South African Business 2019 edition

OVERVIEW companies are

OVERVIEW companies are increasing their focus on the training of engineers. The Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) has started a programme where trainees can earn certificates in specific disciplines from a range of institutions. The qualifications are in line with the council’s Exit Level outcomes. Six of South Africa’s biggest construction companies have established a R1.25-billion skills fund. POLYURETHANE PRODUCTS AND REFURBISHMENT Restructuring Murray & Roberts, a giant and diverse company, disposed of Murray & Roberts Infrastructure and Building Platform (MRIB) in 2016 to focus on procurement, project engineering and construction in certain resource sectors. Firefly Investments, the consortium that bought MRIB, is led by Southern Palace, which includes among its shareholders some MRIB managers and the Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF). The transaction goes a long way to creating more diversity in the ownership in the construction and engineering sector. Netha Engineering Technology supplies high-quality processing equipment for the relevant application. The company specialises in polyurethane screen panels. Dedicated on-site teams deal with screen panel maintenance. The removal and installation of screen panels is done on-site. Netha Engineering Technology also offers polywedge wire panels, spray nozzles, polyurethane liners and self-cleaning spray bars. The company aims to become a diversified supplier of processing equipment. The refurbishment processes offered by Netha aims to restore the condition of equipment at minimal cost. Equipment is considered refurbish-able if the cost of repair is less than 70% cost of new item. Refurbishment is done with both ceramic and rubber. Refurbishments can either take place on- or off-site depending on the degree of work and turnaround time needed to complete the work. Refurbishment and manufacture of the following equipment is currently done: hydro-cyclones, tanks and sumps, transfer chutes, screen under-pans, steel pipes, plastic pipes and HDPE pipes. Genrec, a large steel engineering and fabrication business company that started out on the gold fields of early Johannesburg, was another Murray & Roberts company to be sold to the Southern Palace Group. It has a large plant outside Johannesburg at Wadeville and is involved in South Africa’s two biggest power station construction projects at Medupi and Kusile. SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS 2019 92

OVERVIEW Group Five also sold part of its business (Group Five Pipe) to a black-owned entity in 2017 but the most significant change came in the group’s structure. A stand-alone construction division for South Africa (where the company has more than 7 400 employees) is part of a drive by the company to focus on smaller infrastructure projects and to dispose of manufacturing assets. Like most large South African firms in the sector, Group Five has significant investments offshore. Transnet Engineering is in the process of changing its focus from only providing engineering services to other com- ONLINE RESOURCES Consulting Engineers South Africa: www.cesa.co.za Engineering Council of South Africa: www.ecsa.co.za National Department of Public Works: www.publicworks.gov.za South African Consulting Engineering Firms: www.consultsa.co.za Southern African Institution of Civil Engineering: www.civils.org.za panies in the Transnet group to becoming a multi-faceted business. The company is exploring opportunities in Africa to provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services (MRO). As an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) with the ability to manufacture locomotives, rail wagons and coaches, TE is opening up a wide range of markets not only in South Africa but in Africa and the rest of the world. The Trans-Africa Locomotive is the first locally designed locomotive produced by TE in its Koedoespoort factory. There are seven business units located at Koedoespoort, including a foundry. Maitazwifoma Engineering and Consulting Be part of the solution. Maitazwifoma Engineering and Consulting is a 100% black-owned full-service construction engineering company based in Johannesburg. The company specialises in the following trades of the construction industry: • electricity • building construction • civil construction. The staff of Maitazwifoma comprises qualified individuals who have extensive experience in the fields of civil, building and electrical engineering. The company is registered with the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) and is compliant with the following bodies: SARS, NBCEI, ECA, COIDA and CIDB. In electrical engineering services include: Heavy current engineering, electrification, general electricity maintenance and COC issuing on completion of the job or project. Other services: • Concrete coring and waterproofing. • Plumbing: professional, fast and dependable services. Fully licensed plumbers, drain technicians, HVAC and water restoration technicians can handle any plumbing, sewer, furnace or restoration problems. • General services: Transport is available for our teams of contracted labourers to sites. Tasks can include garbage and refuse removal, painting, brick-laying, paving, rubble removal and partitioning. Contact details: Physical address: 209 Silverdale, No 69 Claim Street, Hillbrow, Johannesburg 2001 | Tel: +27 11 048 2907 or +27 11 049 6297 Mobile: 072 829 8852 | Email: info@maitazwifoma.co.za | Website: www.maitazwifoma.co.za