Shock property law ruling
In a decision that has sent shockwaves through the property industry, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein has ruled that tenants who don't pay rent and buyers who default on their bond payments will have the same protection against eviction as illegal squatters.
(©www.iol.co.za)

Concor sees order book almost double
CONCOR has almost doubled its order book to R1,5bn from R800m last year, thanks in great part to the company being part of a consortium that secured the R2,2bn Ngqura deep-water port.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Net profit soars 89% at Concor, pushing up stock price
Johannesburg - Concor's shares surged after the construction and engineering company's annual profit almost doubled and it said it expected earnings to grow this year. Net profit leaped 89 percent to R15.8 million, or R1.19 a share, in the 12 months to June, compared with R8.39 million, or 63c, the year before.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

WBHOs growth is in line with its peers
CIVIL engineering and building contractor Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) can be added to the list of SA construction companies that reported solid growth for the past financial year.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Construction company lands international deals
One of South Africa’s largest construction companies, Group Five, announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary, Group Civils – Industrial and Mining – has secured two contracts worth R95-million, at Vilankulo in Mozambique.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Murray & Roberts says it all in a play
THE play's the thing in which Murray & Roberts hopes to catch the conscience of its workers.
(©www.bday.co.za)

City project rejuvenates the untouchable
JOHANNESBURG Property Company's Better Buildings Project is turning 81 previously untenable inner city buildings into viable investment prospects
(©www.bday.co.za)

Coega, road repairs a major boost for economy, says PPC
CEMENT company PPC believes the building of the Coega harbour and industrial development zone in the Eastern Cape, combined with a planned R30bn public investment in road improvements, could bring a significant boost for SA industry, employment and growth
(©www.bday.co.za)

R40m office park expands Sandton office node
FREESTONE Park, a R40m development by Pegasus III Properties, is the latest addition to Sandton's crowded office market. It has a lot going for it, especially its location on the fringes of the upmarket suburb of Atholl.
(©www.bday.co.za)

First sods turned in Maritzburg
THE first sods will be turned today at Liberty Properties' first major retail development in KwaZulu-Natal the R270m Liberty Midlands Mall in Maritzburg.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Saldanha Steel expected to turn a profit this year
Saldanha Bay - Steel maker Iscor's R8.6 billion investment in Saldanha Steel was expected to begin paying itself off from this year, with the Western Cape mill on track to turn its first profit, the company confirmed yesterday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

EU offers big water, sanitation support
The European Union (EU) has launched a water initiative, aimed at helping millions of poor people in Africa and Asia gain access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

UK provides R330m for SA water projects
In a joint statement on Monday, the UK government’s Department for International Development (DIFD) and the SA government’s Department of Water Affairs and Forestry (DWAF), announced the extension of a comprehensive water and forestry development programme, worth £19,8-million or approximately R330-million financed by DIFD.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Engineering group sells finance business for $2,3bn
ABB will sell most of its leasing and financing business to General Electric's (GE) Commercial Finance unit for $2,3-billion in cash, the industrial group said on Wednesday, boosting its ailing shares.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Moz pipeline is ahead of schedule
Weaving its way through former landmine infested areas, construction of Mozambique's first natural gas pipeline is ahead of schedule, South African synthetic fuel producer Sasol said on Tuesday.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

R90m sports-infrastructure project under way
South Africa is synonymous with sport. Who could ever forget that glorious moment when Francois Pienaar led the Springbok team to victory over the mighty All Blacks in the 1995 Rugby World Cup or the absolute devastation when our cricket team was ousted from the 1999 Cricket World Cup after a dramatic draw in the semi-finals against our arc-rivals, the Australians.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

SAFCEC NEWS

SAFCEC CONVENTION 2002
Important notice to all members! The 9th SAFCEC National Convention will take place on 6 – 7 October 2002 at Spier Estate, situated 25 minutes from Cape Town. This exceptional venue is perfectly suited to the SAFCEC convention and offers a variety of exciting activities; indeed, delegates would be well advised to take an extra day to experience the various leisure aspects of the resort. Click here to register.

SAFCEC PRESIDENTIAL AWARD
Members are reminded that each year the President of SAFCEC makes an award for some outstanding achievement by a Member company during the year. The award is made on the personal recommendation of the President but the conditions for consideration are fairly open.
THE CLOSING DATE FOR THE RECEIPT OF NOMINATIONS IS FRIDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2002
Get more information here.

(©www.safcec.org.za)

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Feeding the fashion machine
LUXURY French design chain Louis Vuitton opened its largest outlet yesterday on Omotesando, the Champs Elysees of Tokyo'.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Gateway on track to pull in 20m visitors
Durban - Figures released this week by Old Mutual Properties, the owner of the R1.4 billion Gateway shopping complex in Durban, indicate that about 1.5 million people have visited the complex each month since December. This is well on track with its projected 20 million visitors a year.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

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Incentives a possibility for housing finance bill
HOUSING Minister Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele says government will consider including incentives for banks to provide housing finance to the low-income market in a controversial new bill.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Province has plan for emerging farmers
Western Cape's government planned to settle 7000 emerging farmers on stateowned land in 150 land redistribution projects in the next couple of years, premier Marthinus van Schalkwyk said yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Loan means 90 000 new homes for SA poor
Poor people in South Africa will be able to build 90 000 new homes thanks, to a $15-million (R150-million) loan guarantee provided by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) of the US.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

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New Sudan dam to triple electricity capacity
A $1,73-billion Sudan dam project, that will triple electricity capacity in the power-starved state when completed in about six years' time, will give the country a much-needed economic boost, an official has said.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Zimbabwe intensifies harassment
Attacks have been launched on independent voices ahead of the local council elections. ZIMBABWEAN authorities were intensifying harassment of independent voices ahead of local council elections later this month, human rights agency Amnesty International said yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Time for appeasement of Mugabe is long past
THE United Nations (UN) invited Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe to address the World Summit on Sustainable Development. It is said that this was an act of hospitality to a head of state.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Mugabe warns white farmers to hand land over to blacks or leave
HARARE Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe returned home yesterday, triumphant from a row with British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the world summit in Johannesburg.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Land seizures are high on Blair's agenda
MAPUTO British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Maputo on Saturday for talks with Mozambican President Joaquim Chissano, with land seizures in neighbouring Zimbabwe featuring high on the agenda.
(©www.bday.co.za)

40bn Nigerian rail plan gets green light
Lagos Correspondent THE Nigerian government has approved a $40bn, 25-year development plan for its inefficiently managed state-owned Nigeria Railways Corporation.
(©www.bday.co.za)

IMF to give $23m to Malawi for food aid
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will give Malawi $23-million dollars in emergency aid to finance food imports to stave off hunger, Finance Minister Friday Jumbe said on Wednesday.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Oil major awards $400m Nigeria oilfield contracts
The Nigerian unit of ExxonMobil said it had awarded contracts worth more than $400-million for the development of the Yoho shallow offshore oilfield.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Ethiopia’s gold earnings leap to $38m
Ethiopia's hard currency earnings from gold soared to 318,8-million Ethiopian birr ($38,18-million) in the 2001/02 fiscal year, a 67% rise over last year, the Ethiopian Customs Authority said on Monday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Zambia copper-gold project study advances
First Quantum has announced the results of an engineering study for the phase-one development of its 80%-owned Kansanshi copper-gold project, based in Zambia’s Copperbelt.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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Coal can also be clean – utility
The need to develop cleaner and more efficient fossil-fuel technologies and increasing the availability of renewable-energy resources is recognised globally.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Coal stakeholders commit to clean-up
During a one-day conference on “Coal and Sustainable Development”, held as a parallel event to the Joburg Summit last week, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, put forward a proposed declaration regarding coal and sustainable development in developing countries.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Steel sector needs to put value ahead of product
The global steel industry is set for a major transformation over the next five or so years, while steel itself is well set to sustain itself in an era of new materials.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

The steel price war heats up
This month, South Africa’s largest steel producer, Iscor, raises its domestic prices on hot-rolled steel by 14,9%, while prices on other types of steel product will rise by between 10% and 17%.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

New mining cadaster to be developed
In the wake of the introduction of the Mineral Resources and Petroleum Development Bill, the Council for Geoscience has assisted the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) in the development of a new mining cadaster for South Africa.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

State gem miner awards concessions
State-owned gem miner Alexkor has awarded shallow-water mining and beach mining concessions to private operators, thus securing employment for 179 miners who were retrenched at the end of last year.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Another coal empowerment deal struck
A R30,5-million coal empowerment transaction between the South African coal arm of resources giant BHP Billiton, Ingwe, and emerging black-owned coal group Kuyasa Mining, was concluded yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Marine mining vessel chartered to diamond project
South African diamond miner Trans Hex has entered into a short-term charter contract with De Beers Marine to provide a deep-water mining vessel to conduct diamond-sampling activities off the Namibian coast.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Metallurgical agency gains quality seal
The State’s metallurgical agency, Mintek, announced last week that its Quality Management System (QMS) has been certified as meeting the requirements of the ISO 9001:2000 International Standard, following an assessment by the Society General de Surveillance (SGS).
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Output increases at Free State mine
Gold producer Thistle Mining has reported a mine-site cash surplus of $5,2-million at the company’s newly acquired President Steyn Gold Mine (PSGM) in South Africa for the second quarter to June 30.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Tanzanite miners died by suffocation - probe
An investigation into the deaths of 39 tanzanite miners found that the men suffocated after inhaling carbon monoxide produced by a dynamite explosion in the mine shaft, Commissioner of Mines Gray Mwakalukwa said.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Resources giant to announce empowerment deal
Global diversified miner Anglo American and South Africa's mining minister will announce a black people's participation deal today, an Anglo spokeswoman said.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

R8,8bn capex plan from platinum group
In line with its growth strategy, platinum-mining group Impala Platinum (Implats) plans to spend about R8,8-billion on capital projects over the next five years.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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Century City residential development takes off
RESIDENTIAL developers are flocking to Century City to meet the growing demand for housing in the area. Negotiations with developers for more than 1000 units in two new developments are close to being finalised, with two more deals for another 500 units under negotiation.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Growth in house prices slows marginally
Pretoria - The growth in the monthly Absa House Price Index slowed further last month, Jacques du Toit, an Absa economist and residential property specialist, said yesterday. Du Toit said this was in line with expectations, but the property market had continued to perform relatively strongly, despite the higher interest rates and inflation during the year.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

New homes in: Muizenberg
The highly successful launch of the exclusive Sunrise Beach Village in Muizenberg is a good omen for major new residential development in and around the historic suburb.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Secure living in Sunninghill
If there's one suburb of Greater Johannesburg that should get full marks for consistent growth in property values, it is Sunninghill, to the north of the Sandton CBD.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Noordhoek
For Capetonians looking for a home 'by the sea', Noordhoek has now become a most sought-after address, and property prices in the area are rising accordingly.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Holiday homes already in demand
Those planning an end-of-year break would be well advised to book soon, as holiday homes available to let over the December/January season are filling up fast.
(©www.property24.co.za)

What buyers (and tenants) are really looking for
The results of recent US surveys hold some interesting insights for home-builders and property investors, revealing that more bedroom space is a key factor in homeowners' decisions to move, and that tenants want more bathrooms.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Western Cape a lucrative battle ground
The risks in the SA property market are high, but the disadvantages are limited, says German investor Mathias Bode THE battle is on for the lucrative top end of the residential property market in Western Cape, where competition between estate agents has increased to the point that foreigners are entering the fray as entrepreneurs as well as buyers.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Tenants target south coast
DEMAND for rental homes on the lower south coast of KwaZuluNatal is high, says Pam Golding Properties local franchisee Dina Porteous. The most sought after areas include Port Shepstone, Shelly Beach, St Michaels, Uvongo, Manaba, Margate, Ramsgate and Southbroom.
(©www.bday.co.za)

New legislation places agents on a powder-keg
Estate agency principals and individual agents are straddling a powder keg if they have not yet become fully acquainted with their legal commitments in terms of reporting money laundering offences as contained in the Financial Intelligence Centre Act 38 of 2001 which came into effect on December 3 2001.
Estate agents are listed second to attorneys in the act's list of 19 "accountable institutions" intended by government to police money laundering. And the seriousness of that intent is emphasised by draconian penalties carrying a 15 year prison term and fines of R15 million for offenders.
(© Property Professional Online)

Van Zuilekom to chair Network
Well-known Kloof real estate principal Dirk van Zuilekom has been elected chairman of KwaZulu Natal Property Services (KZNPS), the holding company of Network Listings and Natal Property Inspections. He succeeds Gordon Battersby.
(© Property Professional Online)

Rawson gives training top billing
The Institute's commitment to training and education was given top billing by the recently elected national president Bill Rawson in his address to Central region's record attendance August 21 AGM in Sandton.
Dismissing angrily the industry's frequent comparison to second-hand car salesman, Rawson appealed to the more than 400 agent gathering to concentrate on improving the industry's image and reputation through good service and upliftment of standards.
The institute was particularly geared, he noted, to play a leadership role in improving the industry's image at consumer level, but greater industry participation was vital toward this end.
(© Property Professional Online)

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Placing your estate in a trust can be beneficial
Is a trust an old-fashioned and tax-ineffective way of protecting wealth? Old Mutual's Megan Young argues not. She was addressing a meeting of the NBS/Independent on Saturday Investors Club in Durban. Planning your estate is something most people in South Africa don't give a second thought to. Basically, what little they have is left to their dependants, and that's that. Well, spare some thought for the process, because someone with modest means will be worth something after a lifetime of work.
(©www.persfin.co.za)

Supplier Selection Checklist
It is useful when selecting a supplier to have a checklist with which to evaluate their suitability. How much of the checklist is used and how thoroughly will depend on your own needs. However, even a brief review using this checklist may help raise points that could otherwise be overlooked and become issues later. PDF(28KB)
(©www.projectsmart.fsnet.co.uk)

In Praise of Scope Creep
In popular culture and belief, vampires can be kept at bay with garlic and the sign of the cross. In the mythology of project management, Scope-Creep can be kept at bay with magical charms and rituals such as change control procedures.
(©www.e-programme.com)

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But while there might not be a direct or immediate fallout for locally listed companies, one event which took place on the sidelines of the conference is important enough to make local firms sit up and take note.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Scam (Highjack?) Warning
Last week a fellow quantity surveyor received a call from a "developer" inviting him to a meeting in Klerksdorp. He met the "developer's team" in a restaurant where they told him about the development and put pressure on him to accompany them to the site in a nearby township. His sixth sense prevailed and he started asking for references and details which tripped up "the team". It later turned out that they supplied him with a bogus list of references with non-existent telephone numbers. I had a similar experience this week but turned down a request for a meeting in a restaurant in Vereeniging when the "developer" could not supply me with the name of the person who referred him to me. Nor could he provide me with any detail over the phone as "his father who was handling the project had recently passed away!" It seems that professionals have become targets for scam artists and highjackers. If you have had a similar experience please write to bert@mweb.co.za so that I can keep our readers informed.

Construction Economics Committee Needs Your Input
A new committee was elected with effect January 2002 comprises the following members:
1. Alan van Rensburg (Chairman) alan@davislangdon.co.za
2. Ivy Halstead halsteadi@ctech.ac.za
3. Tony Collins tonyc@absa.co.za
4. Gary Stevens ctn@mnl.co.za
The committee has to date held three meetings to discuss topics to be dealt with during their term of service. In addition they have, with the assistance of the ASAQS webmaster, set up a web-page in the Closed User Group, for use in communicating with members. A request for suggested topics to be considered by the committee currently appears on the webpage. Future communications with members will be by way of the newsletter and via the webpage.

PLEASE TAKE 30 SECONDS TO PROVIDE THEM WITH YOUR INPUT BY RANKING 5 TOPICS IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE!
Do so by clicking here!

Cost control professionals
Uplifting of the skills and knowledge in South Africa is part of our National goals.
Do you part and enrich yourself with the skills and knowledge desperately needed in Africa. We only have three certified cost engineers in Africa.
The concepts of Cost control professionals at only R2750 excluding VAT for a five day seminar including all handouts and refreshments. Book immediately for the week 16 September - 20 September. Contact Marié Voogt [ceasa3@uskonet.com] or on 011 766 2850

The Complete Steel Solution Conference
The Southern Africa Stainless Steel Development Association (Sassda) will be hosting a 3CR12 Conference at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 10th & 11th of October. This conference will address recent developments, new applications and opportunities for the specification, design, and cost
effective use of 3CR12 corrosion resistant steel in a wide range of industry
sectors. Click here for registration form and programme.

Monte Carlo Simulation in MS Excel
The Monte Carlo method of estimating project cost is based on the generation of multiple trials to determine the expected value of a random variable.
(©www.projectware.com.au)

Conference on Construction and Engineering Excellence
The theme of this conference is that the building process needs to be streamlined with all essential parties coming together to ensure success and will be held from 30 September to 1 October 2002 at the Balalaika Hotel in Sandton. Full details available on the ASAQS website.

Remember: Visit the ASAQS website for new updates!

New members to the CUG

Next week

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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