South Africa’s multibillion–rand national infrastructure plan offered the only realistic short-term hope of reviving South Africa’s ailing manufacturing sector, which was unlikely to receive any relief from the troubled global economy for at least the coming three quarters. But Pan-Africa Research and Investment Services economist Dr Iraj Abedian said it was critical that implementation be visibly accelerated, or there was a real risk that the positive sentiments associated with the plan could be reversed.

Within the coming three months, about one-quarter of the Manufacturing Circle’s 49 member firms are likely to make application to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to access industrial financing available under the newly launched R5.75-billion Manufacturing Competitiveness Enhancement Programme (MCEP).

The MCEP, which was unveiled in the February Budget and formally launched by Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies on May 15, will open for applications from June 4, when an online application system is due to be operational.

The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has put out an invitation to civil engineering contractors to bid for the rehabilitation of a runway at the Cape Town International Airport.

The rehabilitation of runway 01/19 will entail the strengthening of graded strips on both sides of the runway totalling 2 368 000 m2, the application of a friction layer to the runway’s 192 000 m2 surface and improvements to its transverse slope by increasing its camber from its centerline to its shoulders.

Geotechnical and civil engineering company Esorfranki is undertaking the construction of complex subterranean service infrastructure at State-owned utility Eskom’s Kusile power station, in Mpumalanga.

The Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA) is seeing positive growth in member numbers, which has grown from 30 to 50 companies in the past year.

Construction materials group AfriSam, in January, placed an order with Austrian company Scheuch for its patented energy minimising concept (EMC) bag filter technology, which will be used in a new dust collection baghouse that is being built as part of AfriSam’s R105-million upgrade at its Ulco plant north-west of Kimberley, in the Northern Cape.

French railways solutions multinational Alstom Transport says it has integrated localisation into its global business model and that it is ready to pursue joint venture, partnerships and technology transfers in South Africa as the country prepares to make some material passenger and freight rail investments. In fact, senior VP for North Europe and South Africa Andreas Knitter has confirmed with Engineering News that localisation features prominently in its current tender submission to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), which is seeking to procure 95 electric locomotives for its general freight business unit.

The Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) is mulling possible expansions to the Gautrain system, says GMA CEO Jack van der Merwe, but will not go asking government for any project funding soon.

Case studies show that concrete is a viable option as a sustainable construction material owing to its long-term impact on the environment, its energy efficiency and its thermal mass, says Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) MD Bryan Perrie.

Business confidence in the construction industry is on the increase, which bodes well for the concrete sector, says Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) MD Bryan Perrie.