Construction World June 2021

MARKETPLACE

SA CEMENT PRODUCERS ENGAGING FOR SUSTAINABILITY T he cement industry in South Africa continues to engage government to create conditions that will sustain the sector’s local production capacity and grow market demand.

make a significant contribution to the skills needed by the construction industry to take it forward into the future,” highlights Mashau. Commencing her new role in February this year, Nontu Chiluvane is taking over from Regional Manager Trevor Griffiths. A Motheo Director, Board member and shareholder, she will head up Motheo’s presence in the KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape. Chiluvane holds a Master of Science degree in Real Estate, as well as a BSc Honours in Property Development and a BSc in Quantity Surveying. She is registered as a PrQS with the South African Council for the Quantity Surveying Profession and is currently pursuing a PhD in Construction Management. Chiluvane has a decade’s experience as Chief Director of Property Management and Social Housing at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements. She will work closely with Mashau and Griffiths, whose long tenure has coincided with the steady evolution of Motheo into a fully-fledged general contractor. “What is important is that we are leading the charge to effect meaningful transformation in what has traditionally been a male- dominated industry. Our achievements in this regard have been notable to date, and we have exciting plans to continue building on the work begun by our founder Dr. Thandi Ndlovu,” concludes Chiluvane. ▄ driving down the carbon footprint in the cement and concrete industry. He highlighted that cement imports were on the increase again, having peaked in 2014 at about 1,2-million tonnes. Importers were generally from countries which did not have a carbon tax like that which was recently applied by the South African government to local producers. Neither did the importers contribute in terms of Social and Labour Plan initiatives, as they did not conduct any mining activities locally, as well as other projects related to the upliftment of local communities. “When you have a situation where importers of cement are not subject to these added costs, it poses a threat to the viability of the local industry, and will ultimately have a negative implication on the levels of employment and social transformation,” he said. These imbalances were exacerbating the stresses arising from the country’s longest ever business cycle contraction, which had seen infrastructure spending decline and had driven some large construction companies into business rescue. The COVID-19 pandemic had then accelerated this downward trajectory, leading to dire conditions in the large civils and building industries. “It has become increasingly difficult to maintain profitability in an environment of surplus cement capacity and declining infrastructure spending by government,” he said. “The sector’s total installed capacity is currently about 20-million tonnes, with demand at only around 13-million tonnes.” Despite the poor performance of the economy, Tomes noted that the South African cement sector was continuing to improve its climate mitigation performance in terms of carbon footprint. The local industry was a global leader in developing blended cement technology, making use of waste products such as ground granulated blast furnace slag and pulverised fly ash to extend and enhance its cements. “This has allowed companies like AfriSam, for example, to achieve average emission levels in its cement production of 574 g/kg – which is well below the global average of 890 g/kg,” he said. ▄

Speaking online at the Cemtech International Cement Conference, AfriSam Marketing and Sales Executive Richard Tomes (pictured) noted that the rise in cement imports and the application of the carbon tax were among the key issues under discussion. He said that the local industry was making steady progress in its climate mitigation journey, and that South Africa was among the leading countries in

Motheo spearheads transformation in the construction industry

M otheo Construction Group, the largest black women-managed and lead construction company in South Africa, is finalising its new management structure as it strengthens its footprint in all nine provinces and diversifies into new business segments. This is on the back of 20%-a-year growth for the past five years, against a 50% decline in the construction industry during the past decade. “Despite past difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we hold a positive view of the future. I believe the Motheo story is unique in South Africa, especially in the construction industry,” comments CEO Lettie Mashau. Active in housing, general building and civils engineering, Motheo has specialist teams and companies focusing on electrical reticulation and works, water-on-demand management technology for installations and fibreoptic reticulation. Fully conversant with turnkey design and construct projects, Motheo is a participant of the Public Private Partnership that developed and manages the Department of International Relations Campus in Pretoria. In addition, it also has the flexibility to carry out developments for select clients. All of this is supported by its Academy, which hopes to partner further with the government as it drives skills development as a pillar of economic growth. “This represents a major opportunity for us to

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD JUNE 2021