfrontatio n.

From a paper delivered at a Nalional Pro-

ductivily lnstitute sYmPasium.

All, I am sure, will agree that productivity or the lack oJ it is ultimately governed by the sum of people and communication; however well a system is thought out its success or failu re is depen dent on those who operate it. ll the operators are without clear definition or understanding as to the reason for both the system and its end productthen its failu re is inevitable.

It is equally important that lunctions within an orqanizalion are clearly delined as to duties, responsibility, accountability and, not least, authority. No man can

I am not in a position to aPPortion whatever blame there may be but I do sincerely believe that improved communication belween our

academics on lhe one hand and our industry on the other would lead to less re-invention of the wheel and a very real improvement in the industry's Productivity at grass roots level.

"One of the biggest culPrits of all is our educational system. "

Professor L Tucker U niversity of Texas fuam a bulletin issued by the South Alrican Federatian ol Civil Engineering G haket Gazete

Seplembet 1944

Conttactots, July 1 984.

Productivity in lhe conslruclion induslry A symposium on productivity in

the constructjon industry was held in Pretoria on 26 and 27 June. The symposium was. organized by the construction unit of the National Productivity lnstitute in collaboration with the universities of Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Pretoria and attended by a considerable number of sen ior contractors, academics and representatives ol client bodies. lnteresting and inf ormative papers were delivered by two prominenl overseas specialists and by leading figures lrom the South Af rican construction industry. ln add ition workshops were held covering topics emanating from the papers. During

these workshop discussions

problems aflecting p rod uctivity were discussed and recommendations were put forward.

by Keith Bell The work done by the electronics sector of Grinaker is often overshadowed by the achievements of

the construction sector, and the technology innovation in the electronics field is not well known to many members of the Grinaker g rou p.

The latest product to be developed by Grinel's Waltloo laboratory is what is believed to be the world's smallesl HF manpack radio. Called the TR178, the unit covers the entire 1,6 to 30 MHz band in 1 kHz steps. The unit has a 10 watt output, is f u lly micropro-

is lreuency hopping comPatible with all other HF military equipment manulactured by G rinel. cessor controlled and q

The basic radio weighs on ly 2,6k9

and can be serviced by modular replacement within ten minutes.

A range of accessories, also de-

signed

at

Waltloo, includes

a

miniature anten na tun ing unit, Ni-

cad battery system with intelligent'status' indication and cell protection (patent pending) and an LCD programming gun.

This product adds to a list of world lirsts achieved by Grinel, and will be in production in early 1985.

ln his keynote address Professor Richard L Tucker, prolessor of project management at the University of Texas said: "One ol the biggest culprits of all is our educatronal system. We have historically failed in our engineering programmes to address su bjects

associated with

co nstru ctio n

productivity. We have grad uates with excellent skills in analYsis and design but with little knowledge of methods to turn the designs into realities. Whereas much research has been accomplished in materials handling and design methods little activity has been devoted to research in construction and project management methods."

The meeting identif ied and evalu-

ated the many aspects influencing productivity in the construclion industry and it was particularly interesting th?t the cyclical nature ol government spend ing on construction Projects was

considered to be a major cause, if not the main cause, of poor productivity in the industry. This was due to lactors such as d isru ptions

in organization,

demotivation, loss ol trained personnel and fluctuations in plant utilization. lt also discourages p ros pect ive new entrants into the industry.

Gtihaket Gaze e Septenbet 1984

This is what the designers ot a world first look like Grinel's TR178 design team. Back: Keith Bell, Dirk Marais, Jan Esterhuizen Front: Mike Peris, Vic westrate, Bolf WUest, Les Brand, Keith Lewis Somewhere in the picture is Garlield the cat. Any reader who can spot him gets a lree chance to design a new manpack radio for Grinel.

Doubling contract is on line Grinaker Transvaal builds 60km railway line al Piel Retiel

by Steve Buyskes

Extension of culvert barrel and wings at Panbult

ln February Grinaker Transvaal was awarded the doubling contract on the Transvaal Bichards Bay coal line between Panbult and Piet Betief. The contract price was R5,6 million and the client was South African Transport Services.

The contract consists of earthworks, doubling of bridges, extensions to culverts, d rainage, structural layers ol formation and permanent way. The last item rs being cione by our sub-contrac-

tor, Siding Construction

:;

and

lvlaintenance Company. Con-

tracts director is Pat Stewart, lam site agent, earthworks is run by

Roy Wienand and concrete is handled by Fanie van den Berg.

Others on site are Rod Claus (quantity surveyor), lsrael Mokolobate (site clerk), Donald Hlobotsi, Petrus Mnisi, Anton

Ndaba and Sajine Matahla (fore-

men), Alan Willard and Roberi Makama (surveyors) and Fredd y Hoyi (soils).

The Grinaker Plant personnel are

Tony Scott (agent) and Hattingh

(f

Patt of the work involves doubling

Laying of subsu rface drains

the Hlelo River bridge

ing has been spent outside at the

The soccer team is in the process

b

raai.

We have on site a most versatile team ideally suited for the job on hand and work is progressing well.

of being kitted out and has

already had its lirst fixture, beating a local team by Six g oals to n il.

The site is not without communi-

Jan

oreman).

Our site establish ment consisting of offices, hostel, single quarters and workshops. is at lswepe. rn the middle ot wattle and pine plantations. Stall have become acquainted with timber ind ustry products such as eucalyptus oil, charcoal, pu lp and others. ln Chainage Sixty-Nine (the pub) all the world's problems get solved and many a pleasant even-

Roy Wienand and Fanie van den Berg Gtinaket Gazette Septetubet 1981

cation problems, stretching as it does over sixty kilometres, so radios have been purchased from

Grinel for this purpose. These, however, do not help when you are stand in g on the f ormation and

a coal train goes past. The eight

unit 176 x 85m: truck monster keeps people qL,iet for approxi-

Earthworks f oreman.

Anton Ndaba

mate ly lou r m in utes as it th u nders

past. The total length of the train is over lwo kilometres.

A Javourite pastime is the form in g

oI puns like: 'don't shunt

us

around', ''they don't give a hoot'

and'the contract is on line'.

The weather? Well, since we've had 50mm of snow, 50mm of hail

and 65mm of rain in six weeks ring winter, we are gea ring ou rselves up tor a very wet summer

du

in

deed.

Kitchen staft. Daniel (Perpetual Motion) Thasi, Elizabeth Mahlangu, Ephraim Mokhampanyane

Workshop team. Samson Mngomezulu, Ernest Gama, Elmot Wonga, Larry Leite, Enock Mosha

,"

.,,

't

.';'.

Culvert team. Back: Rod Claus, Jan Miyanga, Alfred Manzini, Solomon Ngomane, Samuel Ndlovu, lsrael Myeza, Emson Gazide. Front: Jan Lentoa, Edison Siweya, Filson Malamula, Petrus Mnisi, John Mamaro Ctnak.t Gazete Seprehbet

1981

Site staff. Back: Steve Buyskes, Rod Ctaus, lsrael Mokolobate, Saiine Mafahla, Donald Hlobotsi, Pat Stewart

Front: Freddy Hoyi. Petrus Mntsi

I

...

,/{

l

l--

Drainlaying team. Back: Big-Boy Masuku, Mxolisi Ndzawuse, Stephen Masondo, zwelindaba Nyembane, Petrus Molokeng. Front: Patrick Shabalala. Zand isile Funzela, Leonard Ndlovu, Jose7h Mbanvele Gnnaket Gazene Septenbet 1981

Grinaker Transvaal mining team is leaving a trail of success by Steve Bullent

Historic moment: holing through at Agnes mine on I June after 1 ,Bkm ol tunnelling. Paul Botes, George Grobler, Steve Kearney, Bennie Verster, Joe Aumuller (manager of Agnes mine ), Kallie Harmse, Lef u Mothiane (at back), Graham Maxwell, Luka Mzuleka (at back) cent above the tendered rate).

No sooner had the sounds of development subsided at Agnes than they re-commenced some 20km north of Barberton at New Consort Goid l\4ine. Excavalio n tor a new inclined shaft. once again undertaken by the Grinaker team, began in earnest on 20 June with the removal of some 5 000mr using a Poclain 90CK excavator and tipper truck, later

sixteen degree incline made the use of a tipper-truck impractical.

After two weeks ot portal excavation and site establishment, development of the 630m long incline started initially using handheld rock breakers. followed about a week later by the commencement of conventional drilland-b last tech n iq ues.

replaced

(about one in four) prevented the

by a Fiat-Allis

FL20

traxcavator once the depth of the

The steep slope of the incline use

of the

LM70 loaders and

At 09h50 on Satu rday 9 J u ne 1 984 the last of over 850 reunds sig nal-

led the holing through by

the rinaker Transvaal mining crew at Agnes Gold l\,4ine's new 22level adit just short of 1800m in length. The final handover and acceptance took place on Monday lB June, two weeks ahead of program me, a target attained only because oJ outstanding production since Christmas (an average monthly advance of30-40 per G

Grrnaket Gazette Septenbet 1984

Entrance

Grinaket

to the incline shaft being sunk at New Consort mine by

trains from the Agnes tunnel job,

whilst the inclusion of several tight turns made the installation

of a hoisting winch and rails Proh

ib itive.

The mucking method

decided

upon involves the use of several Fiat-Allis FL-14C traxcavators removing the rock from the lace to a cubby and from there to the next cubby etc until the last traxcavator deposits the spoil on the rock dump. Due to poor ground it has been necessary to install prelabrlcated arch sets to Protect the first 40m of the incline but once the poor ground conditions are passed the remainder of the 3,3m x 3,7m incline will be unlined.

The site operalions are suPervrsed by master ga rdener' Ben n le Verster, assisted on sile (at least until Ch ristmas) by technikon

Standing in the bucket of the Fiat-Allis traxcavator to place timber supports in the roof

student Amando Taranto and occasionally by myself. The remainder of the team is mainlY unchanged with loreman Lukas Le Roux and George Grobler and developers Kallie Harmse (replacing Steve Kearney), Nic OeloJse and his crew provide the necessary survey checks with Richard Moulhe handling the site clerical work.

Gunite team in action

Part of the compressor plant

Back: Bennie Verster, Paul Botes, George Grobler, John Maleni, Lion Mkhabela, John Kitchen. Front: Pete Mavuso, Poka Pears, Luka Mzuleka, Joseph Magudulela 36

cnoaket Ga2ette Septenbet 1984

Grinaker Precast kedps ahead in technology

-:. l,

by Malcolm Eastment

Les Scholtemeyer, Bryan Hearmon, Malcolm Eastment and Danie van der Merwe brave the cold in Paris.

the company was well

repreted.

From the Transvaal. Les Scholte-

se

n

meyer (marketing manager) and Danie van der Merwe (production manager) attended. Natal was represented by Bryan Hearmon

(marketing manager) and

The second international conference on block paving was

recenlly held in Delft, Holland. ln e with Grinaker Precast's policy of keeping ahead in technology and techniques in the world of segmental block paving, lin

I

attended f rom the Johannesburg head oIIice as national product manager.

The week-long conference was split up into technicalsessions on struct ural design. standards. specifications and test procedures, applications of seg mental block pavin g, construction practice and material. as well as visits to local block manufaclurers and

construction sites.

Amongsl the visits organized was one to the new European container terminal in Rotterdam. The presenl paving contract being undertaken is for 800000m2 ot segmented paving blocks in the container storage and hand ling area. This area is planned to be extended over the nexl few years to over tour million square metres. (At present the entire sales ol concrete paving blocks per annum in Soulh Africa total less than three million square

metres!) A very interesting feature of this site is that the

paving is being carried out mechanically with blocks being laid by hydraulic grabs in clusters of 0;8m2 at a time and all jointing sand being applied and swept in by machine.

The conference was attended by over three hundred delegates

from all around the world

and

more than forty papers were presented by speakers lrom as far afield as Australia, Japan, South Alrica, Nigeria, the USA, Canada and Europe. Not only did the conference give an ideal opportunity

to find out what is new in this

exciting form of paving, but also a chance to renew old friendships and make new contacts with people involved in the industry world-wide.

Mechanized laying of paving blocks at the European container terminal in Rotterdam Gnnake' Gazette SeDtenbet 1981

Besides the actual conterence, manufacturers of block making 37

and associated mach jnery Jrom the UK and Europe as well as local paving man u f actu re rs,

an exhibition and the conference hall. l\iluch organized

Grinaker is forming

significant new

pavin g demonstration adjacent to

emphasis was put on the mechanical laying of paving blocks, with some machines capable of doing the most intricate Patterns of laying.

ln the two weeks following the conference. contacts were f ollowed up in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark and the UK, and much very usefulinformation was obtained in the manufacturing and marketing tech n iq ues currently being successJullY employed in

these

the

isation

cou ntries.

Grinaker Precast's well known GBlok and Uni-Decor Paving Products are made under licence to Un

i-Organ

in

West

Germany and time was sPent with the Uni people in uPdating on the latest ideas in new Paving Pro-

ducts and their Possible applications in the Paving rndustry in South Af rica.

Havinq now gained useful information on the latest ideas

and techniques from around the world il was very interesling to see that in the field ot pavement design and the incorporation of the segmenled paving block as a structural element in the overall pavement. South Af rica in general and Grinaker Precast in particular, are in the forefront of developments and generally well ahead ol most ol Europe and America. However, in lhe areas on automation of Prod uction processes and the mechan ization ol laying paving, Europe and the USA are well ahead ol this country. This is probably due to the cost of labour in those

countries. ln the USA, lor instance,

a skilled man laYing

associations Jack Saulez welcomes Dura to the grouP From the chief executlve's statemenl, Grinaker annual report, 1984

Grinaker Holdings Limited recently acquired one hundred percerlt oJ Dura Holdings Limited. The various operating divisions of Dura will complement our g roup's operations.

Dura Foundations are particularly strong in the field o{ augered piles and will add to the services ollered by Grinaker Piling Company.

Dura Construction who specialize in b u ild ing includ ing h ig h -rise are well established in the South Western Cape where Grinaker have no presence, and Durabon who specialize in the manulacture of railway sleepers, have been partners with Grinaker Precast on two very large sleeper contracls over the past eleven years and have already established a sou nd comPatibility.

Dura will continue operating under the control of their present management headed by l\4essrs N B Crowngold and H A B Lagaay. ltake this opportunity to welcome the directors and stall of Dura to the G rinaker Group.

Note: The amount of money involved in this transaction is approxi-

mately R18 million.

Agreement in principle

to expand electronics interests

From

million resulting in the presenl

Grinaker Holdings Limited and Siltek (Pty) Limited, a wholly-

creasing from 282 cents per share to 262 cents per share. Although it is anticipated that there will be no

owned subsidiary

im

a press notice issued by Grinaker Holdings.

ol

Radiokom

Holdings (Pty) Limited, have reached an agreement in principle to rationalize their informa-

paving blocks would be Paid twenty-seven dollars Per hour.

(Where do we join the queue?).

tion technology interests.

With the f irst international confer-

Siltek and will acquire forty-nine per cent of Radiokom for an additional R8,75 million in cash.

The remaining fifty-one Per cent of Radiokom is held by Radiokom Konstruksie (Pty) Limited.

ence having been held in Newcastle, UK, in 1980 and the second in Dellt, Holland, in 1984, perhaps we can get the third to be held in South Alrica in 1988 and return some ol the tremendous hospitality (and South Af rican beer) that was received in EuroPe. 38

ln the course of this transaction Grinaker willsellone hundred Per cent of Grinaker Data Systems to

The transaction will result in a premium on acquisition of R6,4

net asset value ol Grinaker de-

mediate effect

on

Grinaker

earnings per share for the current

financial year, Radiokom's

current and projected growth rate indicates that the investment will make a meaninglul contribution to improved Grinaker earnings in the futu re.

This new structure will Provide one-stop services to a wide range ol customers and will olfer data communications equipment, networking prod ucts, te rm in al systems, personal com PUters and f ield maintenance together with customized solutions to users' prob lems.

Gtinaket Gazetle septembet 1984

Grinaker Projects meets time and budget on Protea Axles Phase I

Phase

lwork involved building workshops, stores, changerooms, ablutions, offices and an office block

by Derek Fuller

produced the tender proposal.

workshops, stores, change-

The construction team (that's the place in the project management business where the buck stops), comprised Vic Lines of Tech-

qether with a separate double storey ollice block o{ 630m2. Both

tonics looking after the civil

design, Rob Horsfield on roads and earlhworks and Alan Bell and

Rod Carr do ing electrics.

r1...

project and looked after

/,-/ The contract to build a new factory and two slorey office block lor Protea Axles (Pty) Ltd.,

a

Protea Group company, was signed on 28 September 1983.

This signing heralded the start of yet another successful u ndertaking for Grinaker Projects.

The archltectural team oI Rowan Dunstan and Bill Mills created the

winning design and

l\,4aurice

Leather and Graham Bartram

G naket

Gazette Septenbet 1981

l\,4c Gah an was contract manager and I co-ordinated the

Willie

site

management. Flowan D unstan and Andrd Gelden h uys prepared the working drawings and guided them through the Alberton Council. to enable the structural team lo commence erecting their steelwork in the third week of

January 1984. The client

commenced moving his machrne(y f(om Spartan to Alrode in June and took possession in July, on time and within their budget.

The work carried out to date represents Phase I and comprises a 3 000m2 initial f actory area of

rooms, ablutions and offices, to-

elements have been designed to allow jor tuture expansion ol the factory by two and a half times and the office by one and a hal{ times. A rail siding will also be included at a later stage.

The colomet sheeting combinations of red and sea foam give a very elegant look to the faclory, whilsl the oflice block in its primrose multi-rustic brickwork, beige Gamma Zenith plastered columns and red colomet fascia make lor an ideal partnership.

We now look forward to Phase ll.

nikon being built bY Gri.naker Ariiaing Comipany, is growing by the day - and night

Grinel displays security equipment

Techn

ikon site: pouring concrete

in Grinel stand displaying security equipment atthe lnterbou ex.hibition client prospective to a Aujuti. lt righi Lt're-Holtzhausen talks

at n ight 40

G

naket cazette seqtenbet 1931

Excavation at Grinaker Transvaal's Dwaalboom crusher contract for Pretoria Portland Cement

. l.-S

,..ft

'.r i..'

'.':

' t;i'

Zululand: Mondi housing complex growing fast

c.:

Grinaker Zululand's Mondi housing team. Back: Dave Price, Dave RoSs, Simon Mthethwa, Mick Cooper, Berry Mccee, Frank Adonis Front: Chris le Roux, Hutch Hutchinson, Dave Daniels, Ray Caldwell' Kobus Scheepers, Ronnie Buch an an 42

The Loadall sequence G naket

Gazetle Septenbet 1931

Grinaker Transvaal's bridges put Swaziland Railways back on schedule

r*lr- *,-.; The final stages of construction of the Ngwavuma River bridge

l-l:The completed Mhlatuzane River bridge Arnaket Gazette Septenbet 1944

.

The tirst traln crosses the new Mhlatuzane bridge 43

Grinaker North's new office and workshop complex at Waltloo, Pretoria (opposite Grinel)

:t

-.-_,

-

ry

Main office building nears completion

Plant workshops

'17.

Haroon Ally, At Bouwet, Paulino dos Santos 44

Oom Willie van Rooven, making superb garden G nake,

a

Gazefte Septenbet 1934

Grinaker North construction teams at the new offices

3

-.

Back: Paulus Hlatshwayo, Jacobus Dikeledi, Elvis Sekgobela, Ephron Sono, Abedigo Khumalo, Frans Skhosana, Amos Mashiane, Johannes Nthau, Frans Malatiie, Job Mhlongo,'Hendrick Mofokeng, Samuel Matshiya, Jeremiah Mngomezulu. Centre: Piet Negondeni, Baldwin Tshazwa, Albert Nkambule, David Mollo, Jonas Mokoena, Jim Lange, Moses Tshabalala, Abenition Dlali, Baka Zulu, (sitting down) Makhehlana Xaba, Tutu Mabaso, name unknown. Front: Fana Mtolo, Henry Lamula, Timothy Ngeti, Elmon Nkambule, Nicholas Dlamini, Fana Ndoyiya, name unknown, Robert Manikela, Josias Makoeba, John Mahlangu, Aaron Ntuli.

',1

-1

\*

Back: Daniel Moeng, Nicholas Dlameni, Alpheus Malatje, Andries Nkadimeng, Petrus Chiloane, Albert

Mojela, Johannes Se/ehle, Daniel Kgoogo, Piet Mawela, Joyi Mawaka, Piet Ferreira. Centre: Phillemon Nkosi, Sam Ntlhamo, Frans Ramollo, name unavailable, Alexander Sidiadia, Elias Maswanganyi, Thembekile Nqunde, Hitilan Gxadeni. Front: Simon Mazibuko, Richard Popela, Albert Senyolo, Themba Zitha, Moses Nkuna, Erasmus Sosibo, Miuba Manci, Muzimubi Ngcobo.

Gtinaket Gazette Septehbet 1984

45

Falck, Armand du Plessis, Gavin

Hewitt and N4ax Cox; a treight depot at Randtontein with John Mc Kenna. Ken Macumber, Robert Carr and Eric Hoi and a warehouse and ofJice in Sandton

Contracts

ata

glance

Sigg i Neuschafer a nd Herman Schutte. Also well under

with

way is the multi-storey office Grinaker Norlh

New head ollice for Grinaker North at Waltloo, occuPied dur-

ing early July, comPleting finishing touches to building and Parking areas, John Turton, Vic Allen, At Bouwer, Piet Ferreira.

Lethabo power station. F irst chimney, brick tlues almost complete, start of steel tlue entries imminent, for comPletion December 1984. Second chimney, pile cap and Piling completed, slide due to start late August 1984, lor comPletion 1986. John Turton, Nigel Nilen, Gary lvlojjat, Louis Le Pen, Doll Oosth u izen, Flan lvlaher, GarY Ric h mond.

R ustenbu rg Road, Balokeng South N,4ine, 2,2km ot road completed by 4 August 1984, John Turton. Nigel N ile n. Kevin

Doherty, J orrie Jordaan, Leon

Bafokeng South lvline, civil wgrks

at shaft eleven, winder

house,

shaft head works and other surIace civil works, for comPletion September 1984, John Turton, Nigel Nilen, Jan Pienaar, Ftank Egan.

lco cement factorY, ioint

ven lu re wtth Concor,

P

rog ressin g

well, for completion end ol 1984, Howard J ones, Joh n nY Zaremba, Arnold Olivier.

Grinaker Proiects

Recently comPleted P roiects include: the CaPe abattoir, an

office block and canteen in Boksburg, an office extension and two ind ustrial warehouse. fac tor ie s with otfices in Alberton, and a f reight de pot in Pietermaritzb u rg.

Nearing comPletion are: an office block/wa rehouse develoPment at Halfway House and a Pharmaceutical distribution centre in the Cape.

Projects progressing wellare: an

induslrial park comPlex

in

Booysens Reserve with Vincent 46

and Rob Newman.

Flecently acquired contracts include: a freight depot in Ermelo and an offrce and warehouse in Bethal with Vincent Falck, [.4ervyn Stewart, Herman Schutte, Bruce Warren, Tony DiePenbroek and architects Eric Ho and Rowan Dunsian. Another freight depot near City DeeP with John N,4c Ken na and Rob Horsfield; offices and warehouses ln Elandsfontein and City DeeP with Terry Walton, Siggi Ne u schafer, Stuart Walls, Rowan Griffin, Rod Carr and l\4 in ze Steen.

Direct bac k-u p to all

th e co

ntracts

is provided by Bill Mills, Colin

Bessen,ge r.

U

bloc" i1 Mona Roao, DJrban, for Freig ht Services with Terry Walton, Siggi NeuschaJer, Dave Watson, Maarten Brandse on construction and management with back-up and design from l\4ax Cox, N,4inze Steen, TonY Bowen (Techtonics), Al Santos

Sanders, Gerald Chan, Vic Lines,

Andy Starr, l\ilalan van Niekerk, Alan Bell and architect [,4ike Volck man.

Grinaker Building ComPanY University of BoPhuthatswana.

Central lecture block, Don Brown. Alan Peel, lan DonnellY, Mel Coop, Bill N4cKenzie Cafeteria and office block, John McCorm ick, l\4an uel Franco, Colin lvlorris, Lucas Lab uschag ne, Eddie Bec kett. l\,4 mab ath o National Provident Fu nd b uild in g, Ettore D'Agostino,

Gerry Torode, Eric John

SYVersten,

Huck le.

Mmabatho watershed substation, GerrY Mc Kelvie N/mabatho High School hostels, Pierre Bosseau, Hen n ie Brits, Eddie Bec kett.

Witwatersrand Technikon, b uild ing work in Progress, John N/cLaughlin, Ken Leach, l\'4ike Barclay, Peter Grant, Peter Sharland. Gustav De Las Heras, TonY

Wilcox, Jorge de Nobrega, Joe Carneiro, Frans Nel, TonY

Laranjeira,

Ph

il

Harvey, Jon

Gough, Gordon Alexander, Bill Bevan, Alec McDyer, Peter Lison, Dave Brown, Kevin Logsd on.

Majuba power statio n, workshoP,

stores and dining facilities, slarting sho rJly, Howatd Jones.

Grinaker Precast A contract was awarded recentlY Ior the supply and lay ol apProxrmately 26 000m: of B0mm coloured Uni-Decor for the Durban Exbou 85 exhibition centre.

Various smaller contracts a re also in prog ress.

Major contracts for South African Transport Services P roceed ing well.

One millionth FY sleeper recentlY produced at the Vryheid sleePer factory.

Grinaker Cape Buffalo Flats, roads and services for two thousand houses, for completion Aug ust 1984, Charlie Backlund, Bernd Wortmann.

Kwazakhele Stage Five, services f or existing townshiP, Jor comPletion July 1985, Doug Botha, Graham Watermeyer.

Kwazakhele Slage Seven, services for existing township, lor completion May 1985, Doug Botha, Larry van den Heuvel.

CDA, factory extensions, for completion December 1984, lan Friend, M ike Nicolay.

Blue Line bus depot, offices and restau ra nt, for coni pletion March 1985. lan Friend, Neil Backlund.

East London TelePhone Exchange, building alterations, Jor completion December 1984' lan Friend, Ted Healy.

Keiskammahoek Hospital, roads and servtces, for comPletion August 1984, Graham Browne, l\,4ark Fisher.

East London abattoir, site works

and pipelines, for comPletion September 1984, Tex Dallas '

Brian Boyd.

Suncrush (East London), building alterations, {or com Pletion Gnnaket Gazette SePtenbet 1984

November'1984, lan Friend, Ted Healy, Gordon Rogers.

Suncrush (King Williams Town ), concrete works, for completion

September 1984, Graham Browne, Peter Fraser.

Biella, levelling ea rthwo rks for lhe construction of a factory, for completion Aug ust 1984, Graham Browne, Peter Fraser.

36000t a month being shipped ove rseas.

Grinaker [,4ining has also started two sand ventures in the DurbanPietermaritzburg area. Jimmy Duke trom Grinaker Natal is in charge of th is operation.

G

rinaker Masonry

[,4orningside Clin

ic,

Sandton,

using flecked beige Pitchtex Techtonics (Pty) p

Ltd

Stru ct u ra blocks. desig n

rojects

Mona Road, fourteen sto rey ollice block, structural desig n, Tony Bowen, Des Heyl, Jacques Wigg ill.

Protea Axles, two storey o{fice block, Tony Bowen, Vic Lines, Jacques Wiggill, Ren6 Schaadt.

Transvaal Rubber Com pan y, three storey office block, Tony

Bowen, Vic Lines, Jacq ues Wiggill, Rene Schaadt.

Consol head office, five storey prestige b u ild ing, Tony Bowen, Vic Lrnes. Jacques Wiggrll. Rene Sc

h

aad t.

Booysens Reserve lacto ry, And rew Starr. Ren6 Schaadt.

Boat Bar warehouse and ofiices, rew Starr, Rene Schaadt.

Pinetown oJJice bu ild ing, And rew Starr, Rene Sc haadt.

Stellenbosch Farme rs Wineries (SWF), Bethal factory, Anthony Diepenb roek, Fran k Cassidy.

An d

ited Transport Holdings (UTH), South Park, Anthony Un

Diepe

n b

roek, Frank Cassidy.

Grinaker Mining

Grinaker Mining continues to operate the Nonsana under-

ground mine and the Steincoalspruit opencast mine.

These mines are operated on a contract basis for Grinaker Desert Spar (an Anglovaal subsid iary). Grinaker Mining's responsibilities are the mining, transport and saleloading of ore on lo the ships in Durban harbour. We also manage the sales for anthracite and coal on the local market. Grinaker Desert Spar's export sales have improved treme ndously this year, with an average oI approximatelY Gtinaket Gazete Septembet 1934

Various structures at new Dwaalboom cement plant in lmperial co nc rete b ricks.

OK Bazaars shopping cenlre in Vereeniging, using flecked be ige S plitex Structura b locks.

Rhema Ch u rch, Randburg, using various Structu ra block textures. id rand shopping centre, using Flutex Six and Trutex Structura blocks.

N,4

Grinaker Zululand N4on d i earthworks, proceeding well, Dave lvlaree, Phil l\,4arais.

Mirage civils contracts, nea ring completion, Roberto Buson, Terry Eaton, Dave Spooner, Jose Jardim, Art Conde, N4anuel da Silva, lvlick lvic NIan us.

Town Board services cont ract, Rolf Fagelu nd-Gje rsoe, Bundu Sparks, Alf l\ileyer, f or completion by the end of 1984, with Nkoninga pipeline completed.

Pong o la bridge, Roberto Buson,

Keith Holshausen, Mick of old

N,4cManus, demolition b ridg e pend ing.

Richards Bay High School. for 1984, Gerrard Stott, Richard Yard ley, Stoffel Groenewald.

Bhizolo bridge, for completion early 1985, Roberto Buson, Frank Tennent, Ted Fountain, Jorge de

completion October

Olivie ra.

N4ondi lndian housing, on tight

schedule, Ior completion N4arch 1985, Gerrard Stott, Dave Price, Ray Caldwell.

Pongola causeway completed, Peter Fraser.

Umf olozi ea rthworks completed, Joe Lancaster, Peter Fraser.

The small works team u nder Peter Kendal and Abie De Sa is busy at

Alusaf and Empangeni Transport factory.

rinaker Construction Transvaal U nited Transporl, roadworks and concrete paving, Pat Stewart, Bernard Osterloh. Dirk Ve nter, Johan van Staden.

Sigma shaft, Sasolburg, construction ol a decline shaft, underground development and support to existjng u nderg ro u nd workings, Arnold Klin two rth, Corrie van Wyk, Brian Cawood, Nick Oelofse, Tony Borrett, Viv G

Brookste in.

New Consort mine, Barberton, sinking of a new decline shaft, Arnold Klrntworth, Bennre Verster, George Grobler, Paul Botes.

West Driefontein gold

m

ine

number eight shaft, presink of ventilation shaft to 65m. Gawre Espbch, Lukas le Foux, Zulu Cornelius. Kallie Harmsel Qwa Qwa dam, joint venture with Grinaker North, Jan Hattingh, Pieter Wagenaar, Peter Brown, Rowan Cashel, Owen Shepstone,

Jerry Oosth u izen, Herkies Oosthuizen, John Gomez, Tony Coelho. u sco mechanicals. fabrication oI pipework and construction of fire

mains, Dave Strachan, Syd

le

Roux, Wim Leijdek kers.

U lco mechanicals. fabrication and erection oJ steelwork, Dave Strachan, Lieb van Staden, Richter Olivier.

Pan bu lt, conslruction ol railway Iormation, Pat Stewart, Steve

Buyskes, Roy Wienand,

Fan ie van

den Berg, Allan Willard, Bobert Makama, Rod Claus, Pet ru s M

n

isi.

Bateman excavation, Dwaalboom, 25m deep excavation Jor primary

crusher with reclaim tunnel,

Johan van Rooyen, Rick John, Piet Ferreira. Bill Brandon.

Rietvalley quarry, Belfast, quarrying and crushing o1 quartzite with ninety-nine per cent silica

content. Johan van Rooyen. Wim de Vries, N,4ark Barnes.

Swaziland c rushe r, q uarrying and crushing of 220000m3 ballast for Swaziland Railways, Johan van Flooyen, Ren ier Naude. Danie 47

Gouws, John Oxley, Dirk Smith, Chris J ordaan.

Vaal Reefs, construction of two slime dams, Andre Lab uschag n e, Cassie lvlcCormack, Kevin Harris, Charlie Wiid.

Grinaker Natal Mona Road, eleven storey office block for Grinaker Property Development CompanY, TonY Claassen, Geoff Skeen.

O'Flaherty Road, earthworks for Du rba n Corporation, Keith Kuhn,

Barry Willan.

Maydon Wharf , replacement o,f wharf number eight for South Af rican Transport Services, Benoto piles and concrete superstructure, Dave Erskine, John Jac kson.

Reckitt & Colman, new pharmaceutical factory at Jacobs, Barry Steenhuisen, Geoff Skeen.

Mpambinyoni brid ges, one incrementa lly launched bridge and one in-situ bridge lor the Natal

I

Administration on South Coast Freeway, Hans Provin

c ia

Liebel, Joh n Jackso

n.

Phoenix lndustrial Park. roads and services to phases three and four, Graham Sanders, Deryck Wh ite.

Muller & Phipps, warehouse at Phoenix, Rowell Haigh, Geoff Skeen.

North Coasi Road, earthworks for factory sites for Grinaker Property Development Com pany,

Doug Sowden, Barry Willan.

Kings Road, new ollices for Grinaker Coastal in Pinetown, Joe Earl-Spur, Geoff Skeen.

Looking back Cooling towers at Chingola, Zambia The cooling towers al Chingola, Zambia. were bu ilt by Grinaker in the early filties. George l\4cGuire, who worked on the project and sent us these pictures, says: "l

remember arguing

Bush about the

with

M

ike

scaffold ing."

George's suggestions were approved and lhe towers were successf ully completed.

.J

. -nvt

Georye McGuire

Close-up showing scaflold ing 48

Chingola cooling towers: stages ln construction Gnnaket Gazene SeDtenbet 1984

or from death as a resull of such accldents.

The South Alrican authorities

The worker has onlv one life Exttact hon a speech ma.te by Dt P J van det Metwe Dnectat-Genetal ol Manpowet and publtshed tn the June tssue al Salety Managenent. the alhczt pubtca ttan al lhe Naltanat Accupattanal Salety Assoclahan

also believe that the

State,

employers and workers, have a

joint responsibility in regard to

safety and health. To th is end, th e Government has enacted leg isla-

tion such as the Machinery and Occupational Safety Act of 1983, the lvlines and Works Act of 1956 and the Workmen's Compensa-

tion Act of 1941, all ol

which

e Ior this tripartite

ln a recent ILO press release it was estimated that every year throughout the world more than

p

rovid

in

volve menl.

180 000 workers die as a result of em ployment accidents and occu pational diseases. add ition,

the State and employers

ln

some 110 million persons suffer non-fatal employment injuries.

Experience proves that there is virtually no job or occ u pation that is totally devoid oJ potential risks {or workers' health and safety.

The industrial revolution

was

hailed as the dawn of enormous national wealth and power but it brouqht in its wake the sweatshops of its time. lt was in these swealshops that men, women and children su{fered untold m iseries under intolerable conditions ol squalor and danger, working inhumanly long hou rs for a pittance that hardly sustained lile. ln order to improve the quality of life for these victims of p rog ress, modern labou r legislation evolved, which oflered state protection against exploitation as well as against dange ro us and unhygienic working conditions. Yet, despite all this progress, the worker spends a large part of his one and only life and the best hours oI every workday at his place oJ employment, and if the conditions there are unfavourable to health and safety. they detract from his quality of life. The worker has not only got one life, he has only two hands, two legs, two eyes and the

loss of any one of these is a trau matic experience. The South

African authorities, th ereto re, believe that the South African worke r, irrespective of race,

colour or sex, has an inalienable rig ht to the lollowing: . Firstly. to safety and health in employment, and r secondly, to compensation ior work disability caused by accidents or occu pational diseases Atinaket Gazette Seplenbet 1984

With NOSA acting as a catalyst, and

employees have been welded together by law into a strong tripartite partnership to protect lhese riqhts. How successful we have been, is proved by the fact that in 1950, 4olo ol the South

A{rican worklorce suffered d

a

isabling inju ry. This im proved to

1 ,Bolo

in 1983.

Sekuriteits-

personeel moet professioneel opgelei word Schalk Vorster Liit Die Transvaaler.5 Julie 1984

PRETORIA Op'n seminaar van die Sekuriteitsverenjging van Suid-Afrika in die Bo u leva rd Hotel he't die burgemeester van Pretoria, mnr. Charl van Heerden, gese dat die gewone man kennis moet neem van sek u riteit.

Mnr Schalk Vorster, G roepsekerheid en Veiligheids-

bestuurder van Grinel het gese dat die hooldoel van die aantal seminare gelewer van toepassin g op die sekuriteitsman in die pe

rsoneel oor

die hele land het die

seminaar

bygewoon.

Volgens mnr Vorster word deur middel van seminaar, seku riteitsmense pro{essioneel opgelei. Hy

voel dat as

sal

word.

Die burgemeester het in sy toespraak die waarde van op leid in g beklemtoon. Hy het

verder op die belangrikheid van sekuriteit gewys.

Volqens mnr van Heerden word die taak van die sekuriteitsman nie altyd in die private sektor erken n ie. Deur seku riteitsmense professioneel op te lei. sal hy die erkenning kry wat hy behoort te kry. Hy moet voel dat hy'n loopbaan het waarin hy kan opgaan.

Die Sekurileitsvereniging van Suid-Alrika is in 1965 gestig as uitvloeisel van 'n spontane behoefte in die nywerheidswese vir inligting en advies omtrent nywerheidsbeveilig ing.

Samewerking op die gebied van opleidirlg lJil n toespraak deur Dt P J van der Merwe. D i r e k I e u r - G e n e r a a I van

Mannekrag by die geleenlheid van dte opening van die geboukompleks van die

Suid-Af rikaanse Federasie van

Aannemets vtt Siviele lngenieutswetA in Bedfardview op woensdag 29 Augustus.

"... samewerking tussen die open-

s6

praktyk is.

Senior Sek u riteits

lessionele liggaam beskou

se k u rite itsm en se

prolessioneel opgelei word, die vereniging ook later as 'n pro-

bare en private sektore op die gebied van man nekragopleid ing en ontwikkeling moet egter nie geisoleerde gevalle wees nie. Die voorbeeld wat u op leidingsraad

reeds lank gelede gestel het, behoort verder uit te kring na ander opleidingsinstansies en we rkgewerso rgan isasies. Ek se dit omdat die taak van manne-

kragopleid in g en ontwikkeling nie slegs deu r die Staal en en kele ander instansies onderneem kan word nie. Die reeds dikwels ver-

kondigde regeringsbeleid oor mannekragoplejding en ontwikkeling is dat werkgewers die primCre verantwoordelikheid vir die opleiding, o ntwikkelin g, be-

nutting en bewaring van

hul

menslrke hulpbronne dra. Dit is tog die werkgewer wat in die laaste instansie die vrugte van die werker se dienste pluk. Daarom het hy die verantwoordelik heid om daardie arbeid deur volgehoue opleiding verder le veredel 49

Looking at people

Brian Herd we also had the contract for crushing the ballast. Jack Saulez made me site agent on the crusher. This was my first exposure to c rush ing and the fact that crusher people are a tough bunch."

TUnnelling and shaft sinking experience lollowed at the Overvaal Tunnel and Ermelo l\,4ine contracts. "Then we did a massive earthmoving job at Duvha and the lvinjoli Dam contract was a really big undertaking in the Swaziland bush. I was site agent on the dam and John Turton did the canals.

"l had the opportunity to get involved in every type ol civil

Brian Herd is

qu

iet, co

nf

ident and

prolessional. He provides inspired leadership without dramatic overtures, and he has come a long way since joining the group

in

1969.

He was born in Springs in 1946 and acquired a co nstruction-related background. His father owned a building company, and served as president ol both the Building lnd ustries Federation oI

South AIrica and the

l\,4aster

Builders Association.

Brian matric ulated at Kinqswood College, Grahamstown, in 1963 then studied civil engineering at Stellenbosch University. "l did a holiday job for G rinaker," he says, "and lwas interviewed for a bursary by l\,4ike Bush and John Ellis. Fortunately lgot it, so I became a Grinaker bursar from my second year."

He qualified in 1968 (civil is a tive year course at Stellenbosch) and started in the Grinaker design oflice in 1969. "1\4y first site was the Eastern Bypass," he saYS, "Johan Prinsloo was site agent, Den n is Cowell was concrele Ioreman and lwas the enqineer.

"Later we d id th e g rou p's first coal line contract at Sheepmoor and 50

en g

in-

eering and this has paid off. lt helped when lan Johnston asked me to establish a mining division and it allowed me to contribule to

the versatility which is

the strength of Grinaker Transvaal."

He became an alternate director

of Grinaker Transvaal in 1979, a full director in 1981 and managing d irector in 1984.

He married his wif e Pam in 1977 and lhey have three children, the

Meryn Robins matriculated at

Roosevell High School in Johannesburg and is cuirently studying quantity sutveying at

the Technikon. She joined

Grinaker Buttdtng Company in June last year and, aptly enough, is workinE on the Technikon site. "l love building," she says, "and I don't want to sit in an office all day, I really enjoy going out on site." She is not married and says, "/ suppose it's inevitable and will happen one day. lused to play hockey and tennis and nowadays squash is about all. Anything that takes place under water or up tn the air you can keep." She ls an avid reader, mainly of historical novels, "and I do pottery when I get the urge. We have awheeland a kiln at home and my long-term ambition is to produce two plates that actually look the same."

youngest ol whom was born in July this year. "l played cricket, rugby and hockey at Stellenbosch," he says, "but now lstick to golf and riding a bicycle in the early mornings.

"Construction oflers plenty ot scope for young people who are prepared to iake their opportunities and who don't expect to get to the top of the pile immediately.

What we need today is something which goes beyond mere training. lt amounts to a need to perIorm wh ich encompasses a greater awareness ol production respons ibility and profit motivation. ''However. the depth of ability is exceptional in Grinaker and there is a dedication lo service and quality. This makes us the best construction company in the country."

Dolt Williams served his apprenliceship as a motor mechanic in Nelspruit and joined Grinaker Plant in 1976. He is currcntly workshop foreman at the Kwazakhele contract in Port Elizabeth. He is matried. with thrce ildren, and says, "l'.m too old f or rugby now so / sllck to golf but I stand too near the ball atter I've ch

hit it. " He is a jazz f an, "and I mean G naket

Gazette Septenbet 1981

real jazz like Louis Armstrong."

He is cuffently doing up a house in Port Elizabeth. "You don't get pinned down for long in construction," he says, "bul l'll still do the place up from top to bottom. I've also b uilt up a Volkswagen Beetle from scrap and we'll have a party when that gets on the road."

from girl Friday to cteditors'clerk and then to supervisor in charge

ol

creditors and wages. She recently passed examinations with distinction and ls an associate of the lnstitute of Certilied

Ithink there's a rosy luture for

Grinaker Precast and there's a flrst ciass bunch of chaps here."

Bookkeeperc. She matriculated in Randlontein. married her husband Hannes the following year and came to Empangeni in 1964.

"Natal has been good lo me, she says, "l now have lour sons and a

.i a\

cottage on the South Coast where we hope to rctire one day." Her lnler.esls include gardening and

fishing, "But definitely not cooking". She is an excellent badmin-

Sergeant Gilbert Matlhabane ioined Grinaker Building Company as a security guard at Ellis Park in 1982. He v/as later promoted to the rank of sergeant and

ton player and represented Zululand lrom 1970 to 1982. She has a reputation for being reliable when lhe pressure ts on and sdysr '7 m very much part of Bay Stone and I can remember the f itst big blast in the quarry which I rccorded on home movies - but now we seem to have big blasts every day."

currently in charge of the security staff at the Technikon site. He recently passed an ad-

vanced security course at Chamis married, with two children and says, "l play soccer for Grinaker Building and I'm also a big Kaiser Chiels lan. Then I like music and I have my own record player. He is

dor rn Krugersdorp. He

ested in furthering his

careet. I m very happy about thts security iob," he says, "and lwant to study more, I want to go on as many courses as lcan."

Nora Swart joined Bay Stone Saies at the quarry near Empangeni in 1971. "ln those days there was only the manager, myself, a clerk and about titty men at the

plant," she says. "l've seen the operation grow to thirty-eight stalf members and more than two h undred hourly paid employees."

She has improved her position Grnaket Gazette septembet 1944

State. She joined Grinaker Holdlngs as the receptionist at the Braamfontein head off ice in 1981.

"There's a friendly working atmodphere here," she says, "apart

from reception and the switch-

I book all the Grinair flights, handle the car hire

board

accaunts, buy the stationery and do anything else lcan to help."

She ls not married and says, "l played hockey for Bloemf onletn Schools and got into my own schoo/s A leam al lhe age of lhit teen. Some years ago lgot really hooked on freshwater f ishing.l've made the Transvaal team and I'll do my'best in the South African Championships this year. I love animals and gardening and I did

is

in ter

Sue Coertse matriculated at Oranje Meisieskool in the Free

painting and sculpture when there was more time. I play the John Simpson, CIS and lMM, joined Grinaker Precast Transvaal in Februaty ahls year as secretary and administrative man-

ager. Until then he was an Anglovaler, having joined Hartebeeslonlein gold mtne as a clerk in 1966. He was later transterred to Anglovaal s head office and tn 1975 was sent to National Bolts, which was then an Anglovaal company, and rose to become group marketing manager. "We have three children," he says, "a daughter al untversity and twtn sons at boarding school and we're an outdoor lamily. We like nothing better than to get away from it all at our little corner of lngwelala. Not surprisingly his main hobbies are hiking, bird watching and game viewing. "l'm also a keen hockey playet," he says, "though lplay for an old man's side now, and I do a lot of hacking at golf. Back at the office

organ and a bit of piano. lleave the singing to my cousin Mimi."

She has been to the U K and Germany and says, "iIs the Greek /s/es next. And I suppose ldream about Springbok colours lor tishing. And how's this for a tishing story: the biggest tigerfish I've caught so tar measures twenty centimetres

-

between the eyes."

Robert Scorgie, trainee quantity surveyor, matriculated at Flotida 51

Park High School and joined Grinaker Building Company in 1982. He worked at Ellis Park and

the University of Bophuthatswana and is currently on the Technikon project. He is not married yet and says, "l play

hockey and golf, with a handicap ot seventeen and sinking fast. I like fishing, anything from being a 'pap gooier' to tly fishing and when I go on leave I hit the sea lishing light lackle only. He is a bird-enthusiast and has an aviary at home. "l have about lifty," he says, "all light stuff like canaries and finches. No eagles and ostriches like some of the commercial banks. I haven't got space lor that."

Enid Guise is a Capetonian and says, "t started work before the Rinderpest." ln fact she joined Grinaker Holdings at the Braamtontein head otfice in 1982 as a secretary. She is now private secretary to the group's Qhiel executive, Jack Saulez. "You have to be diplomatic in this iob," she says, "we deal with high-level people, and you have lo save as much ol your boss'tlme as possible. She earned colours for gymnastics at school and played a number o/ sporls. "l m a big cricket tan," she says, "and two years ago I watched the west lndians play the Aussies ln Austtalia. lknow Australia and New

the end of the month I'll be in Greece and the lsles after visiting my son who is on a kibbutz in lsrae 1. "

Larry van den Heuvel, son of well known Henry van den Heuvel who retired as a director of Grinaker Natal in 1981 , obtained a diploma in civil engineering from the Dutban Technikon and joined Grinaker in 1974. He is currently site agent on Stage Seven ol the Kwazakhele contract in Port Elizabeth. "l did iust about every sport at school," he says, "and I represented Border juniors at rugby and lplayed fitst league but l've given that all up now to concentrate on hockey and water sports. i 'm into deep sea fBhing and I have my own eighteen foot ski boat with two ninety horse motors." He is not married yet and says, "l enjoy life too much." He reads a lot and is a skilled card player. "Bridge, backgammon, and I'm good at poker." He also piays chess and is setting his slghls on extensive travel. "l've been skiing in Austria," he says, "and one day I want to do a roundthe-world yacht trip. Until then l'll probably work off the travel urge by going to America next year."

Zealand inside out and I've travelled a lot. I'm into reading and light music, Bach and Beethoven blow my mind, and l've iust started to play the piano." She has three children, all grown up, and is very

involved in working tor mentally handicapped children. "l serve on a number ol committees," she says, "and I'm very much into Yoga. lt's a way ot life which of f ers st i m u I atio n an d re I ax at i on, both mentally and physically. At 3Z

\; Lungu Mbuyazi obtained his iunior certificate from Ongoye Secondary School

in

Zululand

then completed a carpentry and cabinet making cource at Umlazi Technical College in Durban. He joined Grinaker Zululand as a carpenter in 1977. "Then lwas sent to the testing ground contract at Grinaker Notth," he says.

"We built four bridges there. Then I came back to Zululand because my childrei (seven ol them) are here and now I'm an instructor at the Grinaker Zululand train ing school in Richards Bay." He is a h ard working member of the Congregational Church of Zion. "l like to organize gtoups," he says, "and get them to do sensible things, not waste their time drinking. gambltng and fryhttng. ,He is an extremely enthusiastic training instructot. "When people come to our training school at Grinaker Zululand they are like babies. They know nothing, not even how to use a tape measurc.

When they leave here they work fast and well and their bosses like them. A man is happy when he knows his iob."

Betty Jamieson came to South Africa from Scotland in 1948 and ioined Grinaker Nala/ as an asslstant buyer in 1968. She is now the buyer for Natal's civil engineering sites and obtains prices for bills of quantities. She is married, with one son, and says, "l'll be a grcndmother in about November. She has been interested in swimming since her schooldays, for pleasure only, and is fond of music. "l used to play the piano," she says. "and l still Iove music, the c/assics, light opera and some of the mod il it's well played." She and her husband have built a substantial model railway system.

"We made our own landscapes and everything," she says, "and of course I'm knitting baby clothes in anticipation ol the November event. Then when we have the Gtinaket Gazetle Septembet 1984

money, we'll be off to visit my sistet in England and my brother ln the States. "

College students excel Distinctions gained and bonuses received

by Malcolm Stock On 20 July Grinaker Plant held a braai for the apprentices who obtained distinctions in their exams at the Technical College and for those who passed their trade tests.

Distinctions were obtained by N/ike Bredenkamp (N2 Scien ce),

Kewpie Coetzee, worksho ps agent for G naker Plant (lnland) al the Elandslontein complex. is

ot the most experienced workshop men in the group. He ioined Hilton Barber in 1962 and became a Grinaker man when Hilton Barber was taken over by one

Elmot Wonga (N2 Science) and Ronnie Grinwis (N1 Tec h n ical

D rawin g ). They all received bonuses for their ach ieve men ts.

Marius Smit, who is away on border duty with the army, also received a dlstinction. His bonus

was accepted by Kewpie Coetzee on his behalf.

Allen Rensford and l\4artin van der Walt each received an en-

graved impact wrench for passing their trade tests. O{ special n ote is

the fact that Allen Fenslord was the first apprentice in the Grinaker group to qualify in the new trade of earthmovrng equipment mecha n ic.

Among the guests were L4r Swart and Mr Ching from the Technical College in Germjston. Also present were Grinaker directors lan Johnston, Brian Herd and Tom Knight who made the presentatio

n S.

it looks as if Kewpie's tamily is taking over Grinaker. "My son Marc is also here at Elandsfontein," he says, "and my other son Cecilworkstor Grinaker Equipment Company.

Between the three of us we have the group. Now

fifty-fou r years of service. "He has two other children, all married.

and says, "l'm a great-grand-

father, iust remember the great."

ln his younget days he did hell driving and hot-rod racing. "l had to give that up before I broke my neck," he says, 'so I changed to boating and deep sea fishing. We have a caravan, a boat and a fourwheel-drive vehicle and of course ldo all my own mechanical work.

We have a cottage on the Vaal where we go for week-ends and we travel every year. Last year it was Spain, next year maybe the Far East."

Apprentices and graduates. Back: Mike Bredenkamp, Martin van der Walt, Elmot Wonga. Front: Allen Rensford, Ronnie Grinwis

Mr Swart (Germiston Technical College), Malcolm Stock, Mr Ching (Germiston Technical College ) Ctt.aket Gazelte Septehbet

19a4

Welcome to new Grinaker Building Company staff from the UK by Lionel Liebenberg

Gough, twenty-four years old, single, currently on the

ln Septem be r 1983 a decisio n was

taken to recruit certain categories

of staff for

Grinaker Building Company lrom the United Kingdom d ue to t he sh ortage of skilled people available in South Africa.

Final interviews were cond u cted in early December 1983 by the managing director of G rinaker

Building Company, Harry

Bruyn, and director

de

Lou

Gluckman from a shortlist compiled by profess ional consultants in Eng land.

Nine appointments were made, consisting oJ one site engineer, two assislant q uantity surveyors, three building loremen and three

shuttering f oremen. The lirst arrived on 10 April 1984 and the last on 18 June 1984. All have srnce settled in South Africa seven in the Johannesburq area,

one in Pretoria and one

in

I/mabatho, Bophuthatswana.

The site engineer is Nick Fowler,

twenty-five years old, sin g le, currently based at G rinaker Bu ild ing Company head ofjice, Sunninghill Park. Assistant quantity surveyors are J onathan

Technikon contract and Michael Hedley, twenty-three years old, s ing le, currently with Grinaker North, Pretoria. The building foremen are Bill Bevan, fortyjour years old, married with a son fourteen years old, Peter Lison, forty years old, with a son twelve years old, both on the Technikon contract, and Colin Morris, {ortysix years old, married with a son eighteen years old who will jotn the family in South Africa at a

Ella says farewell after

twenty years of service with the group

laler date. He is currently in Mmabatho on the Grinaker

Bu ild in9 Company site.

The shuttering foremen who are all at the Technikon contract are

Gordon Alexander, thirty-four

years old, married with

a

daughter six years old and a son two years old, Alec [.4cDyer, thirty years old, married, no children and David Brown, thirty-six years old, married with a daughter twelve years old and a son stx years old.

We wish them every success with Grinaker Building Company and hope thal lhey will enjoy living in South Af rica.

::

Ella Greenop retired in June this year after nearly twenty years oI service with the g rou p.

She was a unique combination of straight-laced lad y and

humourist with a warmth of personality which made her many frien ds.

She had qualified in shorthand and typing at the Royal Society of Arts and joined Grinaker in 1965 as secretary to Jack Manson-Smith who was then group chairman. She later became private secretary to John Ellis and was a well known personality at the Braamfontein head oflice. She moved over to Grinaker Computing Services

in 1982.

Don Sherwood,

Wouter

New staff. Back: Gordon Alexander, David Brown, Jonathan Gough. lnset: Colin Morris. Front: Peter Lison, Nick Fowler, Bill Bevan, Alec McDyer 54

Ern

de Villiers,

ie

Vels,

George

Tempest and a large group of well-wishers came to her retirement party at Bedfordview.

"We're go ing home to Scotland to retire," she says, "and l'll miss leaving our four grandch ild ren beh ind.

"However, we'll have an open door and anyone lrom Grinaker who happens to be in Scotland is welcome to drop in Ior a cup oI tea and a chal. I'm looking lorward to th is so that I can check on whethe r the company is still being properly rLl n."

6dnarer

Gazette Septenber 1941

Th ree decades

of study

"Never stop studying formally or informally." by Dr Toeks Botha

new works department in Bloemfontein in 1960. lsoon found that I could not increase my rate of advancement there and in order to make the best use oI my time began to study tor another academic qualiJication, this time a B.Sc.Hons. in applied mathematics at Free State University. completed this in 1962 and continued studying towards an M.Sc. I

I

This venture was rnterrupted in '1964

As most of you know, I was fortunate enough to obtain a Doctorate in Business Administration f rom Potchefslroom University in September 1983. The subject of my thesis was'Cost and management accounting systems in the quarrying industry in the RSA: a critical analysis'.

The basas for this thesis was provided by the restructuring ot our quarrying company Bay Stone Sales'management acco u nting system. Significantly, my study was concluded on Bay Stone's year-end day and in that year the company achieved its best ever financial results.

This DBA degree was the cherry on top of three decades ol post matric study, most of it part-time.

People have oJten asked me what motivated me to continue studying fo r one deg ree after another (l now hold six deqrees from three universities). I must admit that have olten asked myself lhe same question and not been sure oI the I

answer.

It all began when I lelt school and went to Slellenbosch Un ive rsity

to stud y mechanical eng ineering.

As the course was not what

I

expected, I decided to change to civil engineering and g rad uated in 1959.

Having received a bursary from SATS (SA Transport Services), I was commilled to work lor SATS lor seven years. I started at the G,inaket Gazette Septehbet 1984

when I leJt SATS and joined Concor-Grinaker on the o rig inal Phalaborwa Mininq civils project and started my career in private sector civil engineering construction. From then on I had very little free time and my study project was lett dormant lor nearly a decade until 1972. ln 1970 I was transferred to the Western Cape where Co ncorGrinaker was involved in reconstruction work in the earthquake disaster area. Soon afterwards I was transferred to the Voâ‚Źilvlei Waterworks project and settled in Paarl. When th is project was completed I took a year's study leave and graduated lrom Stellenbosch University at the end of 1972 with an Honours degree in Business Administration.

When Grinaker took over Johnston Civil Engineering Contractors (JCEC) in 1973 I was given lhe opportunity to manage that company. While in that position wrote a dissertation on 'Business plan n ing in a smallcivilengineerin9 company in South Af rica with special reference to Johnston Civil Engineering Contractors (Pty) Limited', for which I received a l\4aster's degree in Busrness Ad ministration.

I

When we stopped

o

pe ratin g

JCEC in 1976 I spent a short time

at Grinaker

Transvaal and was then given the lob of managing Bay Stone Sales in Empangen..

Arriving at Bay Stone

system was both inappropriate f

or

the ind ustry

a

nd inadeq uate rn

that it did nol provide manage-

ment with the information neces-

sary for decision-making.

lt

became a Iirst priority to design a new system. With the help of Don Sherwood and l\4r Harris of Du jker Exploration (Pty) Limited, a shareholder in Bay Stone, new formats for reporting were drawn up and put into operation.

I was surprised to discover that the subject of cost and managemenl accounting in the quarrying industry was one which had not prevrously been tachled either in South Alrica or in Australia, New

Zealand. Great Britain or

America. This im mediately triggered the urge in me to learn more, the result of which was my enrolment at Polchefstroom University in September 1981 for lhe DBA degree which I obtained rn 1983.

By means of this study I fulfilled

the brief given to me by Jack Saulez to reorganize Bay Stone Sales and to learn everything possible about the q uarrying industry. I also satisfied my own lifelong ambition to acquire a top academic q ualif ication.

Th is probably answers the q

uestions about my own personal

mptivation

for studying.

lvly

advice to the younger generation

of Grinaker employees is,

never

stop studying tormally or inlorm-

ally as your ellorts will certainly be noticed and rewarded. No matter how hard the road ahead may at times appear, the end result will bring a sense o{ satisfaction and an asset which nobody can take away from you. ln conclusion I would like to thank the G rinaker group for providing the challenges and opportunities which made it pos-

sible for me to study while working lor the group. ln parti-

in

cular I should like to thank the shareholders and employees oI

covered that the company's cost and management accounting

Bay Stone Sales for their support and encouragement.

September 1977,

I soon dis-

55

Grinaker students get together at Elandsfontein

l

Students at the party in August. Back: Thern Rob'rt, lan Anderson, Todd Sullivan, Richard Maynard, Colin Sanders, Andrcw Usher. Middle: Rob Lockett, Peter Ftancis, lan Anderson, Adrian Timp, Martin Probert, Mike Mills, Graeme Prevost, Bruce Lupton-Smith. Front: lan Jackson, Mark Grupping, Kobus Joubert, Allan Potgieter

Grinaker student Shane Dunn and Danny Denyssen of Grinaker North

Pat Montgomery and Joe de Klerk

at the get-together

--'ta

As some people 56

See the

thfee

yeaf

plan.

Repr nled i,om Enq

.eers

Emp oymenr News w rh the permiss,o. oi lhe ed lor

Gnnaket Gazette Seplembet 1944

Grinaker men rom Mooi River were f riends in need f

G rinaker co m pan ies based at Bedfordview have p lan ned a Jacelift for the entrance foyers on the sixteenth and seventeenth f loors.

The

The intention is to provide

Pieterse

Over the Easter week-end our

family and some friends went down from the Transvaal to the few

d

ays, taking

alonq a paddle ski and a windsu

G

rinaker-orientated visua

a I

impact and design p roposals were called for from the architectural, structural and eng in-

bv Dawie

a

(7)

13 A wanderer right above (5)

strong

South Coast for

Make a heap to create Jirmer foundations (4) 10 She's round in Grinakers (4) 12 Anticipated a warning call before the cutter comes back

New face planned for Bedfordview

rfer.

We had tremendous difficulty in securing the paddle skiand windsurfer to the roof rack of the car lor the return trip and had to stop frequently to tighten the load. As we approached N4ooi River the inevitable happened the load flew ofl the roof rack and was blown across the road. Fortunately no one was inju red but some people know will not be do ing any padd le skiing or windsurfing lor some time to come.

We were deliberating on what was the best th ing to do with th is (now broken) equipment when assis-

eering teams employed by Grinaker Projects and Techton ics.

The winning proposal was not, as one would have expected, from the architectural brigade but from Derek Fuller, a construction project manager for Grinaker Projects. He is no ordinary concrete pounder and did a considerable amount of display work before joining Grinaker.

His ideas look exciting on paper and should be even more dramatic in completed form. Many people are looking forward to whal we hope is a grand unveiling, followed of course by the customary Bedfordview hospitalitv.

I

tance arrived in the torm of

R10 crossword No 21 Piease send entries to: Crossword, PO Box 8042. Elandsfontein 1406

16 Letters for the man of the house? (4) 18 13 down's profession it put

him in the picture (5)

19 and 17 down. It they are tull there is much work 1o be done (5,5

)

20 Aware of an outstanding lacial

leature by the sound of it (4)

21 Star rel changes in the roof (7) Down

1 The slant of the 2 3

road

engineer? (6) An idea not to charge (6) Frog from a Toronto address (4)

By influencing cu rrent changes it could make things less shocking (11) 5 Jusl a small one (3) 6 On top oI the burden'it's too much (8) ln terms ot the new 1 across he will have executive powers (9) 11 Copy the end of the tape (3) 13 Somehow age ran against him, but he's still number one in the States (6) 14 They may elect to support either I or 13 down (6) 15 lnitially the Rhodesian African Rif les (3) 17 See l9 across 19 Short over (3) Solution to Crossword No 20

a

Grinaker Construction Natal truck. We very gratelully loaded the damaged equipment onto the truck and followed it to the [.4ooi River pump station contract site where Peter du Plessis, the site loreman, kindly arranged to have it taken to their New GermanY site, lor collection by us at a later date. Thank you Peter.

(The

wreckage has since been brought back to the Transvaal).

A special word of thanks to Tom Bassett, the Mooi River site agent, Andries Fakathi and his assistant, and also Joe Strydom.

As a Grinaker man lwas very proud indeed to be part of such a big lamily where fellow Grinaker employees will lake the trouble'to len d a helping hand.

C

naker Gazeue Septenbet 1984

Across

1 7 8

Sit in to count changes to the political blueprint (12) Right in the golf mound, it's found in the woods (4) Erecting an edifice (8)

The lucky winner was once again Rob Selfe of Grinaker North who

will receive Rl0 shortly.

57

Transvaal mechan ical d ivision an nual golf day

Jack Saulez receives a prize from Ola Grinaker.

The

G

rinaker Transvaal mechani

cal division held its annual golf day in August. Group chairman Ola Grinaker was there to present

the prizes. Jack Saulez and Jan Hattin g h from Grinaker were among the prizewinners but most of the prizes went to AECI personnel who attended the evenl

Brian Herd in action

1984 hockey tournament is a victim of recession The cancellation ot this year's Grinaker hockey tou rnament came as a considerable blow to those who had been limbering up for the event. However, the cancellatio n probably saved Durban

from a certain amount of demolition and the life expectancy of several would-be com petitors has u nd oubted ly im p roved.

The tournament has grown into a major event since ils rnceplion in August 1981. Last year teams came from allaround the country and six hundred people were present at the after-match braai.

Although hockey

is

actually

played at these tournaments they have, to a large extent, become soc ial events.

It was perhaps

unrealistic to

expect that the annual hockey u rname nt could survive the present econom ic climate. Although participants paid a share of the cost, the financial load carried by

to

the group was considerable. the present belt-tig hten

in g

ln

cond i-

tions a cancellation was inevitable.

However we understand that the tournament could be revived if and when condrtrons once again permrt this type of evenl. on lhis scale. to be conducted with a reaso nably clea r conscien ce.

Until then players could sharpen

their sticks and the lnlanders could devise a means of avoiding annihilation at the hands of the coastal teams. With luck it could all happen again when things imp

rove.

G

naket Ga2ette SeDlehbet 1981

by Brian Stobbart

Natal and Zululand team members to Johannesburg where they met up with the balance oJ the

team and Tom Grindlay of Grinaker Electron ics Agencies who was chosen as the team coach

The team travelled by bus to Ha rtebeesfontein on the ThursAs previously published in the Gazette, the Grinaker national football team was chosen after the Grinaker 1984 football tournament this year. We were invited to participate in the Anglovaal annual sports week-end which was held at the Hartebees-

lontein gold mine near Klerksdorp in the Western Transvaal.

Koos le Grange of Grinaker Zululand was chosen as team manager and he accompanied the

day evening and the first practice took place on Friday morning. On Friday ajternoon the first game was p layed against Hartebeesfontein United. which we won 2-0.

Saturday morn ing saw us p laying again st Hartebeestontein Sh in ing Stars. This was a very tense game

as both teams were evenly

matched and it ended in a goalless draw. Penalties lollowed and we won 4-3. On Saturday afternoon we played aga inst Lo raine A team and lost 5 0 (much head shaking now).

DL,e to the manner in which the draw was made we ended up on Sunday morning in the play-ofj game for third and fourth places against Prieska l\,4ine, which we won 2 0, thus gaining third place in the tournament. A very satisJactory performance from a team drawn from all over the country and'who had only one practice session as a team. Our congratulations go to all the players in

volved.

We a lso thank Ha rtebeesfo n lein gold m ine person nel jor a su pe rbly organized week-end which ran without a hitch. When one considers that their sports week-end consists of rugby, football, boxing and tennis matches, one can only compliment them on their organization. Hopef ully we will be back at Hartebeeslontein next year and do better than third place.

"$ri

(1,

.: i

Grinaker national footballteam. Back: Gregory Lucas (Grinel), Tom Grindlay (team coach), Clement Mbutho (Natal), Clive Arendse (Grinel), Harris Jacobs ( Grinel), Hendrik Jacobs(Grinel), Albert Mthethwa (Zululand ), Patrick Ntuli (Zululand), Mike Minnaar (Grinel), Koos le Grange (team manager). Front: Christopher Shezi (Zutuland), Frank Louw (Grinel), Daniel Mokojane (Precast), Patrick Ndlovu (Natal), Raymond de Buiter (Grinel), Ernest Williams (Grinel), Maria Sangweni (Natal) Gtinaket Ga2elte sepldnber 1981

Sun shines on sporting weekend in the Drakensberg Story and pictures by Josd Figueiredo

Members of the Grinaker coastal companies and their families and some guests got together at the Drakensberq Garden s Hotel from '10 to 12 August lor a week-end of fun and sport. The companies

represented

we

re

Grinaker

Coastal, Property Development, Projects, Min ing, Eq u ipment, Plant, the construction com panies from Natal and Zululand and Precasl.

Grinaker Holdings was represented by group chief executive Jack Saulez and Peter Lait. and their fam ilies. Recently retired Peter Nuyten and his wife, Sue were also there. l\,4ost people travelled to the venue in buses which came Jrom Natal and Zululand to arflve in time lor dinner on the Friday. lt was an early-to-bed even ing.

Saturday, with beautilul sunsh ine, was a day lu ll of sporl. Golt was played in the morning. Thrs was a four-ball alliance won by the team made up of Francois Bezuidenhout, Leslie

Berry McGee and

Members of Grinaker coastal companies and their families relax at Drakensberg Gardens Hotel.

team included Jack

Sa u lez.

Colleen Waugh, Faye Fowler and Gregory Hearmon. A rising star in the tournament was young Simon Lail. son of Pete r.

On the Saturday night, after some warm-up d rin ks at the pu b, we all

enjoyed an excellent dinner and an evening oI da nc ing wh ich went on until the early hours of Sunday. Jack Saulez gave us a magnificent display of gum boot

dancing at around midnight. We were told that it was past 02h00 when peace returned to the va

lley.

Sunday was another beautifu

I

day. (Some people could remember last year's Sunday golf being played while it was snowing.)

Commando goll was played from 09h00. This involved teams oI four playing alternate shots using a seven lron and a putter only.

Be nt le y,

Angus Mcolean. ln the squash, which was a round-robin tou rnament, Keith Cowling was the winner with Geoft Cha rters second.

Bowls was played in the morning and in the afternoon, attracting a large number of participants. The winning team had Roberto Buson, Geoff Charters, Jose de Amorim and Emil von Broembsen. In the tennis the winning 60

Karen Saulez is presented with a trophy by Bean Bornheimer. She won the Super G Sportswoman award.

G naket

Gazerte Septembet 19a1

The competition was eventually

won by Geoff Charters,

Terry Eaton, Alan Dawson and Derrick

Knoesen (son Kn oese

n

of

Les and

Di

).

The last event of the week-end was the relay race. This was a 4 x 300m event over a total distance. ot 1 ,2k m. Participation was magnificent and the start looked ljke the beginning of a Comrades Marathon. As Bean Born heime r brought the runners under starter's orders Jack Saulez gave the traditional cock-crow.

With the lvlary Decker/Zola Budd incident fresh in our minds we had a quick strategy meeting at

the start on how to avoid dolng it the. Olympic way. Then, huffing

and puffing heavily, the winning team consisting of Karen Saulez (da ug hte r of Jack ), ceoff Charters, Dennis Brown and mysell broke the tape ahead oJ all rivals.

The week-end was concluded with the giving of prizes to the

winning teams and the Grinaker Su per G Sportswoman and Sportsman awards. These are made for outstanding all-round perfo rmance and sportsmansh ip.

The Super G Sportswoman's award went to Karen Saulez and the men's title was taken by Geolf Charters.

Some of the win ners

Grinaker among the wihners at annual Federation sports day At the recent an n ual sports day of the Federation ol Civil En-

gineering Contractors, sportsmen f rom G rinaker were well in evid en ce.

The l\4urray & Roberts squash trophy was won, appropriately

one feels, by Grinaker Joh

n Hughes with

Diepenbroek taking

man

Tony to

u

rth

place.

Grinaker ladies did exceptionally well in the squash. Felicity Crbss won the Brooke Pattrick

trophy with Heather Davies coming second. Then the two of them teamed up to reach the

t

quarter finals

ol the men's

plate, leaving some th rashed males in their wake. ln the men's tennis the Grinaker old firm of Leo Schrieder

i-

and Barry Snow was

Bowls winners. Emil von Broembsen, Josd de Amorim, Roberto Buson, Geoff Charters

e, Winning relay team. Josd Figueiredo, Karen Saulez, Geofl Charterc, Dennis Brown

Winnets of commando goll. Alan Dawson, Terry Eaton, Geoff Charterc,

Derrick Knoesen Grnaket Gazette Septembet 193'j

once again invincible. They won the Con Roux trophy, a distinction they have now earned for several years in a row.

The Federation's newsletter giving the overall results is not particu larly com plimentary about Grinaker performance in the golf. lt says: "Most Goll, Grinaker (names have been omitted to save embarrassment.)"

A nice touch. When the names are discovered the people will be llogged in public, which is the Grinaker system. lt helps to encourage more players for next year.

-F,

GR!MKER E4.ZETTE