Metropolitan flat rentals weaken
JOHANNESBURG is the only major metropolitan area experiencing real growth in flat rentals, according to the latest figures of property consulting group Rode.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Focus on industries, offices economist
PROPERTY economist Erwin Rode is criticising listed property fund managers for devoting too much energy to pursuing limited shopping centre developments while there are ample opportunities in the office and industrial property sectors.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Property derivatives can mitigate risks
SA investors do not have the option of putting money into instruments derived from underlying assets in the market. HOW does a risk-averse industrial property investor protect himself when he thinks the industrial property sector may take strain in a specific future period without losing ownership of his property?
(©www.bday.co.za)

Demand for large and liquid funds
IN RECENT years the property market has been very active with mergers and acquisitions. Rob Shuter, joint head of Nedbank Corporate Finance, says a variety of sectors or industries have been through a consolidation phase and it is now the turn of property investments.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Tenants oppose extension of mall
OPPOSITION to the extension of The Mall of Rosebank into Cradock Avenue is receiving support from a group of tenants in the northern Johannesburg shopping centre. Some old tenants of the centre, who prefer to remain anonymous, are unhappy about the results of the R50m recently completed refurbishment, saying it has delivered an "uneven tenant mix".
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA in running for big auto investment
It is still uncertain as to how much will have to be invested in DaimlerChrysler’s East London manufacturing plant to make it suitable for the new W 204 Mercedes-Benz.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Cape Town to sell abattoir, market
The sale of the strategically situated Maitland abattoir in Cape Town could signal the deathknell of smaller abattoirs operating on the periphery of the city, an official said yesterday.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Ports will get upgrades worth R1bn
South African Port Operations, the government's new ports operational division created from the restructuring of Portnet, has budgeted in excess of R1.0-billion rand for spending on upgrades
(©www.bday.co.za)

Hulett looks over sites for its new rolling mill
MARITZBURG Hulett Aluminium is weighing up a number of possible locations for a new aluminum processing project, as part of an expansion drive, chairman Peter Staude says.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Funds allocated to help tackle municipal debts
CAPE TOWN The provincial and local government department has allocated R252m to help municipalities reduce their accumulated services debt which has reached an all time high of R24,3bn. The money is part of a record budget for the department which increased in 2003-04 by more than 40% over the amount allocated in the 2002-03 budget.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Muddy waters at Umgeni over debt, job cuts
MARITZBURG Utility Umgeni Water will finalise its new strategic business plans this month and the restructuring programme by July, but CEO Gugu Moloi is still uncertain how many jobs would be on the line.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Construction firm makes BEE a priority for 2003
South African construction group Grinaker-LTA is optimistic about prospects for the construction sector in South Africa, but admits that black empowerment will be a key challenge, particularly if it hopes to win State contracts.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Aveng builds local revenue component
AVENG, SA's largest construction group, is raising the proportion of revenue it generates from work in SA compared with hard currency earnings on the back of a strong domestic economy. The rise in SA's gross fixed capital formation saw Aveng increase revenue from SA activities to 59% of total revenue in the six months to December, up from 53% in the corresponding period.
(©www.bday.co.za)

New plant bolsters production at Trident
AVENG subsidiary Trident Steel's beneficiation drive will receive a substantial boost with the commissioning of a steel processing plant in Saldanha, Western Cape, by the end of the year. The R65m plant will use about 30000 tons of steel a year from Iscor's Saldanha Steel and from the Duferco steel plant to produce blanks, which can be used for the production of items such as drums and satellite dishes.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Sanitaryware firm pulls plug on bath prices
Ceramic Industries doubles capacity. AT LAST there is something in SA which is coming down in price the cost of fitting out a bathroom.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Solid Doors expands out of Africa into UK market
AFRICA's largest door manufacturer, Solid Doors, is set to expand its production in SA by more than 50% one year after output was raised by a similar margin.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Limpopo sets aside R30 million for BEE
Limpopo government has set aside about R30-million to focus on the black economic empowerment (BEE) sector.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

R20m gold-chain factory opens
A milestone in South Africa’s precious metals beneficiation progress was reached yesterday with the opening of a R20-million gold-rope chain production facility in the Free State Province.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

R54m boost for biotech partnerships
The Gauteng biotechnology regional innovation centre, known as Biotechnology partnerships and development (Biopad), had its budget increased by an additional R54-million from R84-million in January.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Measurement lab opens its doors
Accurate measurements for the improvement of companies’ competitiveness and compliance with automotive specifications, standards and requirements, have often been a cause of concern, says CSIR National Metrology Laboratory (CSIR-NML) business area manager Oelof Kruger.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Institute launches director development programme
FEW directors have been trained to deal with their fiduciary responsibilities, says Richard Wilkinson, executive director of the Institute of Directors. The institute has launched a director development programme to change this.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Create opportunities to take real talent into the fold
ONE of the keys to embedding transformation into an organisation that is sorely in need of skills is the willingness to accommodate new talent where no obvious gap exists, says Jane Hazell of career management consultancy Chart DBM.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Mettle makes rival offer for iProp
INVESTMENT holding company Mettle has announced a R92,6m offer for the assets and liabilities of land development group iProp. Mettle's offer, announced yesterday, threatens to scupper iProp's R83,9m management buyout plan which was tabled in January this year and was to be put to the vote at a general meeting tomorrow.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Momentum's offer to Bonatla is well received
INSURANCE group Momentum has offered to buy the majority of units in listed property fund Bonatla Properties at 72c a unit. The offer represents an improvement of more than 50% on previous offers made to Bonatla's unit holders over the past few months.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Pangbourne, iFour talk of partnership
PANGBOURNE Properties' move to increase its holdings of iFour linked units to 34% has sparked speculation that the group is looking to take out iFour's assets. The merger of Pangbourne and iFour would create a property portfolio valued at about R2bn.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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Smaller malls face harder times
SMALL to medium-sized shopping centres could come under further pressure as consolidation in the retail sector continues. Coronation Fund Managers portfolio manager Kirshni Totaram has joined experts sounding warning bells about the health of small neighbourhood shopping centres. "We expect retail sales to slow due to the 4% interest rate hikes last year," says Totaram.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Hyprop is solidifying position as niche retail specialist
PROPERTY investment holding group Hyprop is increasingly becoming a niche retail specialist. Hyprop's sectorial split will reflect an increased bias to the retail sector following the conclusion this week of a R320m deal to acquire The Mall of Rosebank and JHI House.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Deloitte & Touche did not see' RAP's books
RETAIL Apparel Group (RAG) auditors Deloitte & Touche did not see any financial statements from RAG's principal subsidiary, Retail Apparel Pty (RAP), despite requesting them, before signing off the year-end accounts of the ailing JSE-listed holding company, an inquiry heard on Friday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA's LA Group disposes of US jv
Clothing and apparel company LA Group is to dispose of its joint wholesale corporate clothing distribution venture in the US.
(©www.news24.com)

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SANS10100 : THE STRUCTURAL USE OF CONCRETE PART 2 : MATERIALS AND EXECUTION OF WORK
Standards South Africa has released SANS10100 : The structural use of concrete Part 2 : materials and execution of work, for public comment. As this standard will affect all members producing concrete in its various forms, members are advised to obtain a copy and scrutinise the standard before it is published in its final form. Copies may be obtained by email by contacting Howard Richardson on contract@safcec.org.za
Closing date for comment is 18 April 2003.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

SANS 10400 – APPLICATION OF NATIONAL BUILDING REGULATIONS
Over the last week SAFCEC has been receiving drafts of sections of SANS 10400 – The application of national building regulations from STANSA for review by the STANSA Technical Committee. (©www.safcec.org.za)

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War is over but Angola must now win peace
EMERGING slowly from decades of civil war, Angola stands at a crossroads between a spectacular recovery or further cycles of instability and crisis. The government that won the fighting must now move on a number of fronts with international support to win the peace.
(©www.bday.co.za)

High time to swim together or sink
Tackling Zimbabwe's socioeconomic crisis calls for foreign mediation and internal political will to co-operate. THE economic meltdown, a government-created food crisis and deepening statesponsored violence that has plagued Zimbabwe in the year since President Robert Mugabe's ruling party rigged the presidential election continue to point in one ominous direction potential state collapse.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Zimbabwe fuel prices shoot sky high
Harare - The price of aviation fuel in Zimbabwe has almost quadrupled following price hikes for petroleum-based products announced by President Robert Mugabe's government, a statement in the state-run press said Wednesday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Zimbabwean white farmers offered hope
Harare - The Zimbabwe government said yesterday that white farmers who lost their properties under the country's controversial land seizure programme could be accommodated elsewhere.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Nigerian oil workers suspend strike
Lagos - Nigerian public sector oil workers have suspended a five-day-old strike which had threatened exports from Africa's largest oil producer, union officials said Friday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Strike threat has no effect on Nigerian oil production, exports
Lagos - A threatened strike by Nigerian white-collar oil workers appeared on Monday to pose little threat to production or exports, amid conflicting claims over whether it had even begun.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

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Mine groups sign deal on joint venture in Australia
ANGLOGOLD said yesterday that a legal dispute between Australian company Striker Resources, itself and De Beers had been settled. The three companies AngloGold Australia, Striker Resources and De Beers Australia Exploration have signed a new joint-venture agreement covering a large area of land in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Asbestos deal opens way for unbundling
Two agreements have been struck to settle all claims involving asbestosis against mine holding company Gencor for a total amount of R460,5-million, Gencor announced yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Rockfalls kill three at AngloGold mines
Three miners were killed in rockfalls at two of AngloGold’s mines at its West Wits operations near Cartonville yesterday. South Africa’s biggest gold producer said the rockfalls followed seismic events at two of its adjacent mines.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

SA miners sign Aussie settlement
A new joint venture agreement, between AngloGold Australia, Striker Resources and De Beers Australia Exploration Limited, has been signed this week, covering a large ground holding in the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

BHP Billiton likely to test new mine law with coal project
The world’s largest diversified mining company, BHP Billiton, has not altered its country risk premium for South African in light of the new minerals regime, but it admits that it needs to test the system to be able to provide shareholders with evidence that the country remains a sound investment destination.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

UN panel probing illegal DRC resource exploitation set to resume work
An expert panel investigating the illegal exploitation of natural resources and other forms of wealth in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York for consultations before heading to the Great Lakes region to begin its work.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

SA Chrome signs deal with Chinese steel group
Ferrochrome producer South African Chrome and Alloys Limited this week announced that it has signed a heads of agreement with Jiuquan Iron and Steel Company (Jisco), the largest iron and steel producer in North West China, to undertake a feasibility study into the expansion of SA Chrome’s existing ferrochrome smelter at Boshoek.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

SA gold output rises for the first time in nine years
South African mines produced 395,2 t of gold in 2002, a 0,4% rise on 2001 and the first increase in nine years due to higher metal prices and a weak rand, the Chamber of Mines said yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Platinum explorer signs BEE deal
AIM-listed platinum exploration company, Jubilee Platinum, announced that its wholly-owned South African subsidiary, Dullstroom Plats, has entered into a shareholder’s agreement to form a new company with K-Plats (Keys), a black economic empowerment (BEE) mining company.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Anglo still at home in SA
It’s a perennial question and one, it seems, that will never leave Anglo American: when will it truly diversify away from South Africa? Although the rest of the world accounted for more than half of the resources giant’s headline earnings in 2002, South Africa still contributed 42%, despite the fact that only 31% of its attributable operating assets are in South Africa, down from 67% in June 1999.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Junior mining funding set to begin this month
Junior mining projects, the world over, are invariably financed by special arrangement.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Phosa eyes more mining ventures
Former Mpumalanga premier Dr Mathews Phosa, whose Vuka Alliance recently came together with a team of black entrepreneurs to acquire a 50% stake in contract-mining company Ruslyn Mining and Plant Hire, says the R17,5-million deal is a precursor to many empowerment transactions in the mining sector in South Africa and the rest of the subcontinent.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

BEE coal group changes procurement strategy
South Africa’s fourth-largest coal producer intends to grow the value of items that it orders on formal contracts from 40% to 80%.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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Bloemfontein house prices are too high for most of the local buyers
BLOEMFONTEIN homes prices have risen beyond the affordability levels of most local buyers, says Mike Spencer, principal of the Bloemfontein branch of Homenet Estate Agency. He says that the home prices will continue to rise rapidly unless something is done about the provision of new building stands in the city.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Now you can find a home by phone
Property24 has done it again! Having put online househunting on the map in South Africa, it is now first in the local real estate market with another great innovation - househunting by phone.
(©www.property24.co.za)

CGT valuation deadline looming
Homeowners whose properties will fall within the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) net when sold now have just over six months left to obtain the valuations they will need to establish a base cost for the calculation of capital gain or loss.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Rate us - and you could win
Take part in this year's Property24 user survey and put yourself in line to win a superb digital camera worth R5000 from Olympus.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Pretoria investors urged to 'hang in'
Tenants continue to have the upper hand in Pretoria, a city with a large and growing number of buy-to-rent investors - but the demand for rental accommodation is expected to remain strong and landlords should not be getting cold feet.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Top housing man surrenders to police in R30m fraud case
DURBAN KwaZulu-Natal housing department's top official Emmanuel Khoza and an alleged accomplice have been arrested on fraud and corruption charges involving R30m
(©www.bday.co.za)

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Are you a Kofi Annan?
Dictatorship is telling the workers what to do.
Whereas, diplomacy is about asking the workers what they should do.
In his article Are you a Kofi Annan or a Saddam Hussian, Ed Hartnett explains that to get the best out of your team diplomacy wins every time.
(©www.projectmagazine.com)

Investment in the Construction Industry: Attracting Investors
Private sector financing of public infrastructure projects has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, in both the developed and developing countries. Recent research conducted by the CSIR on investment in the construction industry revealed that while sufficient debt financing is available for construction goods and services, there is insufficient equity particularly in the market for Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). This article highlights the key issues identified in the research undertaken by the CSIR.
(©www.csir.co.za/akani/)

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Interest rate cut imminent
A cut in interest rates could occur this month and, together with further tax relief for individuals and lower transfer duty on property announced in the budget, should benefit the housing market this year...
(©www.bday.co.za)

Retirement tax draft on cards
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said on Thursday that the National Treasury plans to issue a second discussion document as well as "possible" draft legislation on retirement savings taxation in the latter part of 2003.
(©www.news24.com)

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UIF registration for domestics in April
South African domestic workers must be registered for unemployment insurance as from April 1, and this can now also be done by telephone.
(©www.news24.com)

SA marketing to get a boost
The Tourism Business Council of South Africa says it will increase its financial contribution to the marketing budget of South African Tourism.
(©www.news24.com)

Weak rand gives JSE a boost
The JSE Securities Exchange was lush with green at noon on Friday, as a weak rand and strong world markets gave buyers the incentive they needed to come into the market.
(©www.news24.com)

SA, China sign science, technology deal
South Africa and China signed an agreement on future scientific and technological collaboration at a ceremony in Pretoria this week.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Maize market rises on dryness fears
South Africa's maize futures market rose this week, extending gains made since last week when fears that good weather might desert the crop at the last minute brought an end to a steep slide in prices.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

New fee scales now gazetted
The 2002 tariffs have recently been gazetted. Afrikaans and English versions are available for download from the CUG - save time by downloading only the updated pages.

Revised rates for reimbursable expenses
The Department of Public works have recently published new rates which are available in the CUG (PDF format only).

ASAQS offices refurbished
The offices in Howick Gardens have recently been refurbished and will be "opened" by the President on the 26th March. We will be posting photographs of the event on our website at the end of the month and also hope to bring you a short interview with the newly-appointed executive director at that time.

Meeting Killers
35 Surefire Ways to Kill a Meeting
(©www.projectmagazine.com)

TIME TO START THINKING ABOUT THE ICEC WORLD CONGRESS

The Place: Cape Town, South Africa
The Date: 17th-21st April 2004
The Theme: Value Beyond Cost

Presented by:
The Association of South African Quantity Surveyors
and
The Cost Engineering Association of South Africa

Click here to remain updated!

SEEN ON OUR WEBSITE

In the Classifieds:

Quantity Surveror
I have a full time position based in Fourways, Gauteng, with a really super company. The company will also look at a candidate who has possibly had to take early retirement but who can still add value to the industry.Price:
R240K
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Seen on the ASAQS Calendar:
Event: Project Management Demystified - NQF Level 4
Date: 17-18 March 2003
Time: 8:15 AM - 4:30 PM
Information: This course will be held on the 17-18 March 2003 at the Centurion Lake Hotel, Centurion.
For more info contact Terry Deacon at 082 557 3119

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Sumanda van der Walt
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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

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