20th Anniversary of the Power Group

September 2004

Another win for Power Developments – Eastern Cape Housing Developer of the Year.

Power Developments has done it again! This time the company has been lauded as the IHSA Housing Developer of the Year for the Eastern Cape region.

The Institute for Housing of South Africa bestowed the kudos on Power Developments, for its contribution in 2003 towards affordable housing during the R40 million projects at Peddie and Ugie.
In a record time of less than nine months, the company had managed to deliver homes to 664 families in Ugie and 710 in Peddie – to the same exacting standards adhered to by the rest of the Power Group of Companies.
The company was named Western Cape Housing Regional Developer in 1998, 2001 and 2003. In 1998 it won the National Award as market leader in affordable housing, and in 2002 Power Developments took Best Established Developer Award at the National Housing Awards.
Notwithstanding Power Developments’ award-winning performance in affordable housing, that side of the business now falls under Khayalethu Projects – the empowerment company formed in September 2003 to specialise in affordable housing projects nationally and in tenders on state land.
Khayalethu (meaning “Our Home”) has already proven itself as worthy successor to the Power Developments trail of tributes, while Power Developments itself is now concentrating on multi-million Rand turnkey developments such as Thesen Islands at Knysna.
Mark Julie is Managing Director of Khayalethu Projects and a director of Power Developments. He attributes Power’s exceptional performance at Ugie and Peddie to the company’s approach of “single-point responsibility”, in which the developer is accountable for the entire process – including efficient communication with all government departments and other role players.
Julie explains: “In each project we employed only a core management structure on site. About 10 staff members managed the distribution of material to builders, and maintained efficient quality control. Power Developments appointed the entire professional team and followed an integrated design process in order to maximize the funds available for the top structures in each of the two developments. We used about 311 local sub-contractors and their teams for house construction, and a total of 1 200 local labourers and artisans. In this way we created jobs, trained people, transferred skills, and ultimately empowered more than 1 500 people in the process”, he said.
Power Developments had accepted all risks in the two developments, with zero financial risk to either the Eastern Cape Provincial Housing Department or the Municipality. In both cases a Housing Support Committee was formed, consisting of Power Developments, community leaders and the Municipality. The committees met monthly to review and discuss the progress of the projects, the quality of production as well as the resolution of any problems within each project.
Other efficiencies also came into play to ensure the success of the two projects, which provide housing for those living on incomes of under R1 500 per month. Materials were of very high quality, and had been ordered in bulk from local suppliers where possible. These stocks were kept on site, eliminating unnecessary delivery delays – a further cost and time saving.
Furthermore, Power Developments had designed a unique computerised system to manage material distribution, control waste, ensure quality and speed up payment of local contractors.

About the Power Group

The Cape-based Power Group of Companies was formed by Graham Power in 1983. It is a dynamic conglomerate providing a comprehensive range of civil engineering, blacktop paving, manufacturing and township development services.

Steady growth over the past 21 years has seen the Group expand its operations into a number of different specialist companies. Whilst focusing on their own core strengths, these companies nevertheless share the Power vision, mission and values and operate in accordance with The Power Ways – a set of benchmarks that govern the ethics, performance and quality of each company within the Group.
Today many of these companies are joint ventures or Black Economic Empowerment enterprises, each the product of Power Group’s commitment to upliftment and empowerment.
September 2004
PMR Corporate Care Survey - 2004

PMR.Intelligence has completed its annual survey of companies, government (national, provincial and local) and NGOs in South Africa perceived to enhance stability, growth and economic development in SA through their corporate care programmes and initiatives. The results are planned for publication in the November 2004 issue of PMR.

In each of the pre-defined sectors below, corporate/government initiatives were nominated and then rated by appropriate senior management of financial services, listed and unlisted companies, trade unions, SOEs, stockbroking firms, government (national, provincial and local) and business associations. The survey was conducted nationally.

21 sectors were surveyed namely:

Automotive	Media owners
Banking	Mining
Beverages	National government
Cellphone service providers	NGOs
Chemicals, oils & plastics	Paper/forestry
Construction	Pharmaceutical
Education	Provincial government
Food	Retail
Hotels & leisure	SOEs
Insurance/assurance
IT
Local government