Cheaper buildings, poorer quality
THE increasing emphasis on price and fast delivery in the built environment is threatening quality and safety says, Bill Copeland, director of consulting group Binnington Copeland and Associates. Copeland says there has been a visible lowering of standards in the construction industry over the years, which can be linked to fast tracking of construction and budgets that are too low for the job in hand.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Building of $28m fibreoptic plant put on hold
CAPE TOWN A plan to build a 28m environmentally sensitive fibreoptic plant in Somerset West is on hold because AECI, which owns the land for which plans were drawn up, has decided not to sell it to the developers.
(©www.bday.co.za)

New plans to develop foreshore sites in Cape Town
The property arm of Transnet, Propnet, has plans to develop the foreshore of Cape Town that are designed to increase an already booming tourism industry, and boost the infrastructure of the historic Tavern of the Seas.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Mondi SA's R2bn move not small beer for KwaZulu
MONDI SA's R2bn investment to expand its Richards Bay paper mill is relatively small beer in the context of the diversified resources group's global operation, adding revenues of about $58m over four years to a firm that reported sales of more than $20bn last year.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Remedy sought for broken promises
A lawyer seeks legislation to hold developers responsible for their predevelopment promises to small tenants. CAPE TOWN lawyer Reid Corin is taking the fight against the abuse of small commercial tenants to another level by calling for legislative framework that will guard against unfair trade practices in tenant/landlord relations.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Woman contractor finishes revamp
PUBLIC Works Minister Stella Sigcau yesterday paid an inspection visit to Johannesburg's Leeuwkop Prison where a R19m revamp project by a black woman contractor has just been completed. The project by Stephina Lindiwe Moloko of LS Construction is one of more than 75 projects amounting to about R188m which the public works department has awarded to women-owned enterprises.
(©www.bday.co.za)

More jobs created than shed last year
Johannesburg - Big business, the government and parastatals created rather than shed jobs for the first time in five years in 2002 - but four out of 10 South Africans still cannot find work or have given up looking.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Concor linked to Zambian deportation of competitor
A battle over a stone quarry seemingly in the middle of nowhere has seen a real-life David having to defeat his Goliath, again and again.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Cape and Gencor settle asbestos claims but take no responsibility
Cape Town - While South Africans afflicted with asbestos-related diseases will get some money from mine owners to compensate them for their losses and suffering, there are no winners.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

Overstretched municipalities fail in mission says think tank
Report casts harsh light on claims that government is closer to the people. GOVERNMENT's plan to make municipalities a key player in service delivery is foundering because of the inability of small councils to fulfil their mandate, says a Johannesburg think tank.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Putco plans move into other fields
PUTCO Properties is looking to diversify its interests through further investment in industrial, commercial and residential property development projects. This emerged from the group's interim financial statement for the six months ended December released yesterday.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Masonite dividend waived on volatile rand, global unease
DURBAN Industrial construction and building materials group Masonite (Africa) has blamed the volatile rand and uncertainties surrounding the war in Iraq for waiving its annual dividend to shareholders.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA property firm in bid to list in Namibia
WINDHOEK An SA property company, Cupar Holdings, has applied to have its shares listed on the Namibian Stock Exchange. The exchange's corporate communications manager, Jerome Kisting, confirmed that Cupar had applied to list and the application would be considered "shortly".
(©www.bday.co.za)

Petrol-driven horses' planned for Gosforth
HORSEPOWER will return to Gosforth Park in August this year. This will be in the form of petrol-driven horses oval-track racing cars, dragsters, motocross motorcycles and quads. The horse racing facilities have been bought for R18,5m by a consortium consisting of former powerboat racer Peter Lindenberg, V8 specialist Jimmy Price, Colin Lazarus the well-known Jaguar-Land Rover-Ford franchisee, long-time motor enthusiast Don Panoz and Jan Johnston, wearing the marketing hat.
(©www.bday.co.za)

A triple tale of empowerment with very different endings
Success and partial success of MTN and Johnnic respectively, and Nail failure, exemplify other efforts to date. THE history of black economic empowerment in SA so far can be crystallised in the stories of three high-profile, emblematic efforts an outright success, a partial success and a disaster.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Richtersvelders win victory in land rights battle
Court finds they are entitled to restitution Sapa BLOEMFONTEIN The Richtersveld community has scored a victory in a legal battle to regain their rights to a diamondrich stretch of land along SA's west coast that is now being mined by Alexkor.
(©www.bday.co.za)

ApexHi drops Fairvest assets bid
PROPERTY loan stock company ApexHi Properties has dropped its bid to take out the assets of Fairvest Property Holdings. ApexHi withdrew the cautionary relating to the proposed Fairvest transaction and said it was now looking to acquire a small portion of properties in the Fairvest portfolio.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Paramount to phase out debentures after tough market hits distribution
THE use of B debentures to grow the property portfolio of Paramount Property Fund has backfired, contributing to the reduction of the group's distribution this year.As a result, the group has taken a decision to discontinue the issue of these B debentures. "We have now taken a decision that these B debentures will be phased out in future," says MD Rodney Squire-Howe.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Fitch upgrades Sappi’s ratings
International rating agency Fitch Ratings has upgraded Sappi Limited's short- and long-term national ratings to 'F1+(zaf)' and 'AA-(zaf)' (AA minus) respectively.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Region’s chemicals export market worth $3,8-billion
South Africa accounts for more than half of the Southern African Development Com- munity’s (SADC) chemicals market. A new Internet-based database on Southern African markets, Chemissa, reveals that South Africa is the dominant importer, producer and consumer of chemicals in the region.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

SA corporate world increasingly renting its computer needs
Information technology (IT) trends and technological platforms are ever-changing, prompting companies to revisit their IT spending and opt for solutions that will manage IT obsolescence cycles, which are shortening at a fast rate.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Trend to outsource printing departments is on the rise
As South African companies become larger as a result of acquisitions and mergers, it has become imperative to outsource in-house printing departments, says Laser Facilities GM Konni Hoferichter.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Regrouped company takes on new strategy
Sulphuric acid and sulphur-based chemicals manufacturer and distributor Chemical Initiatives is doing things smarter, reports MD Steve Sackett. A subsidiary of Chemserve, the company is identifying new markets and is stripping costs out of its supply chain.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Research project under way for safer plastics manufacturing
A research project on a new effluent-free process of pro- ducing hydrotalcite from magnesite in South Africa is under way. Hydrotalcite is an additive to plastics and is intended to replace toxic heavy-metal salts currently used as heat stabilisers in plastics manufacturing.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

New outsourcing pattern emerging in labour market
A new trend has emerged in the labour market involving the deployment of professional employer organisations (PEOs) that are replacing labour broking and contracting.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Farmers strike ‘red gold’ in Namaqualand
Fifty-five small-scale farmers have struck ‘red gold’ in Namaqualand, in the Northern Cape Province. Not only have they been allocated ten hectares of land each for the cultivation of red paprika, but the Northern Cape provincial government has invested R17-million (a 25% shareholding) in a state-of-the-art paprika factory on their behalf. The R55-million factory, a joint venture between the Northern Cape government, Gili Greenworld and Haymake Investments, was opened in Springbok on March 6 by premier of the province Manne Dipico.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

San to benefit from medicinal plant
THE spiny hoodia plant hardly looks like a star attraction. Although the knee-high succulent has for generations been prized by the Kalahari San for its medicinal properties, it only recently drew the attention of the outside world.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Simulator will train marine pilots
DURBAN The Port Academy of SA has commissioned a R10m shiphandling simulator for its Durban training centre in a bid to alleviate the shortage of marine pilots and tugmasters along the coastline.
(©www.bday.co.za)

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Shoprite to build centre in Khayelitsha
SHOPRITE Checkers Properties is to undertake a R25m retail development in Khayelitsha, a black township outside Cape Town.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Edcon ruling bolsters case for merger guidelines
THE Competition Act defines a merger as "when one or more firms directly or indirectly acquire or establish direct or indirect control over the whole or part of the business of another firm".
(©www.bday.co.za)

RAG's case brings shortcomings in liquidation industry into focus
NOW why would three senior executives of FirstRand want to avoid being interrogated during the inquiry into collapsed Retail Apparel Group (RAG)? Theunie Lategan (CEO FNB Corporate), Ferdie Swanepoel (head of credit) and Inus du Preez (senior recoveries manager) have asked the Durban High Court to instruct the commissioner to hand them the questions they're likely to be asked in advance, and to run the inquiry (set down for April 29) in a fair and unbiased manner.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Wooltru's winding down waits on CNA resolution
Cape Town - Wooltru would not be able to wind down its major remaining assets until there was resolution on the liquidation of CNA, the retail investment company said on Wednesday.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

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CPAF INDICES – FEBRUARY 2003
The CPAF Indices for February 2003 have been published by the STATSSA and an amended schedule is attached to this Newsletter. Click here for the schedule.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

EARNINGS THRESHOLD
Attached please find Government Notice 356 of 14 March 2003, which raises the BCEA section 6(3) income threshold, from R89 455 to R115 572. In terms of clause 2(2) of the Sectoral Determination 2; Civil Engineering Sector, South Africa employees who earn above this amount are excluded from the provisions of clauses 8 to 14 of the Determination relating to ordinary hours of work, overtime & payment for overtime, meal intervals, daily and weekly rest periods. The new threshold applies from 24 March 2003.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

SARF COURSE ON CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION
The SA Road Federation is holding a three-day course on the preparation of contract documentation and administration of engineering contracts, from 9 to 11 June 2003, in Midrand, particularly aimed at engineers with 3 to 5 years post-graduate experience.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

OHS COMPLIANCE
Limited spaces are available on a two-day course being held by the Construction Resource Development Centre in Pinetown from 8 to 9 April 2003 on Scaffolding Safety and Inspection.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

STUDENTS VACATION WORK
The CETA and the Civil engineering Education, Training and Development Foundation have offered a number of bursaries to civil engineering students for 2003. These students will require vacation work in terms of their agreements and they will also require mentors. The students are of all races and both sexes and will attend universities in Gauteng, Natal and the Cape.
(©www.safcec.org.za)

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Zim needs to export 840,000-1.3m maize
Zimbabwe needs to import up to 1.3 million tons of maize in its upcoming marketing year due to a poor harvest and stock levels to meet the pre-harvest deficit.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Eskom confident Zim will settle arrears
Eskom is confident that Zimbabwe will settle its electricity arrears.
(©www.bday.co.za)

New Maputo port deal to boost SA exports
IN A move that could boost exports from SA, the Mozambican government yesterday finalised a concession agreement that would see a private sector consortium managing the country's Maputo port for the next 15 years.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Amzim changes corporate map
Zimbabwean mining company Anglo American Corporation Zimbabwe's (Amzim's) $3,9m divestiture exercise has accelerated black economic empowerment.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Scramble for Botswana's bond
Investors expressed their unwavering confidence in Botswana's economy as they scrambled for the country's trail-blazing five-year bond.
(©www.bday.co.za)

SA group wins Nigerian contract
DireqLearn wins a R15m contract to provide 35 Nigerian schools with Internet access and educational content and to train teachers.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Big textile investment push into Lesotho
Lesotho’s textile industry is one of the most lucrative business sectors in that African country, according to Andrew Gibbs, research intern at the University of Natal’s Centre for Civil Society.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

Maputo port set for $70m upgrade
The Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC) plans to invest $70-million over the next three years to restore and modernise Maputo’s harbour.
(©www.engineeringnews.co.za)

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Implats strike to cost R139m
Progress has been made to resolve the nine-and-a-half day Impala Platinum (Implats) illegal strike, in which some 18 000 of its 28 000 employees have been involved, but the cost to attributable income has been calculated at R139-million.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Moving the goalposts
Royalties are worse than expected and could mean further erosion of mining margins.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Anglo ups Kumba stake to 20.1%
Commodity giant Anglo American (AGL) has upped its stake in South African mining company Kumba Resources (KMB) to 20.1% .
(©www.bday.co.za)

Chemserve delisting may be delayed
It seems that minority shareholders in Chemserve may have to wait a while longer before parent AECI makes an offer to take them out.
(©www.bday.co.za)

IDC to have its say in Anglo-Kumba hearing
After more than a month’s deliberation, the Competition Appeal Court ruled earlier today that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) would be permitted to intervene in the Competition Tribunal hearing into Anglo American’s acquisition of iron-ore interests.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Push on to change SA’s gold-ownership rules
Whereas South Africa may be the biggest producer of gold in the world, its citizens are by law prohibited from owning minted gold bars, thanks to outdated regulations that industry experts would like to see changed.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Fears expressed that SA is losing out in illegal tiger’s-eye trade
There are concerns in the small Northern Cape town of Prieska that millions of rands worth of tiger’s-eye gemstones may be leaving South Africa illegally.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

New mineral-property valuation code emerging
South Africa could have its own code for the valuation of mineral properties by the beginning of next year, reports the University of the Witwatersrand School of Mining Engineering’s Alastair Macfarlane.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Resources giant to strengthen diamond business
Resources giant BHP Billiton has adopted a multipronged approach to growing its diamond business to take advantage of a 2%-to-3%-a-year increase in demand, which should buoy up prices for many years to come, given that supply levels are unlikely to change any time soon.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Canada invests R4bn-plus into SA’s mining industry
Canadians, who have shown a keen interest in South Africa’s mining industry since the country’s democratisation in 1994, have accelerated the pace of investment in this country since the proposed ‘use-it-or-lose-it’ legislation began featuring strongly, Mining Weekly can today report.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Local mining operations are now attempting to keep the noise down
Noise mitigation has proved to be a crucial consideration at a number of mining operations. Some years ago, acoustic and environmental consultant Environmental Impact Consultants (EIC) was involved in noise mitigation for one of Richards Bay Minerals’ (RBM) operations.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Research body is enhancing its simulation software
Earlier this month, the second version of simulation software for underground ventilation networks was released by CSIR Miningtek and Bluhm Burton Engineering (BBE).
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

JP Morgan ups long-term platinum price to $540/oz
Platinum prices are expected to remain strong due to slower than expected supply growth from the world's biggest producer Angloplat, and to robust demand, JP Morgan said in report.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Another gold beneficiation offset in offing
Aerospace company BAE Systems-Saab together with its partners, Harmony and Mintek, will launch another national industrial participation (NIP) project on Sunday, in the Free State Gold Fields.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Explorer calls for new gold-prospecting push
Aerospace company BAE Systems-Saab together with its partners, Harmony and Mintek, will launch another national industrial participation (NIP) project on Sunday, in the Free State Gold Fields.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

Royalty Bill discriminates against diamonds - De Beers
Diamond giant De Beers believes that the proposed royalty of eight per cent on gross sales of rough diamonds in South African is discriminatory when compared with the other proposed royalty rates.
(©www.miningweekly.co.za)

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Purchase of home loan books pays off for FNB
FNB Home Loans' purchases of the NBS and Saambou home loans books last year have delivered better than expected benefits for the bank, which has retained the customers it acquired and is seeing strong new business growth.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Cricket cup pays off in property sales
The cricket may be over, but the ICC Cricket World Cup is still delivering on its promise of creating positive exposure for South Africa, as real estate companies process millions of rands worth of sales generated during property exhibitions held to coincide with the competition.
(©www.property24.co.za)

HOA rights and powers
Unlike the body corporate of a sectional title scheme, the home owners' association (HOA) in a cluster, estate or other gated development does not have legislation or prescribed management rules to guide its actions.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Pitfalls for private sellers
Many homeowners believe they can sell their own property - until they start investigating what it really takes to achieve a successful sale.
(©www.property24.co.za)

International firm buys SA originators
International financial services company LoanLink has moved into the South African mortgage origination industry by acquiring a controlling stake in Wizard Financial Services and 100 percent of Quantro Home Loans for an undisclosed sum.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Spotlight on: Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom is experiencing a real estate 'rush' and estate agents in the North West town are battling to accommodate an influx of new residents as the stock of homes for sale or to let dwindles rapidly and prices rocket.
(©www.property24.co.za)

Tip of the week
Conveyancer’s fees may be debited to the home loan account, provided that this will not cause the loan amount to exceed 100% of the property’s assessed value.
(©www.property24.co.za)

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A real cool sound
After years of study, thermo-acoustics — using sound as a cooling agent — may finally move out of the research lab and into actual use.
(©www.bdcmag.com)

GOLD COAST PAVILION

A pristine pavilion in the wilds of Queensland, Australia embodies a number precedents from the Modern Movement that coalesce to form a comfortable retreat. Designed for a ballet teacher and artist who lives with her husband and mother, the so-called Gold Coast House accommodates many different activities in a relatively compact 4,500 square feet (500 square meters).

(©www.architectureweek.com)

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JSE opens flat in sluggish trade
The JSE opened flat on Friday in an extremely quiet market.
(©www.bday.co.za)

Sanlam ends uncertainty
The announcement of the appointment of Santam CEO Johan van Zyl as the new head of Sanlam ends months of uncertainty and speculation about the company's future.
(©www.news24.com)

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Gauteng budget boosts growth
THE recently released Gauteng provincial budget (2003-2004) is an expansionary budget which moves from the position that the macro-fundamentals in the province have been consolidated.
(©www.bday.co.za)

JSE sinks under the weight of platinum
Johannesburg - Platinum counters on the JSE Securities Exchange took another beating yesterday as the index plunged more than 5.2 percent because of a stronger rand and negative sentiment towards local mines because of the Mineral and Petroleum Royalty.
(©www.busrep.co.za)

We'd rather go to court - Tito
SARB's govenor Tito Mboweni says the Reserve Bank will not release the report on Saambou, and that if the DA and Business Day "felt aggrieved" they should appeal to the courts.
(©www.news24.com)

Gauteng comes out tops
Gauteng received nearly twice the number of foreign tourists than the Western Cape in 2002 according to preliminary figures released by Environment and Tourism Minister Mohammed Valli Moosa.
(©www.news24.com)

Opening of ASAQS offices in Midrand
Mr. Des Linder, the president of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, opened the newly refurbished offices of ASAQS on Wednesday. Mr. Linder also paid tribute to a number of individuals who have had close ties with the association during the past.

Click here to view photographs of the event

Managing Project Duration
The Vaal Colloquium this month publishes three clauses in the CUG they suggest could assist the quantity surveyor to effectively manage project duration. Please take some time to think about their suggestions and use the reply form to let them have your input.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO CUG MEMBERS
All CUG members have to update their passwords on Tuesday during normal office hours - failing to do so may result in them losing their access to the Closed User Group after midnight on that day.

Failure to upgrade will unfortunately also require users to go through a tedious re-registration process.

Mr. Sloof Lirpa, the newly appointed IT director at ASAQS has requested members to immediately upgrade their CUG passwords. He says: "Passwords were previously based on a combination of the acronym "QS" and the members' ASAQS member-number. This has led to a certain amount of confusion and with the installation of the new "Triton" security system at the recently opened ASAQS headquarters it has now become imperative that this situation be addressed."

PLEASE CLICK HERE to read the procedure to be followed

Seen on Classifieds:

Are you a dynamic young QS?
We are looking for a recently qualified quantity surveyor for our Vanderbijlpark office. The successful applicant will get experience in petro-chemical and civils contracts. This is a rare opportunity for a self-motivated individual with an eye on the future.
Tel: 016-9813021

QS Position
Davis Langdon Farrow Laing is looking for a qualified QS for its Pretoria office. Experience from one year to eight years required (4 positions available)
T el:012 - 342 2733

Construction QS
Aylesford & Aston, a property development/construction company is looking for a QS with 3-5 years experience. The position is for a construction QS to handle tenders, cost reports and final accounts with domestic sub-contractors. We are a multi-facet company and therefore offer growth and experience in various facets of the construction industry.

Browse to Classifieds for full details

Remember: Visit the ASAQS website for new updates!

We currently have more than 900 access accounts to the CUG!
New members to the CUG

Klinton Pretorius
Jan Fourie
Koos Klopper
Victor Samwinga (from the UK)
Walter Visagie
Koenraad Pretorius

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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