In the recent budget announcement, South African Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana committed R943.8 billion to Public infrastructure in South Africa over the next three years. This investment is poised to rejuvenate and expand the nation’s infrastructure, with allocations of R486.1 billion from state-owned enterprises, R224.8 billion from provincial and national governments, and R213.8 billion from municipalities. Key focus areas include energy, water and sanitation, transport, digital infrastructure, human settlements, and agriculture. The government’s strategy includes a transformative approach to infrastructure financing and delivery, emphasising public-private partnerships (PPP) and innovative institutional frameworks to attract private investment. A consolidated entity will streamline the financing, preparation, and execution of large projects, collaborating directly with private financial institutions and various governmental bodies.
Coen Naicker, Divisional Director at Enza Construction, along with Civils Contracts Directors Riaz Cassoojee, Ian Ferguson, and new team member John Hopewell, shared key insights into the company’s future, outlining an optimistic long-term outlook. Together, they provided a comprehensive overview of the civil engineering industry and Enza Civils’ strategic direction, highlighting the company’s readiness to tackle the nation’s infrastructure demands.
Tackling Water Challenges
Starting with the water challenges in Public infrastructure in South Africa, Coen discussed the ambitious Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP), which involves the construction of the Polihali dam and the connecting tunnel to the Katse dam.
“The LHWP is a monumental endeavour, aiming to create a reservoir on the Senqu and Khubelu rivers to bolster South Africa’s water supply from the Katse Dam to the Integrated Vaal River System, serving Gauteng and its neighbouring regions,” he explains. “Given Lesotho’s limited resources for such a project, much of the needed expertise and materials must be sourced from South Africa and abroad, including Europe and China.”
As part of the LHWP, numerous bridges are being constructed to maintain road access, particularly where existing low-level bridges will be submerged once the Polihali Dam is operational. Among these, the Senqu Bridge project stands out, stretching 825 meters in length and reaching a height of 90 meters. Awarded in August 2022, the construction contract for this bridge was granted to the WRES joint venture (JV), consisting of Webuild S.p.A, a prominent Italian construction firm, in collaboration with South Africa’s Raubex Construction, Lesotho’s Sigma Construction, and Enza Construction.
Roads and Infrastructure Development
The imperative of maintaining and enhancing South Africa’s road network is widely recognised, with SANRAL embarking on numerous projects, including the upgrade of the N2 / N3 freeways in KZN. While some projects are already in progress, others are yet to be put out for tender.
In October 2016, seven construction sector companies entered into an agreement called the Voluntary Rebuilding Programme (VRP) to drive transformation in the industry. This initiative entails mentoring and nurturing smaller contractors while contributing to a construction fund for socio-economic development, as part of an industry settlement agreement with the government.
Under the VRP, Raubex committed to mentoring two partners, one of which was Enza Civils, with the objective of helping them reach 25% of Raubex’s South African turnover.
Coen elaborates on the collaboration with Raubex, stating, “Through our partnership, we have successfully completed three road rehabilitation projects in Kimberley, the Bakwena Platinum Corridor Upgrade, which added 32km of carriageway, and the widening of the N4 bridge over the Crocodile River to accommodate a dual carriageway. Additionally, we undertook a 30km partial upgrade of the R23 national road near Standerton in Mpumalanga. This included the construction of 4km of dual carriageway, a pedestrian crossing, traffic circles, and the completion of six bridges and sections of the R23 highway, with the project being delivered on 26 April 2023.”
Riaz, Contracts Director for the project, notes, “Upon commencing work in 2021, we were advised that this project might face challenges due to community concerns. However, SANRAL’s protocol mandated the initial three months of the contract to engage with the community and establish liaison structures. We prioritised transparency and local resourcing wherever feasible, fostering a positive working relationship with the community.”
