AA South Africa
Engineers to be deployed to flood-hit Cape
By Nthambeleni Gabara
Johannesburg - A team of experienced engineers are to be deployed to the flood-hit low lying areas of the Western Cape.
Lindiwe Msengana-Ndlela, Director General at the Department of Provincial and Local Government said the National Disaster Management Centre would deploy the team to support and advise the provincial and local government leadership.
According to reports prepared by the Western Cape Provincial Government and the City of Cape Town, about 40 000 dwellings and 18 000 people have been affected by the recent heavy rains.
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FIFA 'confident' about SA 2010
By Ndaba Dlamini
Johannesburg - FIFA is confident that South Africa's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are adequate and there is no plan to take the tournament to another country.
This was said by the Secretary-General of the world football governing body, Jerome Valcke, after a 2010 Local Organising Committee (LOC) board meeting in Johannesburg on Tuesday, according to the official website for the City of Johannesburg.
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Affordable-housing programme is maturing, but the delivery pressures are mounting
Affordable-housing programme is maturing, but the delivery pressures are mounting - The areas which were engulfed by violence and attacks on foreign nationals were in informal settlements and in hostels. These areas often experience a lack of service delivery and are where the poorest people reside. Characteristic of the violence in some areas is a lack of development, while in others there is a suspicion among some residents that they will be left out of the delivery of houses and services.”
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New Opera House plans cause uproar
New Opera House plans cause uproar - Mixed reviews about Ken Woolley's vision for a new opera theatre in Sydney Harbour [World Architecture News]
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Nearly a third of Gautrain tunnel work completed
Nearly a third of Gautrain tunnel work completed - Nearly five kilometres of the 15 km underground route of the Gautrain has been completed. [Engineering News]
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Sanitation infrastructure is underdeveloped and undermaintained
Sanitation infrastructure is underdeveloped and undermaintained - The issue of proper sanitation infrastructure in rural communities and its maintenance is still not fully addressed, Gauteng MEC Qedani Mahlangu acknowledged at the recent signing of a memorandum of agreement (MoA) between government and mining companies for the Olifants river water resources development scheme. [Engineering News]
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Property industry urged to study green-building ratings system
Property industry urged to study green-building ratings system - The South African Property Owners' Association (Sapoa) on Wednesday urged all stakeholders in the local property industry to interrogate and comment on a new soon-to-be-released green building rating system.
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Contractor showcases its 2010 construction project
Contractor showcases its 2010 construction project - JSE-listed engineering and construction group Aveng says that the upgrades of 2010 soccer World Cup stadiums it is undertaking are on track and will be completed by the scheduled deadlines. [Engineering News]
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Joburg's bus rapid-transit prototype to be unveiled near Joubert Park later this year
Joburg’s bus rapid-transit prototype to be unveiled near Joubert Park later this year - The first prototype station of Johannesburg’s new bus rapid transport (BRT) system, named Rea Vaya, or “we are moving”, will be in place near Joubert Park, in the inner-city, by September. [Engineering News]
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Construction of 2010 stadiums on track - LOC
Construction of 2010 stadiums on track - LOC - With the FIFA 2010 World Cup drawing nearer, the Local Organising Committee on Tuesday assured MPs that construction of soccer stadiums was well on schedule.
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Airport upgrades's price tag rises as building costs escalate
Airport upgrades’ price tag rises as building costs escalate - Escalating construction costs significantly impacted the infrastructure upgrades of the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa), and the envisaged spend of R19,3-billion between 2008 and 2012 had already risen by almost 14% to around R22-billion, owing largely to unprecedented inflation in building material costs.
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Backyard dweller gets a new RDP house
By Bathandwa Mbola
Johannesburg - After staying in a backyard shack for more than 30 years, Harriet Mthembu, 78, is among the 720 people taking occupation of new RDP houses in Pennyville, near Soweto.
"I could not believe my ears when officials from the department contacted me to inform me that I have been allocated a house in Pennyville.
"I am happy that finally I have a place of my own," said Ms Mthembu, adding that she had lost hope of ever getting a house.
She is among the beneficiaries who applied for RDP houses in 1996.
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Study highlights gaps in construction industry governance structures
Study highlights gaps in construction industry governance structures - A research study of board composition and governance among JSE-listed companies Board Barometer released on Wednesday, showed that the construction and building sector's boards did not measure up to those of other sectors in terms of the composition and the attitude to the governance of its boards.
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Educational initiative focuses on much-needed construction industry skills
Educational initiative focuses on much-needed construction industry skills - Go for Gold, a Western Cape educational initiative which trains and places youth from previously disadvantaged communities in key technical positions in the construction industry, has expanded to Gauteng. [Engineering News]
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Mixed-housing developer's earnings surge
Mixed-housing developer's earnings surge - AltX-listed mixed-use housing development company Calgro M3 on Monday reported an almost sevenfold increase in headline earnings a share to 30,40c a share for the year ended February 29, compared with 4,47c a share the previous year.
Headline earnings had risen by 657% to R31,5-million, compared with R4,37-million the previous year. [Engineering News]
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Basil Read buys Roadcrete Africa for R158m
Basil Read buys Roadcrete Africa for R158m - Building and civil engineering firm Basil Read has reached an agreement with Roadcrete Africa to buy that company for R157,8-million, it said on Monday.
Basil Read would make an initial cash payment of R77,2-million, followed by a payment of R47,5-million through the issue of Basil Read shares. The balance would be paid in three installments. [Engineering News]
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Eskom offers homeowners rebates for solar initiatives
By Luyanda Makapela
Johannesburg – Eskom is offering homeowners rebates of 15 to 20 percent on the cost of installing solar water-heating systems through its Solar Rebate Programme.
Homeowners can now save from about R1 860 up to R4 900 on the cost of a solar water-heating system.
These systems when installed, typically ranges from about R14 000 to about R33 000 – depending on the make and size of the geyser, type of roof and overall complexity of installation, according to Eskom’s General Manager of Demand Side Management Andrew Etzinger.
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Students construct road as part of learnership
By Luyanda Makapela
Jansenville - Students who are constructing a road as part of a learnership programme are to be visited by the Eastern Cape Transport MEC Thobile Mhlahlo.
The MEC is to inspect the progress being made on the road between Jansenville and Kliplaat as well as the how the pupils are enjoying being part of the programme.
The 54 pupils have passed the first phase of the programme which included the post planning and pre-construction of the road.
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Lonrho agrees to buy SA prefabricated building company
Lonrho agrees to buy SA prefabricated building company - Aim-listed African investment conglomerate Lonrho, on Tuesdy announced that it would acquire a 100% stake in a South African prefabricated building company, Arnott Panels, which trades as Cool Maintenance, for a total of R25-million.
Under an agreement, Lonrho would acquire an initial 51% stake for R12,75-million, and the balance in two equal portions. [Engineering News]
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Power crisis, housing development downturn slow cement market
Power crisis, housing development downturn slow cement market - The power shortages in South Africa in the first quarter of this year have resulted in a downturn in residential housing development, that has had an adverse impact on the productivity of the members of the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), reports CMA CEO John Cairns. [Engineering News]
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