Commercial property brightening
OWNERS of existing commercial property could see a significant rise in rentals next year when the oversupply of space has been exhausted, Grayprop MD John Rainier says in the group's latest annual report.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Consulting engineers express cautious optimism for 2003
Confidence levels among the consulting engineering fraternity increased significantly in the first six months of last year (2002), compared with the same period in 1999.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Investors line up for East London
Johannesburg - The industrial development zone (IDZ) in the Eastern Cape's second-largest city, East London, is well advanced, with two tenants already signed up and seven deals worth between R3 million and R3.5 billion under negotiation.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Contracts awarded for SA's first new port in 26 years
It was more than 30 years ago that a harbour was mooted for the mouth of the Coega river, about 20 km north-east of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

A hundred contractors appointed, nine sites operational
Although many thought it would never materialise, the Coega project (near Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape) has begun in earnest this year, with close to 100 contractors appointed so far and nine sites already in operation.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

EIA reveals no fatal flaws, says Pechiney
If French company Aluminium Pechiney goes ahead with its proposal to build a R20-billion state-of-the-art aluminium smelter at the Coega industrial development zone (IDZ), then Coega will have secured its much hoped for anchor tenant.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

R50m hotel joins CBD exodus
Durban - Increasing demand by Umhlanga business people had persuaded the City Lodge Hotels group to start a R50 million hotel alongside the Gateway shopping and entertainment complex, Andrew Morris, the director for property development, said on Friday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Durban port to see R440m in investments
DURBAN The National Port Authority (NPA) would have invested R440m into the port of Durban by the end of the year, or 28% of the total investment into upgrading the facilities to ease congestion, Durban port manager Nosipho Sithole said yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Fresh coal-terminal expansion announcement expected this month
The National Ports Authority (NPA) says it will make an announcement regarding the expansion of the Richard’s Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) before the end of January.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Outsiders lap up Western Cape property
CAPE TOWN Estate agents in Western Cape are bracing themselves for a brisk selling season to foreigners in the next three months, and even the stronger rand does not seem to be having an effect on their buying habits.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Johannesburg studies 'workers' flats'
A FEASIBILITY study to assess the viability of building flats in the Randburg area to provide people with accommodation closer to their work, has been launched, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Council said yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Commissioning of Empangeni smelter delayed
THE commissioning of the first of Kumba Resources' Empangeni smelters has been set back by about three months after recovery of faults in the smelter's refractory lining.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Group Five's restructuring lifts its foreign earnings
CONSTRUCTION company Group Five has lifted foreign currency earnings to about 37%, of revenue, compared with 28% in the 2000-01 year, partly as a result of restructuring at the firm. The full benefits of the restructuring programme, which started in 2000 with the aim of turning the company around, are expected to be realised this year.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Ceramic Industries leaves Italy to focus on Australia
SA's largest manufacturer of ceramic tiles and sanitary ware, Ceramic Industries, has sold a 10% stake in its planned R120m Australian floor tiles plant to Hunterland, an Australian property development and construction materials firm.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Fairvest acquires property portfolio to boost earnings
Senior Business Correspondent FAIRVEST Property Holdings would announce the acquisition of a property portfolio totalling R420m this month, the company said last week.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Acucap keeps close watch on property cycle
PROPERTY loan stock company Acucap would be closely watching its 68% exposure to the retail sector so that it is not caught napping by a shift in the property cycle, the group's CEO, Paul Theodosiou, said yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA's property sector is bracing for a bumpy ride in the year ahead
This year is likely to be another harsh period for property investors.Several listed property fund managers have taken a dim view of the year ahead despite the expected positive changes in SA's key macroeconomic fundamentals, including improved economic growth.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Bloody Balance Sheets
Trophy offices acquired in good times now bleeding millions off companies' market capitalisation
(©www.fm.co.za)

Gas could fuel black empowerment
Energy entrepreneurs need to move from distribution to equity ownership.The exploration and production of natural gas could provide an opportunity for black economic empowerment, but huge potential returns in the long term come with enormous risks.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Iscor earnings seen up on prices, demand
South African steel group Iscor is seen posting a sharp increase in first-half earnings next week, buoyed by higher steel prices and demand and a big contribution from its Saldanha mill, analysts said yesterday.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

R100m E Cape windfarm on track for 2003
A R100-million windfarm, in Kouga in the Eastern Cape, is on schedule and should be operational by the end of the year, project coordinator Dr Andries van der Linde tells Engineering News Online.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Eskom launches probe into Duvha explosion
South African power utility, Eskom has launched an investigation into an explosion at its Witbank power station on Wednesday morning, said a spokesperson yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

N4 toll-road experiences 12% growth
A lthough traffic along the N4 toll- road to Maputo started on a lower note last year, with business far below expectations following completion of the road, this year has seen a 12% traffic growth.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Spoornet bites back at cable thieves with 'tiger' wire
The theft of copper overhead cables is directly costing State-owned transport utility Spoornet R11-million a year.Such has the extent of this problem been that the railway company has now begun with an accelerated effort to replace copper overhead cables on its core 15 000 km network with 'tiger' wire. (©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

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Retailers report six-month surge
SA's four major chain stores express some diffidence about Christmas trade, describing it as reasonable. Four of SA's major retail chains with combined annual sales of about R35bn announced yesterday that sales for the six months to December had surged 20% to 30%, but their descriptions of trade over the peak Christmas season were that it was "softer", "reasonable" and "acceptable".
(©www.bday.co.za)

Investors Want to Know: What Defines A Lifestyle Center?
Everybody knows one when they see one, but it's hard to clearly define what a lifestyle center is.
(©www.shoppingcenterworld.com)

Food price watchdog has an academic look
GOVERNMENT has appointed an eight-member committee, consisting mainly of academics, to monitor prices of basic food products and investigate competition in the food supply chain.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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No news from SAFCEC as yet.

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Zambia’s copper output climbed in 2002
Zambia produced 309 654 t of refined copper in the 11 months to end-November 2002 against 270 158 t during the same period in 2001, the central bank said in a report on Tuesday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

SA miner makes $30m diamond project push into Angola
Angola's new-found appetite for peace and prosperity is being fuelled by huge investments in its natural resources, particularly its oil and minerals.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Major investment in Uganda
Most of the foreign investors were British, investing $1.04-billion but Ugandans invested $831-million and South Africans poured in $177-million
(©www.bday.co.za)

US Trade Deal Brings Mixed Success To Africans
In a corner of Maseru's shabby industrial zone, workers at the Shining Century factory cut and sew bolts of billowing maroon and navy blue fabric into T-shirts destined for the shelves of Gap (GPS) stores across the U.S
(©www.bday.co.za)

Nigerian president insists oil bill must be amended before promulgation
Lagos - Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has refused to promulgate an oil revenue sharing bill, insisting that it should be amended by parliament, his office said Thursday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Zimbabwe mining firms on the brink
Harare - Key mining companies in Zimbabwe have warned they will not be able to pay January salaries and will have to shut operations unless President Robert Mugabe's government implements an immediate rescue plan for the struggling sector.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

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Completion of Kumba's Ticor smelter on track
The completion of the Ticor South Africa smelter remains on track, following the hand-over of the first furnace by the construction contractor to Ticor South Africa's operations team, Kumba
(©www.bday.co.za)

Platinum surges to new high level
Spot platinum price edges down marginally after hitting a 20-month high of $617 thanks to continued strong demand and supply uncertainty
(©www.bday.co.za)

UK miner to reopen Mali mine this month
British gold mining firm, Avnel Gold, the successful bidder for Mali's gold deposit at Kalana, will reopen the mine later this month, a spokesman for the firm said.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Mineral legislation is set to transform coal landscape
The new Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development legislation is poised to facilitate greater participation of previously-disadvantaged people in the lucrative South African mining industry.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Local community to benefit from platinum expansion
Empowerment opportunities could not come to a more needy community than the one that surrounds the 80% Impala Platinum-owned Marula platinum-mine, in the Limpopo province.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Miner rewarded for pointing out safety hazard
The world's second-largest platinum producer's commitment to safety was in evidence last month when Cementation employee Johannes Matsoso received a R3 000 award for correctly identifying a safety hazard at Impala Platinum's 80%-owned Marula Platinum venture in the Limpopo province.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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Cape buyers find West Rand attractive
Relocation in South Africa is not all from north to south - and the upmarket suburbs of the West Rand are now proving particularly attractive to those moving in the other direction, from the Western Cape to Gauteng.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Stellenbosch
With the new academic year about to start, parents or investors keen to buy student accommodation near the University of Stellenbosch may be in for a surprise.
(©www.property24.co.za)

'Golf tourists' now interested in SA property
Through discovering South Africa's world-class golf courses, and experiencing the country's scenic beauty, foreign golf enthusiasts are apparently also becoming interested in investing in property here.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Residential market in good shape for 2003
Top real estate commentators are all positive about the market in 2003, anticipating increasing investor confidence in residential property and continued strong demand.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Cape 'season' sizzles
With crowds of potential home buyers flocking in from every part of the country and from abroad, the Cape Town real estate 'season' is off to a sizzling start.
(©www.property24.co.za)

South Coast offers good value
Increasing recognition of the value-for-money offered by property on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast has given a strong boost to the market in the region.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Eyes turning to southern Drakensberg
Investors seeking tranquillity, security and wide-open spaces, an increasing number of tourists and rising property prices generally are fuelling interest in properties in the southern Drakensberg area.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Pretoria
The Pretoria property market has shrugged off this year's fuel price and interest rate rises to remain one of the most active in Gauteng, with sales activity in some areas even exceeding the numbers reached in 2001.
(©www.property24.co.za)

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The Project Player's Series
Describes the different professionals and their roles that comprise our great industry.

The Project Players Part I
This serves as an introduction to exactly who are the current team members or players within Construction Industry projects.
(©www.construction.about.com)

Guerrilla Management
Technical projects can be run in many different ways, ranging from "laissez fair" approaches where no strict deadlines are set nor individual's roles specified, to military style approaches where every step is precisely planned and the chain of command is very well defined and adhered to.
This on-line version of the Guerrilla Guide only contains a portion of the full document
(©home.earthlink.net/~adebru/guerrilla/)

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Thousands sign up for share in Telkom
Johannesburg - An estimated 520 000 people had already registered their interest in Telkom's share offer and plans were at an advanced stage to list the telecommunications company on the local and international bourses in the first quarter of this year, the department of public enterprises said yesterday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

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Gold reaches six-year high on war fears
Gold chalked up another high not seen in almost six years yesterday, as investors kept piling into the safe-haven asset fearing a war in Iraq and the inflationary implications of a weak dollar and strong oil prices.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Gold stocks kill JSE gains
The JSE ended in negative territory, taking its cue from world markets and the bullion price
(©www.bday.co.za)

Rand 'not over-valued'
A top IMF economist says the rand is not over-valued at current levels, after clawing back unwarranted steep losses seen more than a year ago.
(©www.news24.com)

Be cautious on rand: economist
An economist says optimism toward the rand should be tempered with caution since much of its strength has been built on foreign speculative interest
(©www.bday.co.za)

Modern Cost Management
We work at breakneck speed in order to satisfy our customers and remain competitive.
It is now essential that we have a thorough knowledge of our project costs not only today but into the future.
In her article Modern Cost Management Ruthanne Schulte, PMP, shows us how to acquire the information necessary to estimate projected profit, projected return on investment, the breakeven point and more...

Inflation forecast for the year ahead
A twelve month forecast of Headline & CPIX Inflation.
(©www.fnb.co.za)

BEP MEDS: OUR OWN MEDICAL SCHEME
As you might have heard by now, Vincent Knox of PBC (Profhealth Benefits Consulting (Pty) Ltd) has been successful in registering a restricted Medical Scheme for the Built Environment Professional Associations. The Scheme was approved by the Registrar of Medical Schemes on the 9th November 2002 and will come into effect on the 1st January 2003. By their own admission, it was one of the best researched and prepared applications they have ever received – congratulations Vincent!

The Regulations require that the Scheme should have a minimum of 6 000 members within 3 months. As the members of SAACE, SAIA and ASAQS stand to benefit from participation, we are confident that this target will be reached.

Information and application forms are available on line at http://www.sovhealth.co.za/web/bepmeds/index.htm

Further queries about the scheme should be addressed to Vincent Knox at (012) 460 0430 (mobile 083 676 0124).

Click here to view the ASAQS Calendar or add events to it

Seen on Classifieds:
Senior QS
A firm of Quantity Surveyors based in East London requires services of a QS with university degree or Btech with minimum 5 years experience. The applicant must be fully computer literate in QS plus.

Experienced QS
We urgently require a QS with minimum 5 years experince working in a QS practice.

Remember: Visit the ASAQS website for new updates!

New members to the CUG

To be announced 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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