4 Dec 2012

Building & Construction

 


Labour unrest: SA faces decisive choices

Agri SA says that the choices on labour unrest will be decisive for South Africa. It says in a statement that it is evident that the wage and related challenges are not exclusively, but mainly that of seasonal workers who have to earn their annual income over a period of a few months.

On the education front, something really needs to be done to jack up our education system after the latest results show that maths and science skills remain poor, with grade nine pupils recording a dismal average score of 12.7% in mathematics and 35% in first additional language in the Department of Basic Education's second annual national assessments of pupils' mathematics and literacy abilities.

Such results will have a massive impact on school-leavers' ability to find employment.

On the tourism front, Chris Moerdyk asks: Is SA being priced out of the tourist market? As comments on the article seem to have it, the answer could be a big "Yes!" and remember, once tourists have been ripped off - or feel they have been ripped off - they will never come back, and they will tell everyone they know.

Finally, Amelia Jones reckons that the proposed BEE amendments are nonsensical, immoral and counter-productive and will hamper social development efforts in the Western Cape and elsewhere.

Rod Baker: Content Director

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Engineering


MDM Engineering Group to merge with Sedgman
South African company MDM Engineering Group Limited announced in a statement that it has entered into a merger implementation agreement with ASX-listed Sedgman Limited under which Sedgman's BVI subsidiary will acquire all of the ordinary shares in MDM, subject to MDM shareholder approval by greater than 75% of the votes cast and certain other conditions, Mineweb reports. Read more >>

Carbon tax may hurt South African competitiveness
South Africa's entire economic system is geared towards coal dependency with an abundance of relatively inexpensive natural resources, ESI-Africa reports. This makes South African industry extremely coal-reliant, with an estimated 90% of CO2 emissions resulting from coal production. Various options - such as South Africa's proposed carbon tax - are now being investigated in order to accelerate moving away from coal dependency. Read more >>

Science, engineering opportunities on SKA project
According to The Citizen, Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project director Bernie Fanaroff said that SKA - the world's largest telescope - will open up numerous opportunities to South Africa, particularly in the fields of science and engineering. Read more >>

Ellies Renewable Energy wins Best Energy Project of the Year award
Ellies Renewable Energy was recently awarded the Best Energy Project of the Year award and placed second in the Energy Company of the Year category at the Southern African Association for Energy Efficiency Convention (SAEE). Read more >>

Building materials


Executive leadership at Kansai Plascon restructured
Kansai Plascon Africa has undertaken steps to align the organisation to meet the present and future needs of the customers. According to Kansai Plascon's CEO, Nauman Malik, the move will further entrench Kansai Plascon's leadership position as the number one coatings company in Africa. Read more >>

Construction


R450m upgrade for Sandton Towers
[Thabang Mokopanele] Liberty Holdings and Pareto are investing R450m to upgrade the Sandton Twin Towers office complex with a plan to turn it into the premier office address in Gauteng targeting the high-end local and international corporate market. Read more >>

Sarcea reports shortages in steel reinforcing bar
According to BDLive, the South African Reinforced Concrete Engineers Association (Sarcea) said it received information of potential shortages in steel reinforcing bar used in construction. It said shortages have started causing unreliable deliveries to construction sites and this could signal escalating shortages in the first quarter of next year. Read more >>

Growthpoint objects to Matlosana Mall
[Brian Hayward] The largest property investment holding company listed on the JSE‚ Growthpoint Properties‚ has invoked the ire of Klerksdorp townsfolk over its aversion to a lucrative new development in the town. Read more >>

Infrastructure plans: Group Five 'confident'
[Alistair Anderson] JSE-listed construction company Group Five is confident it can benefit from the government's infrastructure roll-out‚ which is expected to kick into gear next year. Read more >>

GVK-Siya Zama completes Fountain Road Advice Centre
For the youth of the Gqebera Township, near Walmer in the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, a life of drugs, crime and alcohol had seemed the only option available to them, given the high levels of unemployment and lack of recreational facilities in the area. That was until the Fountain Road Advice Centre, with its state-of the-art library, offices and informal trading space for the local community, was created. Read more >>

Project management


2.2bl lt of diesel moved through new Durban to Gauteng pipeline
Late last week, TimesLIVE reports, Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba launched the last stage of phase 1 of the R23.4-billion new multi-product pipeline project between Durban and Gauteng: the building of a terminal at Island View, inside the Port of Durban. Read more >>


International
Getting around Brazil is nightmare for organisers
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL: With congested airports, ramshackle roads and nighmarish urban traffic jams, Brazil faces a major transportation headache as it gears up for the 2014 World Cup. Read more >>

More International...


Government
54 projects approved for jobs fund
[Evan Pickworth] The Jobs Fund has approved 54 projects to date and of the 27 contracted projects‚ 65‚121 new permanent jobs will be created‚ chairperson of the fund's investment committee‚ Frans Baleni said on Monday (3 November). Read more >>

Green regulations will aid development‚ jobs
[Mark Allix] Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies told a "manufacturing opportunities" conference in Pretoria on Tuesday (27 November) that new energy efficiency building regulations were an opportunity for industrial development and job creation in South Africa. Read more >>

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