Construction World February 2016

The project is a good fit within with Aveng Grinaker-LTA’s growing portfolio of coastal projects, some of the most significant being the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Memorial Hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, the exten- sion to the Cape Town International Convention Centre and Aspen Pharmacare’s manufacturing facility in Port Elizabeth. The site was handed over to Aveng Grinaker- LTA’s Coastal division on 2 November 2015 and is scheduled to be completed by 15 November 2016. Aveng Grinaker-LTA offers multidisciplinary services across the construction and engineering value chain to its clients in South Africa, Mozam- bique, Mauritius and other selected markets in the rest of Africa. It offers a range of standalone or integrated services which range frombuilding, civil engineering and earthworks, to mechanical and electrical engineering. CONTRACT FOR UCT HOUSING Aveng Grinaker-LTA has recently been awarded a contract worth R165-million for the construction of a 602 unit, seven storey student boarding house and three levels of basement parking. The site is within walking distance of the University of Cape Town and the new accommodation is specifically targeted at students enrolled at the University. >

ABOVE: Phase I was handed over to the building contractor with the Rivonia Road face complete and rock profile exposed on the West Street face. BELOW: Stepped platforms over the Gautrain servitude.

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has also been key in the efficient running of the business. “Each of Franki’s divisions, big businesses in their own right, is run autono- mously by experienced and highly competent managers and, of course, with them its busi- ness as usual. From a central management point of view Errol is an ideal replacement for me. Apart from his immense experience in the field, he and I share the same fundamental views in terms of how a business should be managed,” McLintock says. Braithwaite is ‘delighted to be back’ after having previously been at Franki from 1996 to 2000 as a senior design engineer. He says Franki Africa is stronger, more focused and better equipped in skills and machinery than when he left in 2000. “I appreciate the informal yet disciplined management style which shuns micromanagement and espouses the adage ‘empowerment with accounta- bility’, a concept which says it all,” he says. Braithwaite is aware that he takes over the reins at Franki at a difficult time in the global economy in general and the South African economy in particular but, while recognising the stiff challenges ahead, is in no way pessimistic about the future. “Firstly we are now part of the Keller group, the world’s largest independent geotechnical

and the first hand-over date was 8 May 2015 with final completion set for 9 October 2015. However during November 2014 an industry shortage of strand for the manu- facture of anchors resulted in a three-week delay to operations on the critical path of the programme. The client elected to pay for the importation of strand from the USA to mitigate any further delays and this was procured over the December break. “On our return in early January, the anchor supplier had received the material and had sufficient stock for the anchoring works to recommence. An extension of three weeks was granted, with the revised final contract hand-over date now agreed to be 31st October 2015,” concluded Alves. Changing of the guard Meanwhile there has been a changing of the guard at Franki Africa with Errol Braithwaite taking over from Roy McLintock as managing director. “It’s been a very smooth transition. The company has firm foundations of good people, sound financial management and world class technologies and runs like a well- oiled machine,” Braithwaite says. McLintock, who retired at the end of last year, says that decentralising operations

engineering contractor. This means we have access to a range of technology, information and skills, which not only enables us to offer cost effective alternatives using state-of- the-art technology, it also puts us in a unique position in our industry throughout Africa,” he concludes.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD FEBRUARY 2016