Leads 2 Business Blog

20 Oct 2023

Featured Tender: Upgrading of Rail System at the Spilway in Port Mathurin, Rodrigues

by Michelle Ngubo | posted in: Featured Tender | 0

Mauritius – DTA 990891

Contract Number:

MPA587/2023 – Mauritius Ports Authority

Description:

The Mauritius Ports Authority is inviting bids from local bidders for the Contract MPA 587/2023 – Upgrading of Rail System at the Slipway in Port Mathurin, Rodrigues as more fully described in the bidding document. Bidding exercise shall be conducted through the Open National Bidding method according to the procurement rules and regulations issued by the Procurement Policy Office. The objective of this project is to replace the standard rails to ensure the continuity of operations along the slipway. Scope of the Works The scope of works comprises the following inter-alia: (a) Supply, Installation and Commissioning of the standard rails to match the existing ones on the slipway; (b) Supply and Installation of all accessories and fittings as per the manufacturer’s recommendations for the rails to be supplied; (c) Temporary demobilization of the existing metal cradle system during the period when upgrading works will be implemented; (d) Dismantling of the existing Standard rails and fittings and handover the dismantled rails to the Employer; (e) Installation of the new rail system complete with all accessories and fittings, all as per the manufacturer’s recommendations; (f) Re-commissioning of the existing metal cradle system onto the new rails to ensure the proper functioning of the upgraded facility; etc

Category	Industry
Infrastructure, Plant & Machinery	Transport Terminal, Road
Region	Site Inspection
Mauritius	View More Details
Closing Date	Contract Period
24 October 2023 at 15:00 (Local Time)	No Details

Please visit Leads 2 Business for more information on this Tender Notice.
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To view more Featured Tenders, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Michelle Ngubo

I have been working at L2B since March 2014 and my current position is Tenders Africa Deputy HOD and Classy is the best word that describes me.

2 Jun 2023

Featured Tender: Construction of Lityeni to Tyiweni Access Road (Ward 14)

by Nazeema Sishi | posted in: Featured Tender | 0

Eastern Cape – DTA 971186

Contract Number:

PSJLM-MIG-2023/24-02 – Port St Johns Municipality

Description:

Bids are invited for the Construction of Lityeni to Tyiweni Access Road (Ward 14).

Category	Industry
Infrastructure	Road
Region	Site Inspection
Port St Johns	2023-06-07 9:00 AM
Closing Date	Contract Period
29 June 2023 at 11:00	No details

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.

15 Sep 2021

Featured Company: Safety Cart

by Elaine Cockcroft | posted in: Featured Company | 0

Read about who’s who in the Industry:

This week we are featuring Safety Cart, based in Krugersdorp, Gauteng. They specialise in the manufacturing of road signage and the supply of road safety products as well as various commercial and private signage solutions on many different types of media.

Safety Cart

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Elaine Cockcroft

I started working at Leads 2 Business in January 2016 and form part of the sales team as Account Executive based in Gauteng.

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23 Jun 2021

Featured Company: Heintzmann Road Safety (Pty) Ltd

by Shanna Knezovich | posted in: Featured Company | 0

Read about who’s who in the Industry:

This week we are featuring Heintzmann Road Safety (Pty) Ltd based in Krugersdorp, Gauteng. Read all about the Company here…

heintzmann

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.

26 Nov 2020

Weird & Wacky Road Signs

by Debbie Wessels | posted in: General | 1

What would we do without road signs? I would get lost, very lost (although I have managed to do that even with road signs helping me along), who actually thinks about road signs? They are just an accepted norm, you drive along, you look for the sign that indicates how fast you allowed to go, you approaching a town…..where are we? Need to take the next turn after the white house, next to the elephant waterhole by the spaza shop….you look for a road sign as confirmation that you are heading in the right direction. Who invented them? What purpose do they serve (besides the obvious)?

According to most accounts available, the Romans were the first to invent road signs which were milestones, and they were used by ancient Romans in the Bronze Age. The very first road in Rome was the Via Appia, or also known as the Appian Way. This road was built in 312 B.C. At regular road intervals, milestones were placed, and these often stated who was in charge of the maintenance of that road portion and as well as the completed repairs. The Romans also built mile markers at intersections to specify the distance to Rome. I wonder if that is the origin of the saying….” all roads lead to Rome”?

The first modern road signs erected on a wide scale were designed for riders of high or “ordinary” bicycles in the late 1870s and early 1880s. Cycling organisations began to put up signs that warned of potential hazards ahead (particularly steep hills), rather than merely giving distance or directions to places, thereby contributing the sign type that defines “modern” traffic signs. In 1686, the first known Traffic Regulation Act in Europe was established by King Peter II of Portugal. This act ensures the placement of priority signs in the narrowest streets of Lisbon, stating which traffic should back up to give way. One of these signs still exists at Salvador street, in the neighbourhood of Alfama.

Eventually, with traffic on the roads increasing all the time, some form of standardisation regarding road signs was needed and after some debate, it was agreed on some distinct shapes to be used for various situations. The shapes were as follows:
Round: Railroad crossing warning
Octagon: To stop
Diamond: To show that precautions need to be taken in a specific area
Square: To show some care needs to be taken occasionally
Rectangular: For directional or regulation information
Star-Shaped: A unique shape used to mark highways
In Britain, before the 1950s, road signs were a disaster. It took graphic designers Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert to create standard and easy-to-read road signs. After testing different versions, they created new signs based on the European standard that triangular signs warn, circles command and rectangles provide information. They used drawings or pictograms more than words as a picture can convey a message a lot quicker than words. These pictograms have resulted in some hilarious road signs.

Turning left is usually a straightforward affair, but not at this intersection. You’ll first need to turn right and then go left. But be careful not to get confused, as you shouldn’t block the intersection, either.

Photo by Flickr user Paul Heaberlin

This sign is probably warning motorcyclists about an upcoming downhill turn, but it really just looks like a kid showing off on a rainbow.

Defensive Driving

Buzz Nicked

I had the opportunity to visit the beautiful country Namibia a few years ago and the images below are some of the pictograms we photographed:

Sources:
Did you Know Cars
Degemill
Wikipedia

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About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

25 Jun 2020

N2 Wild Coast Road

by Tara Hutton | posted in: Construction Chat | 4

“Take a walk on the wild side” or drive or ride, whatever blows your hair back.

The Wild Coast, the southern tip of KZN and north of the Eastern Cape, a stunning, almost untouched, part of the country, and because of the lack of road access, it is also one of the poorest areas in South Africa. The development of a new road system would benefit the area to encourage tourism and to allow the area open to economic opportunities. However, the environmental aspect needs to be fully considered and there has been public participation in making a decision over several years.

As of May 2019, a project had been opened to upgrade the surface of 15km of the Road DR08046, which is a portion of the Wild Coast Meander. As at the 14^th of May 2020, the current status is underway.

The positive is always moving forward and reaching out to those in need. However, the world has suffered quite a dramatic change of viewpoint recently, so would reaching out to those in need by constructing a road for growth be beneficial? Or would it be best to leave them untouched?

The Negative and Interference

In 2018 the villagers of Pondoland had pleaded for the new road to not to take place, as it would destroy their land and their way of life. They are the people of this land and they have spoken up.

In 2019 there was a write up in the Moneyweb: “Engineers leave SA due to ‘construction mafia’”. Projects are compromised with illegal site disruptions. These illegal site disruptions caused some listed construction companies to withdraw from parts of the N2 Wild Coast Road Construction, due to fearing for the safety of their employees.

This is what makes me feel torn. There is always positive with every negative and vice versa. Growth and infrastructure are what people want and need. Millions are poured into beautiful places so that the whole world can visit and the local community can benefit. Yet it is the beautiful and untouched places that get destroyed by too many people. The simpler things in life aren’t so simple anymore. Do we need to have every corner of our planet touched and modernised and built up?

I’ve given the facts, but my gut is saying leave it “WILD”, leave it as it is because it is just that, BEAUTIFUL and untouched, with infrastructure and upgrading the beauty will be taken away and we’ll be left with yet another oversaturated tourist attraction.

The project is on the way, let’s hope that all the positives come out from this:

The people get what they need, the wildlife remains “untouched” and wild. The land remains a well sufficient and working ecosystem even with the interference of people. And education of the area to form respect for the land.

To view these tenders and projects in full, one needs to be subscribed to our website, contact us for further details: www.L2B.co.za

Projects available to view on L2B website regarding the N2 Toll are;

N2 Toll – Mtentu Bridge
N2 Toll – Msikaba Bridge
N2 Toll – North & South Haul Roads

Recent Tenders available on L2B:

N2 Wild Coast toll highway Section 20 between the Lingeni intersection km 1540 and..
N2 Wild Coast Highway Section 20 between the Msikaba River Bridge and the Mtentu River Bridge
Msikaba River Bridge On The N2 Wild Coast Toll Road
N2 Wild Coast Toll Road Supply Of Crushed Rock Material
N2 Wild Coast Toll Highway Section 21 between Kulumbe Village km 2150 and the Mtamvuna.
N2 Wild Coast Toll Highway Section 19 between Ndwalane km 7560 and Ntafufu km 922.

I think back to Ballito in the late ‘80s early ‘90s and look at the bustling metropolis it is today. Yes, it provides work and community, wow has it grown! Even in two years since the road access from Zululand to Maputo in Mozambique has opened up access and work for the local community. The tourists seem to be visiting Ponto d’Oura and Malangane less which means the Vendor market has changed. Maybe for the better, it is still something to consider.

What does your gut feel?

Sources:
L2B
Moneyweb

About Tara Hutton

My employment at Leads 2 Business commenced in January 2010, where for two years I worked in the Directory Department establishing a better understanding of construction and where Leads 2 Business fitted in. In February 2012, I moved to the Accounts department where I have been looking after accounts queries and anything related to accounts since then. I have been told by many that I’m resilient, yet caring individual and good to have on “their” side. Calm under pressure, which is quite useful in my line of work. I am proud and honoured to be part of the L2B mothership adding my bit to the greater good. Should you require more information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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11 Jun 2020

South Africa’s First Plastic Road

by Mareez Herselman | posted in: Construction Chat | 2

The moment I heard of South Africa’s first plastic road, I was extremely inquisitive about the research and input it took to pull this type of project off successfully. I can tell you, personally, I was not disappointed by the difference this could make to the future of our South African roads.

Shisalanga managing director, Donavan Deane Koekemoer stated that this tackles two of South Africa’s biggest problems. One of which is damaged roads and the other is recycling plastic waste. In one of the reports found on Averda, quoted “The unfortunate condition of many of our primary and secondary roads demands an immediate and long-lasting solution. The citizens who use these roads to get to school, work and clinics every day deserve safe roads that are well-maintained,” says Koekemoer. “On the other end of the scale, there is an urgent need to recycle plastic waste in South Africa, to minimise the waste ending up in landfill sites, and to reduce other environmental threats,” he adds. Koekemoer also said that the company would expand the use of this plastic-based road throughout South Africa.

The road was successfully paved by a company named Shisalanga Construction, a subsidiary of road construction company Raubex Group and officially put to use in March 2020. The road consists out of 3 million plastic bags. 1 km of the road makes use of 1,8 Million single-use bags. The plastic-asphalt mix used to make the road is more durable, less prone to potholes and more heat resistant than tar. This way of paving roads is also much cheaper to maintain than normal tarred roads. The Asphalt is made our of bitumen and stone, which Bitumen can be extended with recycled plastic materials, reducing the amount of fossil fuel used. The roads will eventually only be using waste from the Municipality in the area where the road is being built.

Kouga Municipality is piloting the new approach to tarring roads in partnership with MacRebur SA.
MacRebur is planning on establishing a plant in South Africa. This will be creating more Job Opportunities as well.

Sources:
News 24
Averda
Getaway
Cape Town etc
SA people

About Mareez Herselman

17 Apr 2018

Featured Tender: Rehabilitation of Road D1263 from Brits to Sonop of Approximately 15km Phase 2

by Natasha Lubbe | posted in: Featured Tender | 0

Featured Tender: Rehabilitation of Road D1263 from Brits to Sonop of Approximately 15km Phase 2

Contract Number:

PWRT115/13 – Department of Public Works and Roads

Description:

Department of Public Works and Roads Mmabatho invites tenders for Rehabilitation of Road D1263 from Brits to Sonop of Approximately 15km Phase 2.

Category

Industries

Infrastructure

Road

Region

Site Inspection

North West

25 April 2018 at 10:00 AM

Closing Date

Restrictions

11 May 2018 at 11:00

It is estimated that tenderers should have a cidb contractor grading of 8CE. Preferences are offered to tenderers who 8CE or higher. Telephonic, Telegraphic, Telex, Facsimile, Emailed and Late Tenders will not be accepted. Tenders may only be submitted on the tender documentation that is issued. Requirements for sealing, addressing, delivering, opening and assessment of Tenders are stated in the Tender Data

If you are a valued Tender subscriber, you can find more details about this Tender here
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To view more articles, please visit our blog.

About Natasha Lubbe

My name is Natasha Lubbe and I am a very Bubbly and Happy 30-year-old Mother to the Sweetest 6-year-old Little Girl. I have worked for Leads 2 Business since 04 October 2016. I really enjoy a Challenge and Love Learning new things. Feel free to call me at any time, I'd gladly assist. Nothing you wear is more important than your smile.

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25 May 2017

L2B Blog: The toll on our roads: is it fair & the impact on accidents and safety

by Sharika Raman | posted in: General | 0

The toll on our roads: is it fair & the impact on accidents and safety

Before starting the discussion if tolls are fair we need to know the following:

What are tolls?

Most roads are built with local, state or national government money raised from taxes. Tolls are like a tax that applies only to the users of the toll road. Some lanes may have people working the toll booths so that you can pay with change or cash like we usually see in South Africa.

Click here to view the source

Why have toll roads?

Roads form the main artery of economic competitiveness, growth and social development. To build roads costs billions of rands. Toll roads assist us in meeting the demands of social services, which are important for the growth of our country. Toll roads accelerate the availability of initial funding for construction, compared to traditional tax-based funding. They also make new road capacity available to motorists sooner. Toll roads, therefore, reduce the total net cost to the economy, ensuring greater opportunities for prosperity and growth.

What are my tolls used for?

The tolls collected on a specific road are used to, among other things, repay the loans obtained to finance the building, upgrading or improvement of the road. In addition, it provides a dedicated on-going revenue stream, which enables the road to be adequately maintained and improved, independent of tax –based revenues.

What do I get from using a toll road?

Toll roads are built and maintained to the highest possible standards. Because we uphold such standards, South Africa is recognised as a world leader in pavement technology.

Therefore you are ensured of a smooth ride, saving you on the running costs of your vehicle and saving you time. Improved security ensures you a safe and pleasant journey. Tolls ensure that funding is available much sooner, for adding highway capacity at the right time thereby relieving congestion, reducing losses in time and productivity.

I feel an argument coming on, does the government use this revenue wisely? Do they take the commuters using these roads daily in consideration?

If you use the tolls once in a while one might not be affected by the increase in toll fees, but if you use these daily routes to work and back, costs start adding up.

A trip from Soweto to Pretoria cost motorists an additional six percent in tolls. This is just one route‚ as the increases cover tolls across South Africa,

The Automobile Association (AA)‚ commenting on the South African National Roads Agency’s tariff increases announced unexpectedly in March 2017‚ calculated that the increase in rand terms is from R731.80 to R775.40 for a return trip between Soweto and Pretoria on a monthly basis.

Click here to view the source

Like all costs, tolls fees have to be increased as well as toll roads are constantly being upgraded, but one wrong decision made by a civil engineer and millions of rands could go to waste.

Okay, but that’s opening a whole new can of worms.

Accidents can be caused by various aspects when using roads, including bad road surfaces, bright lighting from oncoming traffic (from the not so courteous drivers), no proper barriers in place which could avoid a string of vehicles from being involved in an accident, potholes… POTHOLES!!!

Click here to view the source

Every driver’s nightmare, besides causing damage to your vehicle that can cost you thousands to repair, these tiny holes and some not so tiny, can cause truck accidents and motorcycle accidents in addition to poor road conditions that often result in serious car accident injuries.

Moreover, motorcycle drivers are at an increased risk for serious and fatal injuries due to the dangerous road conditions potholes create. When a vehicle hits a deep pothole, the impact is similar to that of a collision at 35m/ph (56.3km/ph). All motorists have a responsibility to look out for road hazards, such as potholes and drive carefully to prevent car accidents.

Yes, motorists have to do to their part concerning road safety, but the government also has to play a vital role in this.

Road safety campaigns have been implemented from their side. Is this enough? Have they drawn enough attention to these campaigns?

A key aspect of the integrated Road Safety Management Programme is increasing pedestrian safety. In planning and design, SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency) provides for interventions such as traffic calming, safe stopping areas for public transport and pedestrian bridges. The Department of Transport also engages communities adjacent to national roads to find solutions to pedestrians’ needs.

To contribute to safety on the roads, SANRAL has developed a database of projects that need to be implemented in areas that are hazardous to pedestrians. The solutions range from pedestrian bridges, pavements, road safety education and traffic calming measures.

When it comes to managing safety on freeways, SANRAL’s incident management system, supported by central coordination centres, embraces interaction between emergency services and law enforcement agencies on all declared national routes.

Be safe on the road my fellow commuters, overall we have to keep ourselves safe on the roads.

Here are a few tips to keep you and others safe when travelling,

adhere to the speed limit
avoid the use of cell phones while driving
ensure that your vehicle is roadworthy
do not cross the road where it is not safe to do so
take regular breaks
buckle up, safety belts save lives
avoid driving under the influence of alcohol

Also visit the Arrive Alive website for more safety tips, https://www.arrivealive.co.za/

Travel safely!!!

Did you Know #DYK: Interesting facts about research in South Africa

About Sharika Raman

I have worked for Leads 2 Business from January 2015. I started in the Leads 2 Quotes Department for Directory, in January 2020 I was promoted to the Deputy Head of Department for Leads 2 Quotes and in July 2021 I was promoted to the Accounts Department as a Debtors Administrator. I enjoy time with my family creating memories, I like to socialize but also enjoy time to myself so I try to keep a balance by indulging in some quiet time when I can. I see myself as a realist, amazing wife and awesome mom…I am sure my family would agree.

28 Sep 2016

By Road or by Rail ….

by Marlaine Andersen | posted in: Construction Chat, General, Uncategorized | 0

By Road or by Rail

According to Wikipedia : “Transnet Freight Rail is a South African rail transport company, formerly known as Spoornet. It was part of the South African Railways and Harbours Administration, a state-controlled organisation that employed hundreds of thousands of people for decades from the first half of the 20th century.”

Transnet Freight Rail is a freight logistics and passenger transport railway. It is the largest freight hauler in Africa.

The company comprises several businesses:
GFB Commercial (General Freight Business) – Transnet’s largest division; handles over 50% of its freight;
Coal Line, serving coal exporters on the Mpumalanga – Richards Bay line; second largest coal railway in the world, delivering 62 million tonnes of coal (also known as “Black Gold”) in the year ending 31 March 2010;
Ore Export Line – dedicated to iron ore transport on the Sishen to Saldanha line;
Luxrail – The operation of the Blue Train, which is designed as a five-star hotel on wheels.

After doing some in-depth research on this subject (thanks Google!) as why transporting of goods is currently preferred by road over rail. I managed to source the following information :

Offering greater flexibility, speed and adaptability than the alternative of rail, transporting goods between cities by road has long been the chosen mode for most industries. However, the impact of heavy vehicles on the roads is considerable and the cost of maintenance and upgrades is increasing as traffic demands grow. Whilst work on the national road network may be keeping up with the demand, not so on the provincial roads.

The benefits of shifting freight from road to rail would have other transport-related spin-offs such as reduced road congestion and accidents, and less maintenance on road surfaces. Costs, particularly for movers of bulk commodities, would also drop. Rail transport also is regarded as three to four times more efficient than road.
But whether South Africa’s rail system will cope with increased freight demand is questionable. If there was a reliable, safe, efficient, and cost-effective rail service that could meet the need of customers then goods would definitely travel by rail. But there isn’t, so that is why 80% of goods are currently transported by road for the efficiency, cost, reliability, tracking and door-to-door service.

Improving the country’s 20 247 km rail network is now a top government priority and rail volumes are expected to grow to about 350 million tonnes by 2020.
According to Transnet’s website: “ Expanding the country’s infrastructure by successfully implementing the Market Demand Strategy (MDS) will see Transnet’s revenue almost triple from R46 billion to R128 billion over the next seven years.” Transnet’s MDS is a fine-tuned strategy to expand and modernise the country’s ports, rail and pipeline infrastructure with a view to achieve a significant increase in freight volumes, particularly in commodities such as Iron Ore, Coal and Manganese over a period of seven years to promote economic growth in South Africa.

Through investment, Transnet Freight Rail will be able to optimise it’s capital portfolio, build a world-class capital execution function and leverage capital procurement and localisation. In accordance with the strategy, the company has committed itself to railing more than 350.3 million tons of cargo a year by 2018 / 2019, the financial year when the MDS will reach its maturity.

Bearing that in mind, If we do a comparison of Fleet Management tenders on our database, compared with Transnet tenders :
Currently on our database we have 11 live tenders for Fleet Management versus 40 live tenders for Transnet.

Rail vs Road…what would your choice be?

References:
http://mg.co.za/article/2015-07-17-investment-still-needed-in-transport-infrastructure
http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/transport/2015/01/27/road-is-still-king-of-freight
http://www.transnetfreightrail-tfr.net/MDS/Pages/Strategy.aspx

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transnet_Freight_Rail

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About Marlaine Andersen

Leads 2 Business Advertising Co-ordinator and Digital Designer