June 2020 – South African Builder

MBA North welcomes government’s infrastructure strategy but says implementation is critical

The Master Builders Association (MBA) North has broadly welcomed President Ramaphosa’s vision of massive infrastructure spending as the “flywheel” of South Africa’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Speaking at the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium, President Ramaphosa said that 88 investment-ready projects had already been identified by the Presidency’s infrastructure and investment head Dr Kgosientsho Ramakgopa […]

Q&A With Bheki Mdlalose, Group Managing Director, Grinaker-LTA

What was the background for the acquisition of Grinaker-LTA from Aveng by Laula Consortium? Aveng made a strategic decision to exit the South African construction market and focus on mining contracting (Moolmans) and its Australian operations (McConnell Dowell). Construction in South Africa employs mostly black African people and thus it made business sense to hand […]

Gauteng Piling Back In Action After Lockdown

The devastating pandemic lockdown in the construction sector now means that decision-makers will entrust building projects only to companies of repute, says Gauteng Piling founder and MD, Nico Maas. “The industry has learnt to trust Gauteng Piling so demand for our services has already started to increase and the company is now busy on several […]

Notice Regarding Implementation Of Ergonomics Risk Assessment And Medical Surveillance In Terms Of Regulations 6 and 8 Of The Ergonomics Regulations Of 2019, Respectively

Department of Employment and Labour Under section 40 (3) (b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No 85 of 1993, as amended), I, Tibor Szana, appointed as chief inspector in terms of section 27 (1) of the said Act, and by virtue of the powers delegated to me by the Minister of […]

Health & Safety Risks To Consider During Lockdown Level 3, By Gerhard Roets, Construction Health & Safety Manager, MBA North

Hierarchy of Controls Elimination: Physically remove the hazard Substitution: Replace the hazard Engineering Controls: Isolate people from the hazard Administrative Controls: Change the way people work Personal Protective Equipment: Protect the worker with PPE HAZARD: Transport to work RISK Company transport: Lack of social distancing, transport with ill people, unsanitary vehicle and poor ventilation in […]

A Brief Reflection

So it was back to work for most of our Industry from 1 June 2020, but as you are no doubt aware, the MBA has been anything but idle during lockdown. Apart from our usual weekly MBA Bulletins and articles, we have sent out over 40 Covid-19 specific emails which have also been communicated to […]

NOTICE REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF ERGONOMICS RISK ASSESSMENT AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE

DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR NOTICE REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION OF ERGONOMICS RISK ASSESSMENT AND MEDICAL SURVEILLANCE IN TERMS OF REGULATIONS 6 AND 8 OF THE ERGONOMICS REGULATIONS OF 2019, RESPECTIVELY Under section 40(3)(b) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, 1993 (Act No. 85 of 1993, as amended), I, Tibor Szana, appointed as chief inspector in terms of […]

The Ridge building at V&A Waterfront, façade installation update

With construction restrictions lifted, the V&A Waterfront’s development team has returned to The Ridge site to install the long-awaited façade. The first cross laminated timber (CLT) and glazing panels arrived and have been installed along Marine Road. These custom-made panels with openable windows, are one of the key sustainability features of The Ridge building. It […]

SACPCMP Expresses Concern Over Collapse in Durban

The South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) is concerned over an incident in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday, 9 June 2020, where the collapsed section of a building resulted in one death and at least five people being injured. While details regarding the incident are still under investigation by the relevant authorities, […]

AfriSam-SAIA Sustainable Design Awards recognise sustainability in all its forms

The promise of a brighter future has driven countless South Africans to urban areas in search of job opportunities and ultimately a better future. As such, this influx in population has emphasised the need for cities to adopt and plan for green practices in highly populated areas to help meet the growing demand for infrastructure […]