10 Interesting Facts about the Eastern Cape

1) Established:
The Eastern Cape was established on the 27th April 1994, before this it was part of the Cape Province. The areas that were taken from the Cape Province to create the Eastern Cape are Transkei, Ciskei and the Eastern portion of the Cape Province.

2) Consists of:
The Eastern Cape is 170 000 Square kilometres of mountain ranges, sandy beaches and even lush forests, stretching from the Southern Drakensburg to Tsitsikamma. It boasts a coastline of 800km from Cape Francis all the way to the Wild Coast.

3) Climate:
The climate in the Eastern Cape is subtropical and is mild towards the North. With hot summers the winters are cold with snowfall towards the northern mountains. The annual precipitation increases by 550MM between Graaff-Reinet in the West and East London in the East.

4) Harbours:
The Eastern Cape is the only province that has 3 harbours, namely Port Elizabeth, East London and Ngqura. The trio of ports connects South Africa to the global economy.

5) Wild Life:
Big 5, no!  The Eastern Cape is home to the big 7, namely the Great White Shark, Southern Right Whale, Buffalo, Leopard, Elephant, Rhino and majestic Lion.

6) Adventure:
If adventure and pure adrenalin are what you are after the Bloukrans River Bridge is the place to be for the very popular bungee jumping. The bridge spans 451 meters in length and hangs 216 meters above the Bloukrans River, it is situated near Nature’s Valley and was built between 1980 and 1983 by Concor.  

7) Sport:
The Eastern Province boasts a premier rugby team namely the Isuzu Southern Kings whose home ground is the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth that is appropriately named after a local hero, icon and former president of South Africa Nelson Mandela. The Isuzu Southern Kings are one of only two teams that represent South Africa in the Guinness Pro14 tournament overseas.

8) Automotive:
The Eastern Cape is home of Volkswagen South Africa, Mercedes-Benz, Isuzu and Ford Motors. The Province manufactures 50% of the Country’s passenger vehicles and also exports 51% of the vehicles that are manufactured here.

9) Agriculture:
The Eastern Cape has fertile soil and due to this is able to produce many different products that include Fruit, Chicory, Olives, Tea, coffee and maize.

10) Icons:
Former president Nelson Mandela, Former president Thabo Mbeki, Walter Sisulu and Oliver Tambo are some of the icons that were born and bred in the Eastern Cape.

Sources:
Global Africa Network
Wikipedia
South African Hotels
Wikipedia EC
IOL
Wikipedia Bloukrans
Visit Eastern Cape
Britannica
Wiki


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About Karen Garner-Savory

I started working at Leads 2 Business in May 2009, and have served as Head of Department of Telesales and Administration from 2010 until the present. I oversee both the Telesales department as well as the Administration of our Johannesburg Office.

OPINION: SA’s construction sector is in ICU. Here’s how government can help

Like most sectors of the economy, the South African construction sector has been struggling prior to the lockdown instituted by government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. This restriction on almost of all projects further pushed already struggling construction companies down the cliff.

All comes against the backdrop of well-known industry issues such as declining government infrastructure spend poor payment practices within sector’s supply chains and more importantly, the broken industry operating model that is no longer fit for purpose.

This declining trend in public infrastructure spend is largely due to municipalities and state-owned companies substantially reducing their spending over the past few years. Transnet, Eskom and several major state-owned companies have struggled to access capital markets to finance capital projects and infrastructure programmes.

Most municipalities have been consistently underspending on conditional infrastructure grants and are they are not collecting enough revenues to finance their capital budgets. The same trend is visible in infrastructure spending as a percentage of GDP. Government can change this.

For instance, without even lifting a finger, the government can consider practical and actionable strategies already presented and tabled by the industry.

In response to Covid-19, the construction sector has since formed a Construction Sector Covid-19 Task Team, currently comprised of over 30 organisations representing major suppliers, contractors, regulators, professional associations and built environment professional services firms. This Task Team has since worked with government to develop an industry-specific Covid-19 Construction Health & Safety Protocol. Furthermore, the Task Team has submitted a comprehensive short to medium term plan government of actionable reforms to help the sector recover.

This initiative shows that the construction sector is already working together to respond to the impact of the Covid-19 and ensure sustainability of the industry over the coming weeks and months, as well as to enable it to play a full part in South Africa’s economic recovery as the global search for vaccine progresses.

However, the sector also needs support and a clear commitment from government expedite various infrastructure policy reforms.

1. A predictable and reliable long-term infrastructure pipeline

A forward-looking pipeline of planned projects and programmes of economic and social infrastructure is urgently required to help construction companies understand which infrastructure investments government is currently prioritising. By publishing the pipeline, the government will help provide visibility, knowledge and understanding of where infrastructure investment is being made and by whom. Publishing projections of longer-term infrastructure investment will boost market confidence and will help the sector with business planning. This is important because the 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (SIPs) which were coordinated by the Presidential Coordinating Infrastructure Commission established during the Zuma administration lacked transparency and to this day no one has a clue about their progress. The recent announcement that the Presidency will host the inaugural Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium is a step in the right direction.

2. A single government body to coordinate infrastructure planning

The government should establish under the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure an infrastructure planning and coordinating body that will combine fragmented efforts and infrastructure related work currently done in different government departments. The Budget Facility for Infrastructure within Treasury, the GTAC Capital Projects Unit, the Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission within Trade, Industry and Economic Development, the Public-Private Partnerships Unit within Treasury and ultimately the newly established Presidential Office for Investment and Infrastructure led by Dr.Kgosientsho Ramokgopa should all be merged into a single entity will coordinate all infrastructure planning and coordinating efforts of national, provincial, local government and major state-owned enterprises. This has obvious benefits for the sector. The current level of fragmentation is problematic and wasteful. The lack of transparency by DBSA on the R100bn Infrastructure Fund is also concerning.

3. The use of innovative infrastructure procurement delivery methods

Government should also commit to moving away from the unsustainable transactional and cost-driven procurement of infrastructure and instead embrace the creation of value-driven, collaborative procurement methods that can deliver investment programmes that secure the outcomes demanded by clients and the public. The use of alliance contracting, integrated project delivery and design-build procurement could help address the gaps and failures presented by the current traditional construction procurement delivery approach.

The myth that lowest cost equals best value only survives because of the lack of best value options to compare it with. Furthermore, the processes of designing infrastructure, obtaining tenders, administering contracts and dealing with claims all incur transaction costs, management costs and overheads down the supply chain. These costs are embedded in every price submitted by tenderers and in the final price paid by the owner. The construction industry shows little interest in measuring these costs in a consistent manner and this lack of transparency. Government can change this.

South Africa needs high performing infrastructure. Without it we have little hope of improving the productivity of our economy. Without an improvement in productivity, we will not be able to secure the quality of life demanded by our growing population. Yet the model we use to deliver and operate much of our infrastructure is broken. Too often it produces assets and networks that are expensive, perform poorly and fail to exploit the advances in technology that are transforming other industries. Too often the supply chain that delivers our infrastructure seems locked into a cycle of low margins, low investment and dysfunctional relationships. Covid-19 has presented our government with an opportunity to change this.

By Mr, Ronnie Siphika is the Chief Executive at Construction Management Foundation and member in the Construction Sector Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Team.

Source


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About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Featured Tender: Proposal for the Panel of Service Providers (Consulting Engineers and Contractor) for the Planning, Design and Construction of WSIG (Using a turnkey strategy)

Featured Tender: Eastern Cape

Contract Number:

ANDM/IDMSWSA/148/04/05/20 – Alfred Nzo District Municipality

Description:

Alfred Nzo District Municipality (ANDM) is inviting all suitable Qualified and Experienced Professional Service Providers to submit bids for the following projects: Proposal for the Panel of Service Providers (Consulting Engineers and Contractor) for the Planning, Design and Construction of WSIG (Using a turnkey strategy).

Category Industry
Consultants, Infrastructure Water
Region Site Inspection
Eastern Cape NB: There will be no compulsory briefing
Closing Date Contract Period
23 June 2020 at 10:00 No details

 


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About Nazeema Sishi

I am a content researcher who just started with Leads 2 Business in February this year, I work in the Daily Tenders South Africa department. I am a young vibrant lady who enjoys meeting new people and doing new things. I welcome challenges and always find new ways of doing things. I am a mum and I love spending time with my not so little, very talkative son.

NHBRC regional offices to resume, satellites phased in

 

While the National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) provincial offices will resume full service operations next Monday, 8 June, satellite offices will be phased in gradually.

The satellite offices are in Tzaneen, Witbank, Bethlehem, Thulamela, Mafikeng, Klerksdorp and Newcastle.

Developers, contractors, home builders and housing consumers, who need to interact with the NHBRC, are urged to only visit offices when it is absolutely necessary for the collection of certificates (i.e. registration and enrolment) and to complete technical assessments.

“We further encourage those who need to submit necessary supporting documents to do so from the safety of their homes or offices via our new emailing list,” read the statement.

The new emailing list is:

1. Gauteng: GP-online@nhbrc.org.za

2. Western Cape: WC-online@nhbrc.org.za

3. Eastern Cape: EC-online@nhbrc.org.za

4. Free State: FS-online@nhbrc.org.za

5. North West: NW-online@nhbrc.org.za

6. Limpopo: LP-online@nhbrc.org.za

7. Mpumalanga: MP-online@nhbrc.org.za

8. KwaZulu-Natal: KZN-online@nhbrc.org.za

9. Northern Cape: NC-online@nhbrc.org.za

The NHBRC said each of its offices has established a Covid-19 task team to ensure the continued safety of employees and customers. The council urged all those visiting its offices to cooperate with the measures put in place.

“As an agency of the Department of Human Settlements, we support all the national Covid-19 interventions aimed at providing citizens with dignified accommodation and access to clean water, thus contributing to reducing the risks of infection associated with overcrowding,” said the building council.

Source


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About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Featured Company: Afrimat (Pty) Ltd

 

Who’s who in your Industry?

This week we are featuring Afrimat (Pty) Ltd, North Cluster – Gauteng, KZN and Free State. Davin Giles is the Managing Director for Afrimat North Cluster and you can read what he has to say here…

Afrimat

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About Shanna Knezovich

I started my journey with Leads 2 Business in 2013 as an Account Co-Ordinator. I transitioned into an External Sales position as an Account Executive in 2015. I help professionals within the building & construction industry keep up to date with the latest project and tender information as well as source new business opportunities throughout Africa.

Featured Project: East London Beachfront Precinct

Eastern Cape

Description
Construction of the proposed new East London Beachfront Precinct, Court Crescent. The scope of work for this project is as follows: Construction of new facilities comprising of an Information Centre and Ablutions, Hawker Stalls, Amphitheatre, Planters, Seating Areas, Water Feature and Drinking Fountains. There is also electrical and mechanical installation, associated site works such as retaining walls, walkways, steps, platforms, water, sewerage, stormwater reticulation and the refurbishment of existing structures. Estimated Contract Value: R87 000 000.00. -33.0132059, 27.920364999999947

 

Status Region
Underway East London
Category Value
Building R61 Million – R100 Million
Industry Timing
Hospitality & Leisure January 2020 – June 2021 (18 Months)
Sector Class
Public Open Tender

 


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Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Activation plans for the Construction Industry post COVID-19

At the end of April, the Construction COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Team (CC19RRTT) submitted proposal medium-term plans for the development and construction industry post-COVID-19.

Below is a synopsis of the proposal. The full proposal document is available below.

Short-term interventions include re-activation of construction sites and processes with a focus on health and safety measures to assist the safeguarding of construction workers and suppliers.

Medium and longer-term interventions are required to support the built environment and construction sectors to ensure contributions to economic recovery and growth.

The Public Infrastructure builds, together with private sector investment, plays a key role in creating employment opportunities in the sector and its regulation determines the successes or failures of the Built Environment sector.

The property development sector, both private and public, is responsible for fixed capital investment that addresses both social and market needs and, importantly, reflects medium-to-long term confidence in the future of the country.

Government contributes towards public infrastructure builds and regulates the sector through various entities, guidelines and provisions which play a key role in creating employment opportunities in the sector.

The Covid-19 situation happened at a time when the entire building industry was in a crisis, bringing focus and urgency to the need to review some of the regulatory framework and procurement environment for which Government is responsible.

More than two-thirds of any development process is currently being spent on obtaining statutory approvals, twice as long, if not longer than it takes to construct a typical development. Construction can only commence once statutory approvals are in place. If one were to support the construction industry, one cannot but address duplication of statutory processes and delays in the statutory approval phase of a project. Such delays also inhibit any national economic turnaround.

The submission is structured along with the following main themes:

  1. The need for the alignment and merging of all statutory approval processes into a single application process.

  2. The empowerment of qualified and registered design professionals to self-certify their work, or alternatively peer certification on a rotational basis.

  3. Restructuring of public procurement processes under the guidance of the quantity surveying, architectural and engineering professions who are responsible for procurement processes in the private sector daily noting the need to acknowledge the broad intent of the current PFMA & MFMA’s. The shortcomings of these policies in the procurement of professional services also should be acknowledged and reviewed.

  4. Establishing a supply chain environment which differentiates between the procurement of goods and procurement of professional services.

  5. Creating a regulatory framework which supports the industry to be sustainable rather than contribute to its collapse.

  6. Increase public-private partnerships for the provision of infrastructure projects.

  7. Facilitation of development finance to ensure that more projects get to the bankable feasibility stage.

The medium-term plan calls for a fundamental change in government and public engagement in order for more construction projects can take place, thereby delivering all the benefits that the construction industry can achieve as an economic multiplier in terms of creating employment ultimately resulting in the recovery and the future of the country.

The construction industry is paramount in achieving any future economic growth and the proposed plan will most certainly assist in its activation post-COVID-19.

The Full Proposal Document

cc19rrtt_medium_term_proposa

Source: ASAQS


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Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Leads 2 Business Weekly Quote

posted in: General 0

The Significance of Sustainability: “What’s the use of a fine house if you haven’t got a tolerable planet to put it on?” Henry Thoreau


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Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Reach out if you want to talk: L2B, social media, construction, technology, marriage, parenting, popular culture and travel. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

Featured Tender: Consultancy Services for Undertaking Feasibility Study, Detailed Engineering Design, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Preparation of Tender Documents for Upgrading of Nangurukuru – Liwale Road Section (230 Km) to Bitumen Standard

Featured Tender: Tanzania

Contract Number:

AE/001/2019-20/HQ/C/55 – Tanzania National Roads Agency

Description:

This invitation for expression of interest follows the General Procurement Notice (GPN) which appeared in Daily News Issue no. N/A dated 26/09/2019. The Government of the United Republic of Tanzania has set aside funds for the operation of the Tanzania National Roads Agency – HQ during the financial year 2019/20. It is intended that part of the proceeds of the fund will be used to cover eligible payment under the contract for the Consultancy Services for Undertaking Feasibility Study, Detailed Engineering Design, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Preparation of Tender Documents for Upgrading of Nangurukuru – Liwale Road Section (230 Km) to Bitumen Standard. The Tanzania National Roads Agency – HQ now invites eligible Firms to indicate their interest in providing the services which include Consultancy Services for Undertaking Feasibility Study, Detailed Engineering Design, Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and Preparation of Tender Documents for Upgrading of Nangurukuru – Liwale Road Section (230 Km) to Bitumen Standard

Category Industry
Consultants Institutional
Region Site Inspection
Tanzania No Details
Closing Date Contract Period
22 June 2020 at 10:00 (Local Time) No details

 


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Infographic: Vendor vs Open Quotes

Use our latest infographic covering Vendors and Open Quotes to decide which is best for you.

Open Quotes vs Vendor

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Leads 2 Business Advertising Co-ordinator and Digital Designer

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