Sophisticated approach is essential for success
THE project management industry embraces a wide range of projects ranging from software application development to the construction of major dams.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Principles applied in diverse fields
INITIALLY, only engineering students studied project management and the emphasis was on the scheduling of construction projects. Since then, the principles of project management have found application in fields as diverse as banking, AIDS-awareness programmes and sports events. Herman Steyn, professor of project management in the engineering and technology management department at the University of Pretoria, says the emphasis has moved from merely scheduling to a multidisciplinary approach.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Office vacancies keep rising in some key nodes
OFFICE vacancies continue to rise in some key nodes across the country, but investors can take comfort from an analysis that shows the trend is more a result of supply than demand factors. SA Property Owners' Association (Sapoa) figures show demand has remained healthy, growing strongly in some areas; the high number of vacancies is mainly a result of a supply outstripping demand. This is more so in popular decentralised office nodes that have been deluged with speculative development.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Court order may hit Cenprop shareholders
SHAREHOLDERS of listed property fund Centrecity Property (Cenprop) could take a knock if a high court decision which ordered demolition of a certain section of Cenprop's shopping centre, The Mall of Rosebank, goes through.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Nedbank Property Finance tackling untapped segments
NEDBANK Property Finance is tackling untapped segments of the property development market in the light of the oversupply in popular commercial sectors. The oversupplied commercial markets mean that there are fewer viable property development finance opportunities, which places financiers' revenue under pressure. Financiers pursuing new business are discovering less popular but viable markets, including projects in poor areas.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Industrial hub recap moves ahead
Blue IQ’s R82-million Wadeville-Alrode industrial corridor project has edged a step towards completion with the opening of a R1,5-million taxi rank.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Ports body takes plunge with infrastructure for Pechiney
POSITIVE signs from Pechiney about building a $1,6bn aluminium smelter at Coega have seen the National Ports Authority kick into a new gear on the construction of a deep-water port in Eastern Cape.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Concessioning of ports not the answer – labour
The government’s plans to accelerate the restructuring of South Africa’s troubled ports could face a fierce challenge from the labour movement, which is unhappy that concessioning is the only option being considered.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Put a stop to this new tax
PARLIAMENT, at the request of the City of Cape Town, passed urgent legislation recently to validate retrospectively the controversial 1993 Cape Property Valuation Ordinance (on market value) and to allow the city to rate provisional valuation rolls. Parliament has, except for the African Christian Democratic Party, rushed to "rubber stamp" the city's request. In so doing, it has compromised the public's constitutional rights to due process.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Mondi responds to criticism of expanding mill
Firm says boiler will not harm environment Resources Correspondent ANGLO American subsidiary Mondi Paper, which plans to expand its Merebank mill in south Durban, has reacted to fierce opposition from the local community.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Cement price hikes 'hurt building sector'
MEMBERS of the building industry are reeling from the shock of a proposed 20% hike in the price of cement.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Masonite Africa deal is blocked
A PLANNED acquisition and delisting of construction and building materials group Masonite Africa collapsed yesterday when Old Mutual Asset Managers (Omam) blocked the deal.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Corobrik sells R50m stake to AKA Capital
The 100-yearold company changed its historically pale face with the sale of a 25%-30% stake to AKA, led by Eskom nonexecutive chairman Reuel Khoza. The change in profile was necessitated by Corobrik's need to expand its market and get in line with government's affirmativeprocurement policy.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA needs public-transport shake-up
South Africa's dependence on private transport and the amount that is spent on it is clearly a cause for concern. Research undertaken by RAU department of transport and logistics management senior lecturer Vaughan Mostert revealed that of the R300- billion spent on commuter transport in South Africa each year (30% of the total gross domestic product GDP of South Africa), R175-billion is spent on personal transport
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Road-rail infrastructure questioned
As South African companies continue to enter export markets, the ability of the local infrastructure to meet increasing traffic demand is being questioned. Years of underdevelopment and lack of finance dedicated to the upgrading of transportation networks has reportedly resulted in the weakening of the country's infrastructure, and exporters are starting to fear that their international competitiveness could be undermined as a result.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

El Nino to hit Southern Africa’s agricultural sector
Drought is always a fear for southern Africans, but this year farmers are keeping a close eye on a brewing El Nino weather pattern that looks likely to exacerbate regional food supply problems.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

e-gov: using technology to improve service delivery
Countries around the world are embracing the concept of electronic government. A newly released report, Roadmap for E-government in the Developing World, reveals that in every region of the globe – from developing to industrialised countries – national and local governments are putting critical information online, automating once cumbersome processes and interacting electronically with their citizens.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

SAFCEC NEWS

CIVIL ENGINEERING RPL PROJECT
The Civil Engineering Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) pilot project is progressing well. A Memorandum of Understanding between CETA and CIETS was signed during the International RPL Conference held in Cape Town on 23 and 24 October 2002.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

MEDIUM TERM BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT
On Tuesday the minister of finance Mr Trevor Manuel made his medium term budget policy statement. Apart from the good news to individuals that further tax cuts are on the table there was some good news for the industry as well. Infrastructure spending is still very much a priority especially:
Municipal infrastructure referring to the provision of basic services to communities, which include the extension of water and sanitation infrastructure, improved access to electricity and the provision of a safe and affordable transport network.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

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Edcon acquisition of CNA approved
Competition Commissioner Advocate Menzi Simelane said in a statement that the proposed transaction was not likely to substantially prevent or lessen competition in the retail market.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Health-care firm to roll out stores nationwide
DURBAN KwaZulu- Natal based complementary health-care group House of Health will roll out a national retail franchise network in highprofile shopping centres over the next five years, in a bid to secure an increasing slice of the R1,74bn alternative health sector.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Clothing enhances a company's image
CORPORATE and promotional clothing has evolved into a major sector in its own right within the overall advertising and promotional gifts industry. "There are those who believe that by putting a logo on a T-shirt, they have a corporate clothing business, but it is much more involved than that," says Warren Thomas, senior partner in Johannesburg-based Holistic Clothing and Promotions.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Fashaf requests suspension of shares ahead of results
Industrial Reporter FASHION Africa (Fashaf), the low-end clothing and footwear group, has had its JSE securities exchange SA shares suspended at its own request, pending "clarity on its financial position".
(©www.bday.co.za)

Relyant to focus on retailing side of its business
Dependence on financial services reduced Industrial Reporter FURNITURE retail group Relyant is to concentrate on the retail side of its business and will attempt to be less dependant on its financial services operations.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Food court — the next generation
The way to a shopper's purse may be through the stomach. Decades after mall developers created food courts...
(©www.shoppingcenterworld.com)

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TAU fails in bid to stop private land seizure
Agriculture Correspondent THE Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU) has failed in a court bid to stop government from expropriating privately owned land for land reform.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Project to promote black farmer development
A farmer development programme, that will assist black farmers to participate fully in the mainstream of economic activity in South Africa and promote black economic empowerment (BEE), will be launched by Grain South Africa, a significant stakeholder in the local grain production sector.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Funds for rehousing available
THE Ekurhuleni metropolitan council spent only R307m of its R1,3bn housing budget by March this year, leaving sufficient funds to provide alternative housing for illegal squatters who are at present staying on a privately owned farm in Benoni.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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Copper miner seeks debts finance for new mine
Canadian miner, First Quantum Minerals, is in the process of mandating a global banking group to arrange the debt finance component for a new copper-gold mine in Zambia.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

New diamond-mine mooted for Zimbabwe
The Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ) group's Zimbabwean subsidiary is finalising a study to confirm the feasibility of developing a $35- million opencast diamond-mine in the south-west of the country, in what is viewed as President Robert Mugabe's government's latest triumph in its drive to
attract foreign direct investment in the mining sector.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

BEE stone-crusher eyes Moz opportunities
The development of recently black-empowered stone-crushing company Stone and Allied Industries is pinned to a possible joint venture that will see it extending its horizons to include Mozambique.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

West African gas pipeline on track – oil group
A project, led by oil major ChevronTexaco, to build a $500-million gas pipeline is on track to link producer Nigeria with neighbouring countries, a company official told Reuters on Wednesday.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

US says Zambia’s GM maize decision is regrettable
The US said on Wednesday it deeply regretted Zambia's decision not to accept US genetically modified maize to feed millions of Zambians hit by the drought in southern Africa.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

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Gold group’s diversity helps offset inflation at SA mines
South Africa's largest gold producer AngloGold said yesterday that its third-quarter core profit rose after weakness in its domestic business was offset by strong performances elsewhere.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Resources giant rejects aluminium worries
The world's largest diversified miner BHP Billiton said yesterday that rising global aluminium smelter capacity would not cause a problem for the company, which has two smelter expansion projects under way.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Royalty moratorium for SA's existing miners
South Africa's existing mining companies will not be liable to a proposed mining levy until they convert their mining rights to so-called new-order licences, Finance Ministry officials said on Tuesday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Mining group hurt by weak commodity prices
The world's largest diversified miner, BHP Billiton, posted a six percent fall in first quarter profit today, hurt by weak commodity prices, and warned of a still difficult market.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Three miners die in Savuka rockfall
Mining giant AngloGold has announced that three miners have died, following a seismic event at the company's Savuka Mine near Carletonville at about 10.40pm on Tuesday.The seismic event, measuring 3,1 on the Richter scale, occurred some 3 500 m below surface.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

$2bn copper projects awaiting board approval
Resources giant BHP Billiton's base- metals division is analysing copper projects worth nearly $2-billion, which, if they come to fruition, will guarantee the group's continued status as a significant producer of the metal.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Study completed for new platinum-mine
The geological section of the feasibility study for the Two Rivers platinum project on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex has been completed.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

State, private-sector alliance is needed for low-smoke-fuel success
The government and private companies have been urged to join forces in a project to make low-smoke fuel (LSF) to replace coal as a source of energy for millions of households across South Africa.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Association calls for industry-wide health and safety evaluations
As the mining industry awaits the implementation of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Bill, Aggregate and Stone Producers Association of South Africa (Aspasa) director Nico Pienaar has faith in the Department of Minerals and energy (DME) and the government's efforts in this regard.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

New skills unit standards by 2004
With the recent furore over the financial elements of the leaked mining charter, it seems that the public lost focus of one of the critical elements in the industry.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

R100m Benoni gold mining deal
Peter Skeat’s Afrikander Leases is the new owner of the New Kleinfontein Gold Mining Company (NKMC) in Benoni
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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New homes in: Scottburgh
Approximately 90 stands situated on a 38ha tract of land at upmarket Freeland Park in Scottburgh, on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, are soon to become available for residential development.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Holiday rentals soar in Cape Town
Foreign and local holidaymakers could be paying up to R10 000 a day for rented accommodation in Cape Town during the year-end holiday season.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Wide regional differences in house price growth
Against the background of higher inflation and interest rates, South Africa's average house price increased by 12,4 percent year-on-year to about R346 000 in the third quarter of this year.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Benoni
For an inland hometown with a great lifestyle, it would be hard to beat Benoni - a one-time 'dormitory' for Johannesburg that has transformed itself over the past few years into the jewel of Gauteng's East Rand.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Conversions will relieve rental shortage
The conversion of commercial buildings to residential use will become increasingly common in inner city nodes - and could make a significant contribution to addressing urban decay in these areas.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Satellite TV in sectional title
Towards year-end, special offers on satellite TV 'dishes' and decoders often prompt a spate of new installations - but for sectional title owners, there are other considerations besides cost.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Get professional advice on PiPs
Homebuyers on a budget are often tempted to buy a house that has been repossessed by a bank, because it appears to be a 'bargain'.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Getting your security deposit back
The landlord / tenant relationship, besides providing comedians with endless source material, often gives rise to serious individual conflicts, even costly court action.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Developers launch joint venture
PROPERTY developers iProp and Sable Homes have teamed up for a residential development on 40ha overlooking Crown Mines golf course in the south of Johannesburg.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Hemel-en-Aarde project fast-tracked
THE involvement of an international investor in the development of Hemelen-Aarde Estate, a secure residential development in Hermanus, Western Cape, is speeding up the roll-out of the development.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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What is Arbitration, What is ADR?
Arbitration and ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) are alternatives to adjudication of disputes by the courts of law. The right to have one's disputes decided by the courts of law is a constitutional one; it may, however, in certain private law cases be waived in favour of arbitration or ADR by written agreement between contract parties, either when they enter into their contract, or when a dispute arising from their contract has already come into existence.
(©www.arbitrators.co.za)

Note : The Association has been presenting correspondence courses in arbitration since 1985. To find out more click here.

The Small Projects series:
A look at small projects and the complexities of doing them well.
What Is a Small Project?
Starting with two distinct views, a single common view is derived for the small project in the Construction Industry.
(©www.construction.about.com)

CPM Central
More than just scheduling, CPM's are the way to go to schedules:
How to Present a CPM Schedule
Some great ideas on how to WOW them during the presentation of a CPM schedule.
(©www.construction.about.com)

Concrete but not as we know it
New developments in ultra-high performance concrete is giving bridge designers scope for ever greater creativity. Fiona Sutherland reports on the latest developments.
(©www.intlconstruction.com)

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Golds boost JSE
Johannesburg - Shares on the JSE Securities Exchange reversed earlier losses in afternoon trade on Friday supported by a modest rally in gold shares fuelled by a sparkling metal price.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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Rand at 3-1/2- month high
The rand marched to a new three-and-a-half high against the dollar on Friday and was likely to consolidate at current levels next week after recent hefty gains, analysts said.
(www.news24.com)

Economy not damaged by bombings
The economy can well withstand the impact of the series of bombings that hit the country this week, Reserve Bank governor Tito Mboweni says.
(www.news24.com)

'Another rate increase coming'
JP Morgan has questioned the Treasury's Budget expectations for growth and inflation, and has predicted another increase in interest rates later this month.
(www.news24.com)

CPD Seminar - Gauteng
Risk Management will come under the spotlight from 14h00 to 17h30 on 5 November 2002 when Prof C.E. Cloete will examine the concept of risk in property management, -development and -investment at Wits University. Browse to the ASAQS website for further details.

Amendments to the Tariff of Professional Fees
The August 2002 amendments to our fees have been received and published within the CUG this week. Members can select to either download the revised pages or the complete tariff-document. The new PWD reimbursables are also available in the New Documents section.

Inside Quest
Members will soon receive the latest issue of Quest. Some of the highlights in the new issue are :
The Commercial Edge - Mark Grant's update on the ASAQS venture into the commercial world. The South African Institute of Architects have resolved to come on board and have nominated prospective Trustees who will oversee the venture on behalf of members. The Trustees in turn will appoint Directors of "the Company", devise and administer a "points" scheme, receive and distribute profits to beneficiaries (participating members).
Medical Aid Scheme - Negotiations are well under way towards a group medical aid scheme for the Built Environment Professions. The scheme will only be open to practices registered with the ASAQS.
Professional Indemnity Scheme - ASAQS is also investigating a more affordable insurance scheme which adequately protects practitioners and their clients in the eventuality of claims.
Prof Tys Siglé - was honoured with the award of Life Member of the Association in March.
Dr C.P. de Leeuw - at a recent graduation ceremony at the University of Pretoria Dr. de Leeuw received the DSc (Honoris Causa) degree. Click here to read a brief CV on Dr. de Leeuw

Seen on Classifieds:
Get paid everytime you drive somewhere
Every time you drive, it could mean CASH in your pocket. Visit www.ecouriers.co.za and READ the FAQ's for details.
QS student looking for in service training
University of the Witwatersrand, Bsc(QS) student. Currently 3rd year, looking for part time in service training or alternative work experience. Any opportunities welcome Fast learner with own transport and eagerness to travel. Access to computer. CV available on request.
Quantity Surveyor seeking employment
I am BSC QS graduate with seven months working experience gained Johannesburg.Due to family obligations I have returned home and seek employment in Durban as soon as possible.

Free software!!!
Members who have access to the CUG can now download selected free software. This month we future the Ad-Aware free multi spyware removal utility, that scans your memory,registry and harddrives for components of known spyware parasites and lets you remove them safely.

Remember: Visit the ASAQS website for new updates!

New members to the CUG

Hamish Maclennan
Sakkie Theron

Please note : Only paid-up members of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors are allowed entrance to the CUG. We still receive a number of applications every month from non-members. If you have any questions regarding membership contact Mrs Barbara Morgan on 011-3154140

Also note that your registration to the CUG will remain in force as long as you remain a member of ASAQS and there is no need to register every year. If you have not received an e-mail confirming your registration contact ASAQS.

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