FNB investing R28m in CBD
FIRST National Bank (FNB) is investing a further R28m in Johannesburg's central business district (CBD) through the development of a parkade on the corner of Pritchard and Sauer Streets. This is a boost for the drive to save the city centre from decay.
(©www.bday.co.za)

R630m prestige building project starts
More than 80% of the 150 apartments in the new Michelangelo Towers, in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, have already been sold, despite the 25-month lead time for the development’s construction.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

JCCI calls for halt to Gautrain project
The Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) renewed a call for the multi-billion rand Gautrain rapid rail project to be halted, to allow further substantive research into its feasibility, the chamber said in a statement on Tuesday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Joburg pursues several growth catalysts
Johannesburg metro authorities have identified several ‘catalytic sectoral projects’ to spur economic growth and development in the city, and have established a team of project managers to drive the initiatives.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Deal signed for Big Bay project's first phase
A R50m contract has been signed for the first phase of civil work on the city's R2bn Big Bay project at Bloubergstrand. The contract was awarded to Power Construction by Rabcav, the Cape Town city council development facilitators formed by a consortium of the Rabie and Cavcor property groups. The total cost for civil work on the contract is expected to amount to R100m.
(©www.bday.co.za)

DBSA to assist in financing of Sasol pipeline
THE construction of the 865km long natural gas pipeline from Temane in Mozambique to Sasol's Secunda plant in Mpumalanga is now being supported by a 12-month R550m bridge facility.The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has agreed to provide the facility, allowing the Sasol Natural Gas Project to meet its financing objectives until long-term financing facilities has been secured.
(©www.bday.co.za)

PPC complains about Spoornet
SA's largest cement company PPC has given government kudos for its apparent improved ability to deliver on infrastructure promises. In the same breath, though, state rail utility Spoornet was criticised again for damaging SA business through its inefficiency.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Northern Cape offers example for peers
SOMETIMES, being forgotten may be the key to success. Northern Cape has been showing up repeatedly at the top of the pile of national statistics. For the second year running, it topped the matric standings, with the highest percentage of passes. It was also bottom of the road-deaths toll.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Public works could work for SA
FORMAL sector employment turned the tide in a modest way last year, with job numbers showing an increase for the first time in years. Although SA's economic growth rate may not be shooting the lights out, solid but steady growth is beginning to yield benefits on the employment front.
(©www.bday.co.za)

A-Prop on lookout for prospective partners
ARNOLD Property Fund (A-Prop) was on the lookout for an opportunity a merger or an acquisition which would boost its critical mass and also reduce its high gearing levels, said the group's executive director Raoul Kaplan. The group is trading under a cautionary notice, which is expected to produce one of the biggest deals in the listed property sector of the JSE Securities Exchange SA this year.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Bateman has plans for a Coega in the Congo
SA ENGINEERING and project facilitation group Bateman is working on an ambitious plan to build another Coega in Democratic Republic of Congo. The group, which delisted least year and now forms part of the operations of Geneva-based entrepreneur Beny Steinmetz, is working on a number of industrial operations in the Congo, which would use the hydro electric power potential of the Congo river.
(©www.bday.co.za)

LNM offers new carrot to Iscor's shareholders
London-based global steel group LNM last night offered a new carrot to institutional shareholders in SA's largest steel producer Iscor.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Iscor may double Saldanha output
state of the economy and on global demand. However, Van Niekerk pointed to the increased demand for steel in China. Saldanha produces a highgrade, ultra-thin type of steel that can be used in the automotive industry. Iscor's major shareholder, the LNM group, is one of the biggest suppliers of steel to the automotive industry, and would be well placed to supply state-ofthe-art production technology to assist Saldanha enter new markets in the automotive sector.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA stainless steel prices rise 6,4% following review
South Africans can expect to pay about 6,4% more for stainless steel as of this month, Engineering News Online can report. The country’s primary stainless steel producer, Columbus Stainless announced the increase – on base grade 304 material and similar increases to most other grades – following a review of prices at the end of 2002.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Activities expanded by steel fabricator
Family-owned steel fabrication company the Cosira Group, in the last six months, has expanded its activities to now offer three facets of the steel fabrication industry to the market. The three business units that comprise Cosira include Cosira International South Africa, Cosira Projects and Cosira Caplan.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

SA experiencing a brain gain
Compared with Zimbabwe, which has lost thousands of professionals in an unprecedented skills exodus, labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana said South Africa was experiencing a "brain gain". Mdladlana said most people leaving the country were white professionals.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

SA plays part in global space project
South Africa’s Hartebeeshoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO) played a crucial role in the global CONT 02 space geodesy programme late last year.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

South Africa to be technology innovator by 2014
The aerospace industry has been identified for inclusion in the National Advanced Manufacturing and Logistics Technology Strategy (NAMLTS), a government initiative designed to provide a stimulus for South Africa’s manufacturing sector to become globally competitive.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

New committee to focus on increasing technical skills
In efforts to guide the development of the steel construction industry, the South African Institute of Steel Construction (SAISC) established a steel contractors’ working committee in November last year.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Back to Index

Judging a book by its cover
Signage — the first shopping center component that meets the customer's eye — is among the most critical tools in successful marketing. As such, it should be a priority when planning property upgrades on any scale. Even the most sophisticated modernizations fall short if the signage has not been updated adequately. And for low-budget improvements, signage can play a central role.
(©shoppingcenterworld.com)

Nestlé zooms in on pet food market
Global food group Nestlé has big plans for the pet food market in SA and the rest of Africa.With only 20% of SA's 7-million dogs being fed food from commercial sources like Nestlé's Epol and Husky brands, the group saw an opportunity to grow its presence in this market.Nestlé Purina MD Dave Parker said the big challenge for the group was to create a market where one did not exist.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Nkomazi to get new shopping centre
NEW Africa Developments, in partnership with black-owned company Roux Property Developments Africa, will be establishing another shopping centre for the Nkomazi area in Mpumalanga. A sod-turning ceremony was held to break ground for the R30m Matsamo Plaza last week.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Homechoice warns of unimpressive results
A persuasive circular sent out by Homechoice Holdings ahead of its meeting tomorrow to vote on proposals to delist the group warns of looming losses for the full year to December 2002 and the possibility of requiring further provisions against bad debts.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Spar continues aggressive growth strategy
Durban - The Spar Group, which has the largest number of food stores in the country and is the third-biggest food retailer with a 25.6 percent market share, plans to open 55 stores this year.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Back to Index

OBITUARY
BASIL CROWNGOLD
It is with deep regret that SAFCEC has learnt of the death of Basil Crowngold, a former SAFCEC President, on 9 December 2002 in Plettenberg Bay. Mr Crowngold was born on 20 March 1923 and obtained his BSc Civil Engineering at Natal University in 1948. After working for Lewis Construction and McCarthy Contractors, he established Dura Foundation Co in 1953 (now Dura Piling, a division of Grinaker-LTA). He was a member of the SAFCEC Executive Committee for 15 years, and served as President from 1971 – 1973. SAFCEC extends its deepest sympathies to Basil’s wife Joan.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

THE SAFCEC LOGO
Travelling around the country it is amazing to see the different versions of the SAFCEC logo that appear on construction site notice boards. Some are upside down; some have colours that are not in any rainbow known to physics and some look as thought they have been drawn freehand by a five year-old.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

NEW REGULATIONS - IMMIGRATION ACT
The new regulations under the Immigration Act were promulgated on 6 December 2002 and will come into effect on 12 March 2003. A brief description of the regulations and their likely consequences (prepared by Mr Vic Esselaar) is attached as Member Organisation Circular No. 192A/02. This document has also been circulated to the members of the Standing Committee on Social Policy. The BSA Task Group on Migration is to meet on 7 January 2003 to discuss the regulations and also the question of business representation on the Immigration Board. To read the description, click here.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

Back to Index

Exports earn Algeria state-run oil company $18-billion in 2002
Algeria's state-run Sonatrach oil company earned 18 billion dollars from exports in 2002, up slightly from the previous year
(©www.bday.co.za)

African ministers, OECD to hold development talks
Finance and planning ministers from 11 African countries are to hold talks with the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) .
(©www.bday.co.za)

Mugabe says he would be foolhardy to step down
ZIMBABWEAN President Robert Mugabe said yesterday he would be foolhardy to step down, in his first public reaction to reports of a plan to force him out of office. "Only a few months ago, the people elected me to serve them, and it will be absolutely counter- revolutionary and foolhardy for me to step down," he said.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Zimbabwe tobacco production to fall by 50 percent
Harare - Production of Zimbabwe's key foreign currency earner, tobacco, is expected to decline by around half in comparison with the quantity produced last year, according to a crop report received by AFP Thursday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

African farmers hope to get feet in Agoa's door
Kampala and Nairobi - In a former warehouse in Kampala, young women pedal sewing machines, ply needle and thread and cut cloth to make garments for export to the US. In the Ugandan capital they are called the "Agoa Girls" - 600 once desperately poor, unemployed, rural women who now have jobs making clothing to adorn the world's most powerful nation.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

IMF arrives in Kenya to discuss resumption of aid
Nairobi - A high-level team of International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday for meetings with Kenyan officials which is expected to lead to a resumption of lending to the east African country, the finance ministry said. The IMF suspended aid to Kenya in January 2001 because of concerns about corruption and mismanagement.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Coca-Cola invests $8.2m in Kenya project
Nairobi - US multinational Coca-Cola has invested 639.6 million Kenyan shillings ($8.2 million) in facilities to manufacture a new non-carbonated fruit drink in Kenya, a company official said on Tuesday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Central African Republic is haven to blood diamond trade
Nairobi - Smugglers are using the Central African Republic (CAR) to get illicit diamonds out of the continent's conflict zones, according to a report released Monday. The report says the extra diamonds likely come from conflict zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which shares a lengthy border with CAR.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Back to Index

Platinum empowerment deal signed
South African Two Rivers Platinum announced today that it had signed a memorandum of understanding to sell 25% of the company to a black economic empowerment (BEE) consortium, following a year’s discussions.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Steel giant keen to participate in iron-ore expansion
South Africa’s biggest steelmaker, Iscor, has already giving its former sister company, Kumba Resource, notice that it would like to participate in any of its expansion plans, as it will begin running short of iron-ore from next year.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Columbian coal mine boosts sales
Colombian coal producer, El Cerrejon, will boost exports to $600-million in 2003 from $540-million last year and hopes to invest $500-million to increase production to 28-million tons a year by 2007, the company's president said yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

DRD to report using US Gaap
South Africa’s fourth largest gold producer will be converting its accounting standards from South African (SA) generally accepted accounting practice (Gaap) to US Gaap for all its financial reporting from now on.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Europe approves De Beers’ marketing strategy
The Diamond Trading Company (DTC) – the sorting, sales and marketing arm of the De Beers Group of companies – has announced that the European Commission yesterday confirmed that it has adopted a favourable position on the DTC's Supplier of Choice strategy.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

GFMS survey sees gold price averaging $330/oz
The gold price is expected to average $330/oz in the first half of 2003, but a lengthy war in Iraq could easily drive the market over $370, Gold Fields Mineral Services (GFMS) said in a gold survey update yesterday.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Impala plans R200m project to boost its refining capacity
World number-two platinum-groups metals (PGM) producer Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats) plans to spend about R200-million over the next two years or so at its refinery at Springs, on the East Rand, in a development aimed at increasing capacity from 1,5-million ounces of platinum a year to two-million ounces.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Chile runs with bioleaching ball
Bioleaching, the process that uses bacteria to help extract metal from ore, and which was perfected in South Africa, now seems set to be taken into the twenty-first century through the exploitation of the dramatic advances in genetics, but in Chile, not South Africa.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Back to Index

Affordable housing market gets boost
Gauteng launches fund to attract private sector cash to aid low-income earners by providing guarantees.
(©www.bday.co.za)

The real keys to good security
The desire for increased security and personal safety is still a major motivation for the purchase of homes in sectional title schemes and 'gated' communities.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Harbour Island maintains cracking pace
Sales at the Cape's unique Harbour Island marina development in Gordon's Bay set a blistering pace over the Christmas and year-end holiday period.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Port Shepstone
Sound value for money is the key to the current demand for residential properties in and around Port Shepstone, where the take-up of home across the whole price spectrum from R50 000 to R1-million has increased significantly in the past 12 months.
(©www.property24.co.za)

New homes in: George
Several new developments are under way in George to help meet the strong demand for residential properties in the southern Cape town.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Home ownership the best move for newlyweds
Even a modest wedding reception today costs thousands of rands. And then, after the last guests have departed, the happy young couple start scrimping and saving to put together the deposit on their first home.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Back to Index

SPREADING THE WORD ON SELF-CONSOLIDATING CONCRETE
A family of versatile, cement particle-dispersing admixtures is rapidly changing concrete plant and field...
(©concreteproducts.com)

BONDS
Bonds are a useful means of creating financial security for the Employer for a Contractor`s failure to perform. The type of bond chosen will dictate whether the Employer indeed has security which is of any practical value, or whether it simply provides him with an expensive and time consuming legal remedy.
(©www.surveyorplus.co.uk)

Probing the Great Pyramid’s Secrets
What lies beyond the door in the shaft leading from the Queen’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid of Giza? This was the mystery that remained unsolved as the world held its collective breath on 17 September 2002 while a robotic "Pyramid Rover" drilled through a stone door in the shaft to reveal…. another door!
(©www.projectpro.co.za)

Back to Index

Slimmed down, shaped up Telkom is ready to list
Goal to cut costs and increase profit achieved.FINAL results before Telkom hits the stock market in its long-awaited listing show the parastatal has slimmed down and shaped up, recording R18,3bn in revenue and turning in a net profit of R644m for the six months ended September.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Back to Index

Food prices set to remain high despite strong rand
Falling maize price not yet influential Agriculture Correspondent CONSUMERS will have to wait until April to see what effects the lower maize prices, quoted on the SA Futures Exchange (Safex), and the stronger rand will have on retail prices of staple foods.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Rand 40% undervalued - index
The Economist magazine's Big Mac index has shown that the rand is 40% under-valued compared to the dollar.
(©www.news24.com)

Saambou claims 'incorrect'
The South African Reserve Bank says it is unaware of any circumstances that could be perceived as money laundering by Saambou.
(©www.news24.com)

Gold price hits 6-year high
London - Gold climbed to its highest since March 1997 on Friday as nervous investors digested the discovery of a cache of empty chemical warheads in Iraq.
(©www.news24.com)

PROPERTY INVESTMENT FUNDAMENTALS.
This quarterly report probes the macro fundamentals driving the property market – in particular the relationship between interest rates and the property market vis-à-vis monetary policy.

Download this special JHI report in pdf format by clicking here.
(©www.jhi.co.za)

Latvian National Project Management Association
in co-operation with the University of Latvia organises international project management conference
Latvia on the way to project - oriented organization
on February of 22nd , 2003.
It will be 5th international conference organized by LNPMA. Managers of enterprises, governmental and self governmental institutions, representatives from investment funds and credit institutions, as well as project managers, consultants and students are invited to participate in the conference.
More information about the Congress is available on the website http://www.lnpva.lv/conference/eng/par.htm. It includes a registration form for participants.

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

Albert Yiu Kwok
January Nale
Elbie van Helsdingen

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.

Back to Index