20th Anniversary of the Power Group

November 2001

Power Group Excels

Power Construction South Cape held its annual cocktail party on 22 November 2001 on the prestigious Thesen Islands Development.

The Power Group of Companies is a dynamic conglomerate, providing a comprehensive range of civil engineering, blacktop paving, manufacturing and township development services.
CEO Graham Power, thanked the company’s clients, representatives of local authorities and the community support which enables the Power Group to keep its promise of top quality service delivery.

He also thanked the South Cape team for their commitment and said that the company was very proud of the family culture within the Power Group.

“We are very fortunate that we have never needed to retrench staff in our 19 years of existence – even in the less favourable years. We are currently training and developing a new generation of leaders who will manage the company during the next decades, in line with our Hundred Year Dream”, he said.

August 2000

Professional Appointments Made – Thesen Islands


Power Construction - Lead Contractors. - Western Cape’s largest civil engineering contractor Construction of the waterways, roads, sidewalks and water & sewer systems

Chris Mulder & Associates, Inc. – Urban Design & Landscaping. Previous projects include Belvidere Estate & Kirstenbosch Gardens Project Design Co-ordination, Landscape & Urban Design and Architectural Implementation

Arcus Gibb – Lead Consultant Engineers. Gibb Africa and Arcus Engineering Consultants have merged. This first major empowerment initiative in the sector establishes Arcus Gibb as leaders of transformation. Part of the Lawgibb Group, one of the world’s leading engineering consultants. Civil, electrical and marine engineering consultants

Norman Leite & Associates – Project Managers. Previous projects include N1 City, Cape Town, Saldana Steel Accommodation Village Overall management of the project

Steele & Strong – Quantity Surveyors. Previous projects include Granger Bay Marina Residential, Offices & Villa Via Hotel, Dolphin Beach Residential & Hotel in Cape Town Estimation and supply management of materials

Nieuwoudt & Hofmeyr – Knysna Consultant Engineers. Previous projects include Belvidere Estate, Leisure Island Boat Harbour, Knysna Log Inn Internal Bridge Design

Murray & Roberts – Sub Contractor to Power Construction. Internal Bridge Construction

September 2000

WESTERN CAPE’S POWER CONSTRUCTION SCOOPS

PMR GOLDEN ARROW AWARD

Cape Town, 4 September 2000: Power Construction (West Cape) (Pty) Ltd today received the Professional Marketing Review Golden Arrow Award as the highest rated construction company in the Western Cape. It was also nominated for Golden Star Awards for the company attributes: “Quality of Workmanship”, and ”Range of Products”.
The company was rated by 90 business leaders of companies and government decision makers operating in the Western Cape, which were selected randomly from a comprehensive database.
South Africa’s largest civil engineering contractor in the field of township infrastructure, Power Construction has developed specialist expertise in the installation of civil services, roadworks, pipelines and concrete works. The company is closely linked to the labour intensive construction initiative, and to strategies for the promotion of emerging contractors.
Power Construction specialises in earthworks bulk services, road construction, pipelines and concrete works, and has established enviable track records for high quality performance, often well ahead of schedule, whatever the time constraints. This is in line with the company philosophy of commitment to “Power Ways”, a disciplined adherence to control, planning, measurement and management, which sets and ensures the achievement of exceptional standards of operational excellence, that has become the company’s competitive edge.
Recent and current major projects of Power Construction (West Cape) include 20 infrastructure contracts at the R2 billion Century City development; the Boschenmeer golf and country estate in Paarl; a seven month contract for civil works at D’Urbanvale, the 100 ha upmarket residential township development at Durbanville; the housing and office park development at Westlake, as well as the development of 2590 erven at the Bloekombos squatter community east of Kraaifontein.
Power Construction (West Cape) has good working relationships with all the SMME companies in the Western Cape, and has done Consortium and Joint Venture projects with most of them in the past.
Andre du Preez, MD of the Construction Companies in the Group said: “We are very honoured to receive this prestigious award. We have a dedicated and loyal work force who are driven by customer satisfaction, quality and adherence to contract deadlines. Our people and resources are aligned with our vision: to be the top civil contractor in the Western Cape. Everyone can buy the same equipment – it is out people that set us apart and who earned this accolade for Power Construction.”

More about the Power Group of Companies

Power Construction is a division of the Cape-based Power Group of Companies, a dynamic conglomerate providing a comprehensive range of civil engineering, blacktop paving, manufacturing and township development services. Through its unique synergy of complementary in-house services and a commitment of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), the Group has achieved unequally cost efficiency in supplying South Africa’s most vital needs – potable water, paved roads and affordable housing in fully-serviced townships.
Launched in 1983 by Executive Chairman of the Group, Graham Power, the Power Group now employs 1400 people and spans the Western, Southern and Eastern Cape. Civil engineering arms include Power Construction (West), based in Cape Town; Power Construction (East), operating from Port Elizabeth; and Power Construction (South), with offices in George.
Other divisions within the Power Group include Power Developments; Blitz Asphalt; as well as AV Mouldings.
The Group also has equal partnerships with emerging companies such as Hughmic Construction , and Sibakhulu Construction as well as a majority share in Derby Materials, suppliers of quarry products and ready mix materials, operating from Knysna, George and Plettenberg Bay.
The Power Group’s achievements have been acknowledged in several prestigious national and international awards, including the 1997 International Africa Award, presented to Power Construction in Tunis, and the Institute of Housing for South Africa (IHSA) award to Power Developments as South Africa’s Developer of the Year for 1998. In 1993 the Graham was awarded the SA Institution of Civil Engineers Award for Meritous Service for assistance rendered to small and emerging contractors in their efforts to build financial and management independence.

October 2000

Graham Power
(Uitvoerende Voorsitter van die Power Groep)
Suid-Afrika is ‘n land wat wonderlike geleenthede bied en dit is vir my en die Power groep ‘n voorreg om te help bou aan ons nuwe Suid-Afrika, ‘n land waarvoor ek baie lief is.
Ek is ‘n optimis van nature, en ek glo dat die potensiaal van die "reënboognasie" binne die volgende tien jaar volledig ontwikkel sal word. Ons het almal egter ‘n groot rol om te speel hierin en ek glo ons moet betrokke raak en daadwerklik iets doen aan die probleme waarmee ons land kampe het.
Persoonlik was emigrasie nog nooit vir my ‘n oorweging nie, selfs ons lieflike klimaat en die lewenswyse wat daarmee saamgaan is rede genoeg om hier te bly! Rugby, braavleis en sonskyn is steeds vir my ‘n goeie opsomming van die Suid-Afrikaanse lewensstyl wat my na aan die hart lê.
Van ‘n besigheidsoogpunt is dit ons maatskappy se filosofie om terug te ploeg in die gemeenskap waarbinne ons werk, en ons raak graag betrokke by die oprig van kleuterskole and ander fasiliteite in die gemeenskappe waarin ons projekte loods.
Aangesien ons werk baie arbeidsintensief is maak ons ook gebruik van sub-kontrakteurs en arbeiders vanuit die gemeenskappe waar ons elke projekte bedryf. Power projekte word tipies gedryf deur ‘n klein nukleus van senior bestuur en die oorgrote meerderheid arbeiders en sub-kontrakteurs word uit daardie gemeenskappe gewerf, opgelei en in diens geneem. By voltooing van sulke ontwikkelings- en konstruksiekontrakte word hierdie opleiding, werksondervinding en nuwe vaardighede basies in die verskillende gemeenskappe agtergelaat. Dit stel individue wat letterlik as "rou" arbeiders op projekte begin het, in staat om hul eie klein besighede te begin deur byvoorbeeld die maak van stene, konstruksie, of die lê van waterpype in die gemeenskap.
Hierdie aspek van ons werk vind ek baie bevredigend en ons is baie trots op die suksesverhale van verskeie subkontrakteurs wat na hul opleiding en onderviding gedurende kontrakwerk by Power, nou suksevolle besighede van hul eie bedryf.
Die Power groep is ook omgewingsbewus en alle ontwikkeling en konstruksie word in ‘n balans met die sensitiewe, natuurlike omgewing gedoen soos byvoorbeeld die Thesen Eiland ontwikkeling in Knysna. Dit is vir ons belangrik om nie die natuurlike omgewing te plunder nie en te sorg dat wat ons ookal bou, wel ‘n aanwins vir die natuurlike omgewing en die gemeenskap sal wees. In ons land met sy pragtige natuurskoon is dit ‘n belangrike aspek wat ons graag in ag neem.
Ten slotte, op ‘n geestelike vlak glo ek dat ek met ‘n doel hier geplaas is om die Woord uit te dra en ‘n rol te speel in die opbouing van die land en ons mense. Die Power groep gaan volgende jaar byvoorbeeld betrokke raak met die organisering van ‘n inisiatief om 50 000 gelowiges by Nuweland saam te bring waar ons deur gebed en geloof gaan poog om ons stad letterlik om te draai in die stryd teen dwelms, bendegeweld en misdaad.

October 2000

POWER DEVELOPMENTS INITIATE R60 MILLION PROJECT AS ONE OF THE WESTERN CAPE’S FIRST INSTITUTIONAL HOUSING PROJECTS
Cape Town, 26 October 2000: The Power Group today announced that its subsidiary, Power Developments has been granted a R60 million contract to develop Highbury Park in Kuilsriver, one of the first government subsidised Institutional Housing projects in the Western Cape.
This development, officially known as the Oosterberg Housing Association will provide high density, sectional title homes in a fully landscaped village environment for 1165 families who earn between R1500 as R3500 per month. The project will commence in November 2000 and will run over a period of two and a half years.
Oostenberg Housing Association is a joint venture between the government, Power Developments and Greenstart Finance, who is financing the scheme and selling the units on an installment sale basis to resident owners. The company will continue to own the property and guarantee the payment of rates and taxes for the first four years, after which the resident owner only takes transfer of the property on the first day of the fifth year. Only at this point will the government subsidy be allocated to resident owners, which turns “installment sales” into a unique educational tool that will greatly assist resident owners with the management of their financial responsibilities.
Graham Power, Executive Chairman of the Power Group said that the Higbury Park project reinforces the company’s position as the leader in affordable housing development in the province. “Power Developments is also currently busy with its first CTCHC (Cape Town Community Housing Company) contract, the R6 million Luyoloville housing project of 252 houses, and have commenced with a joint venture with Power West Cape on a R14 million turn-key development of 349 houses in the Mitchells Plain CBD. CTCHC is a private company with enormous potential and is owned by the Municipality of Cape Town and the NHFC (National Housing Finance Corporation). This is therefore an excellent opportunity for Power Developments and Power Construction to showcase the benefits of working together as a team to provide the best possible delivery rate”, he said.
Other affordable housing projects in the Power Developments stable include the development of 2300 plot-and-plan stands at Blueberry Hills (Blue Downs/Eerste River), a proposed R18,4 million development of 1000 houses in Grahamstown, as well as the development of 633 houses at DuNoon Phase 3.
Stefan Bothma, the Managing Director of Power Developments added: “At the other end of the scale, we are the proud co-developers of Thesen Islands on the Knysna Lagoon where pre-sales of R80 million have already been achieved. We are currently installing services for phase 1A which consists of 150 plots, with transfers expected from July 2001. In line with our company philosophy, we are using the local labour force and are providing jobs and skills development through the implementation of various training programmes which ultimately gives something back to the community that remains long after the completion of the project.”

More about the Power Group of Companies

Power Construction is a division of the Cape-based Power Group of Companies, a dynamic conglomerate providing a comprehensive range of civil engineering, blacktop paving, manufacturing and township development services. Through its unique synergy of complementary in-house services and a commitment of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), the Group has achieved unequally cost efficiency in supplying South Africa’s most vital needs – potable water, paved roads and affordable housing in fully-serviced townships.
Launched in 1983 by Executive Chairman of the Group, Graham Power, the Power Group now employs more than 1400 people and spans the Western, Southern and Eastern Cape. Civil engineering arms include Power Construction (West), based in Cape Town; Power Construction (East), operating from Port Elizabeth; and Power Construction (South), with offices in George.
Other divisions within the Power Group include Power Developments; Blitz Asphalt; as well as AV Mouldings and Derby Materials, suppliers of quarry products and ready mix materials, operating from Knysna and George.
The Group also has equal partnerships with emerging companies such as Hughmic Construction and Sibakhulu Construction.
The Power Group’s achievements have been acknowledged in several prestigious national and international awards, including the Professional Marketing Review’s Golden Arrow Award as the highest rated construction company in the Western Cape (September 2000). Other accolades include the Johannesburg Afrikaanse Sakekamer Junior Businessman of the Year Award to Graham Power in 1989; the 1997 International Africa Award which was presented to Power Construction in Tunis; and the Institute of Housing for South Africa (IHSA) award to Power Developments as South Africa’s Developer of the Year for 1998. In 1993 Graham Power was also awarded the SA Institution of Civil Engineers Presidents Award for Meritous Service for assistance rendered to small and emerging contractors in their efforts to build financial and management independence.

November 2000

Deputy Minister praises Thesen Islands - Very Best SA Research
On Monday a party was held on Thesen Islands to celebrate the start of construction of the re-development of Thesen Island into a marina with 19 islands. The Deputy Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Minister Ms. R.T.Mabudahfhasi opened the event after welcoming addresses by Chris Nissen, Community leader and Arcus Gibb director and Knysna Mayor, Alan Kock. Graham Power, on behalf of the Development Company, gave a brief history of the planning of the project, which was begun in 1990, and thanked all those who had been supportive, particularly the Knysna Town Council.

In her well received, passionate address, Deputy Minister Mabudahfhasi said " We stand today on the threshold of a new era in the history of Knysna. An era that will be characterised by development that is sustainable, that takes into account, very seriously, environmental concerns and the need for the future generations to also sustain themselves."

She expressed her appreciation to Thesen & Co for the "for the most responsible manner in which they conducted, supported and financed the environmental research, which probably represents the most comprehensive, professional and detailed Environmental Impact Assessment ever undertaken in South Africa, (including St Lucia and Saldanha Steel). The cooperation between Thesen & Co. and the Thesen Islands Development Company with all the authorities was evident."

She ended by saying that Thesen Island has "evolved into a symbol of sound public participation, the successful management of environmental concerns, and a fresh and meaningful thrust for the socio-economic sustainability of Knysna and the South Cape Coast."

Mayor Alan Kock said that the Council had looked at all aspects of the planned redevelopment. Recognizing the need for environmental sensitivity, the Council had ensured that strict controls were imposed to ensure that the environment would be safe guarded before deciding to approve and support the project.

The Knysna Choral Choir, who the Thesen Islands Development Company have sponsored for some time, performed a number of foot tapping traditional songs to the enthusiastic response of the audience. Led by Graham Power, a number of the professional team as well as owners pledged donations totaling more than R20 000 to the choir.

With the construction of the first phase of the R800 million project having been underway since June, the guests enjoyed "Island Safaris" to view the progress achieved. Guests were dropped off at "lookouts" where construction and environmental experts were on hand to talk about the project. Already 3.4 kilometres of waterway frontage have been constructed. Guests expressed amazement at the size and scale of the waterways and at how much had already been done. Graham Power announced that construction was 2 to 3 weeks ahead of schedule.

The first phase of the development, which consists of 150 single residential stands, is scheduled for completion in July 2001. Virtually all the stands in the first phase have water frontage.

With over 120 stands sold, sections of the second phase have now been released. Included is "North Beach", a select group of North facing stands all with a private jetty and beach, smaller "Tidewater" stands set next to the wetlands and "Edgewater" stands on the banks of the Waterway. The prices of these stands start at R385,000.

The Thesen Island Development Company shareholders which include Power Developments and Wescape have provided substantial internal financing for the project. Further development funding is being supplied by Investec Bank

November 2000
SA firsts at Thesen Islands development
The development of a marina at Thesen Islands in Knysna is not only the largest marina development ever in South Africa, it is also the pfirst such development to take place in South Africa on an island.

Errol Symons reports from Knysna.

Work on infrastructure development has started on the project where a marina known as Thesen Islands will provide up-market living on a scal hiterto not seen in South Africa. The prices of stands start at about R300 000 and for those investors who want something special, like their own exclusive island, this will be available at a cost of R2m.
Civils work, which is likely to cost of the order of R230m and could take up to five years in the development of fice phases, started at the begiining of August this year. When The Contractor visited the site recently some 700m of canal was already under development.
In the development the 90,6ha Thesen Island will be divided into 19 islands, connected by roadways and small bridges. However, just over half of the islands – 48ha in all – will remain as open spaces that will include 20ha of sheltered waterways created by the developers. The island on which the development is taking place is larger than the nearby inhabited Leisure Island in the Knysna Lagoon. When the Thesen Islands project starts, there will be about seven kilometres of canals in the marina. In some areas the canals will be up to 60m wide. Design guidelines have been set for housing development on the islands, and these concern external appearance and the positioning of the islands’ buildings and structures. The islands’ architecture is “colonial maritime”, identifying with Knysna’s historic vernacular architecture and seafaring connection.
The concept is based on Cape colonial buildings, without the Victorian embellishments. Wooden verandas, decks, railings, boardwalks, gazebos and picket fencing will reflect the Thesen Isllands’ and Knysna’s timber heritage.
Colourful

The intention of the developers is to high-light the colourful history of Knysna, which spans the days of sailing ships, timber extraction and even a brief period of gold discovery. It was in 1870 that Arnt Thesen and his family, from Stanger in Norway, settled in Knysna. In 1904 Charles Thesen bought Paarden Island, as it is known then, which had been part of the estate of George Rex – the founder of Knysna. The Thesens started processing timber on the Island in 1922.

Some unusual features of the Thesen Islands development will be mooring underneath some dwellings with access from floating jetties to luxurious homes above. A number of private beaches will be available and plans are to incorporate a bird sanctuary and in “old town” shopping precinct.
Decontamination

Dr Chris Mulder, managing director of Chris Mulder Associates Inc, said that a part of the island had been contaminated over the years with chemicals used in the treatment of timber. However, the previous owver of the island, Barlows, is to spend R10m on a decontamination programme.

“We have identified in exhaustive testing the extent of the contamination, what contaminants there are as well as the area contaminated,” he said. “Based on that they have come up with a clean-up programme. Part of the contamination is shallow at about 200mm below surface. Where the contamination is much deeper, in the core area where the treatment vesseld are located, this will be treated and then encapsulated with an impermeable layer. We will then cover it with top soil of between one and two metres deep and there will be a double seal because over this we will construct tennis courts and a parking area. The remainder of the decontaminated area will become a parkland and bird sanctuary.”
He said that some of the buildings which form part of the old Thesen’s saw mill and timber treatment plant would be retained. Some of these structures had been on the island since the turn of the century. “These wll become part of the village and will provide a suitable venue for shops and restaurants. Because of their age they qualify under the SAHRA (Aouth African Heritage Resource Angency) and these will be restored for use,” said Dr Mulder.
Environment

Dr Mulder is probably South Africa’s most experiences property master planner. His award-winning firm is a multi-disciplinary practice covering environmental planning, landscape and building architecture and town planning. The firm has been involved in the planning of numerous southern African coastal projects from Mozambique to the West Coast, including the master plan for Knysna’s Belvidere Estate and the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.

Responsible for the design and planning aspects of Thesen Islands, Dr Mulder and his team have been working on the Thesen Islands project for nearly ten years, and much time has been taken on research and on developing plans to protect and even improve the environment in one of South Africa’s most scenic regions. Indeed, Thesen Islands has become one of the most extensively researched and environmentally investigated properties in South Africa over the seven-year planning of the project.
During 1991, a team of nine specialist consultants led by Dr Mulder produced the first environmental impact study of 250 pages covering aquatic and land ecology, water quality, hydrodynamics, engineering, town planning and architecture. Between September 1994 and September 1996 the Integrated Environmental Management (IEM) process, as laid down by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, was followed and a further environmental impact report (EIR) was completed. This was supported by specialist reports covering all the matters in the first report as well as further environmental research and planning and reports on groundwater, avifauna, socio economics and heritage assessment and input from public participation meetings, universities and other institutions. All the principles and recommendations of the EIR have been incorporated in the plan adopted as well as requirements of a range of bodies, such as the Knysna Town Council, the SA National Parks Board, Cape nature Convervation and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
The EIR was also submitted for independent review by the well-known ecologist Dr Allan Heydorn.
Construction

The major construction work – on the development of the waterways, roads, bridges, sidewalks, water ans sewerage reticulation – is to be done by Cape Town-based Power Construction. Waterways are currently being constructed using conventional earthmoving equipment. However, because of the high water table on the island special arrangement are being made to dewater areas being excavated.

International marine consultants have desgined the banks of the canals. The sloping sides in the inter-tidal area are to be retained by natural packed stone, held together in the form of Reno mats, with a geofrabric material on the inside to prevent fine sand filtering through the gaps between the stones. The top edge above the inter-tidal zone will be stone orf ine sand coverered in large areas with indigenous groundcovers. The bottom of the waterway will be fine sand. Beaches will be constructed using the smooth fine sand of the bottom of the waterway, extending all the way up to the land’s edge. When all the construction is completed each section of the waterway will be opened to the lagoon on a carefully controlled basis.
Tidal Flow

The tidal flow around the islands will be natural. The CSIR used a state of the art modeling system developed by the Danish Hydraulic Institute to assist with the design and layout of the waterways. The model was used to measure water flows, levels, velocities and quality.

The waterways around the islands are to be deep enough for normal lagoon boats, even at low srping tide. The average water depth will be 1.6m. The ground level of the islands will be raised during development by an average of 1m to between 2.8m and 3m above mean sea level (MSL). The calculation of the safe ground floor level of buildings has been made by the CSIR taking into account all factors – the highest astronomical spring tide with the extreme effect of river floods, bad sea conditions, atmosphere pressure and strong winds all combined together at one time, plus an allowance for global warming and an extra safety factor added. This minimum ground level as been set at 3m above MSL.
Housing

Talking about some of the unusual features, Dr Mulder said that in one area of the development a number of boat apartments would be constructed. “Here you can take your boat underneath your home,” he said. The minimum height of the floor level of al the buildings has to be 3m above sea level for wind surge, for high tides, storm tides, plus a safety factor built into that. Underneath these homes will be a floating jetty and from there an owner willb e able to walk up into his apartment.

“The front part of these homes will be on piles and they will cantilever over the water.” He explained. “There will be other categories of housing. There will be tidewater units, where the tide moves in under the dwellings. These homes facing north towards Knysna will look over a salt marsh that has considerable ecological sensitivity and bird life. These dwellings will be on stilts and the tide will come in and out over the salt marsh,” he said. Talking about some other features of the marina, Dr Mulder said that all homes on the canals would have jetties, while in other areas homes will be served by commucal jetties. ON the eastern side of the development, an area to be known as Long Beach, residents will have their own private beaches, while beach units will also be scattered elsewhere in the development. On the centre island, to be known as The Cove, there will be a communcal beach for owners. “We have six individual islands, each with a bridge access and its own private jetty and own beach. These are selling at approximately R2m,” Dr Mulder said, explaining that the prices of stands in the development started at about R300 000. Phase one is on the eastern sode of the islands and is almost sold out. The first part of Phase 1B has been released and out of 20 stands there are two left, Dr Mulder explained , adding that about ten percent of sales were to overseas investors.
“We have divided the development into five phases to develop roughly one phase per year. We will have about five years of construction and work will roll over from one phase into another. We intend giving transfer to owners in Phase 1 by June next year.

November 2000
The Boardwalk Casino: a Sibakhulu and Power Construction Success Story
Power Construction and Sibakhulu Construction have successfully and timeously completed a joint venture at the Boardwalk Casino and Conference Centre in Port Elizabeth for Sun International and its operating subsidiary, Emfuleni Resorts Developers.
The construction of the R535 million Boardwalk Casino project is said to be the fastest casino building project seen in South Africa. The first platform for construction of the casino was handed over within the first three weeks of the contract period. This is considered a record time in which 20 000 cubic metres of earth was moved and 10 000 cubic metres was blasted, over and above the initial setting-out work and the removal of trees.
Sibakhulu/Power commenced with the R23 million site works subcontract in October 1999 and employed 180 workers on site. The project comprised of clearing the site and demolition of old buildings; 150 000 cubic metres of bulk earthwork platforms; sewer-, storm water-, water main- and ducting services; as well as service roads and parking areas and civils work for the creation of a lake that forms an attractive feature of the development.
Other tasks included a R10 million road construction contract to divert traffic for the Boardwalk Casino away from Marine Drive and into Second Avenue. This involved 500 metres of new road construction and the improvement of an intersection, as well as the widening of Marine Drive for traffic to enter the new route.
The greatest challenge that faced Sibakhulu and Power was the tight construction programme and many major changes that were made on a daily basis, which required a flexible and innovative approach on the part of the contractors. Other priorities included the protection of the environment in the area and environmental protection consultants were brought in to monitor work.
More about the Power Group:

The Cape-based Power Group of Companies is a dynamic conglomerate that provides a comprehensive range of civil engineering, blacktop paving, manufacturing and township development services. Through its unique synergy of complementary in-house services and a commitment of the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), the Group has achieved unequally cost efficiency in supplying South Africa’s most vital needs – potable water, paved roads and affordable housing in fully-serviced townships.

Launched in 1983 by Executive Chairman of the Group, Graham Power, the Power Group now employs more than 1400 people and spans the Western, Southern and Eastern Cape. Sibakhulu Construction is a newly established subsidiary of the Power Group of Companies.

March 1994
R18-million contract – a first under Framework Agreement
One of the first four township construction projects so far accredited as labour intensive under the Framework Agreement between COSATU, SANCO and the civil engineering industry, has been awarded to Power Construction, in consortium with Haw and Inglis.
The project will create employment for between 450 and 500 workers drawn from local community – four times the number of workers normally used on a project of similar size, according to Vaughn Forrester-Jones, Power Construction’s director in charge of the project.
This R18-million contract is for the provision of 2 000 fully services sites at Chris Hani branch (formerly the Bloekombos settler camp near Kraaifontein) and every possible aspect (about 70%) of the contract, including road leveling and construction, trenching and pipelaying, kerbing, site clearance and leveling, block making and toilet construction, and so on, will be done by hand.
The project has been split into two separate contracts; the east section, designed by consulting engineers Ninham Shand and awarded to Power Construction, will take nine months to complete and the west section, designed by Wouter Engelbrecht and awarded to Haw & Inglis, 12 months. The two contracts will run concurrently and the client is the Cape Provincial Administration.
Construction was scheduled to begin early in January, but the workforce was assembled for a month of intensive training which started on November 15. The client has allocated R200 000 to the training programme. “This training will include a course on basic business skills, followed by supervisory and skills training,” Forrester-Jones said.
“The skills programme will be divided into five modules covering underground services (sewers, storm water systems, water mains, water connections, backfilling water mains and cable ducts), kerbs, roadworks, toilet construction and manhole construction. Each successful trainee will receive a recognized and accredited certificate of competence and it is our belief that when we complete the contract and leave the site, trained local supervisors who have passed all tests will be able to start a small business, join the maintenance staff or their local authority or offer their skills on the open market.
“This is one of the first projects of its kind in South Africa and will be a challenge to us and to the community in which we will be working.” He added. “We all need to go through the learning curve and I anticipate some teething problems, but if we all work together only good can come from this and future labout intensive projects.”
Community liaison officers appointed from the Chris Hani branch community will be on site at all times to assist with employment and community liaison. In preparation for this innovative project, Power Construction, consulting engineers Ninham Shand and SABITA (the SA Bitumen and Tar Association) are collaborating in an experiment to determine the most efficient method of surfacing roads by hand. The experiment is being conducted at Power Construction’s Philippi township project, which was due for completion in January.
Mike Judd, a consulting engineer with Ninham Shand and member of the Accreditation Board, said that while heavily trafficked primary roads determined that structural premix be laid;

By conventional mechanized methods, land-laid bituminous surfacing coulf be used very effectively on secondary roads and across courts (light traffic cu-de-sacs providing across to four or more silos.

“Four different bituminous working surfaces – sand asphalt, continuously graded lino sidewalk mix, chip-and-spray and Cape Seal (a prepared base covered with bituminous slurry) will be hand-laid to determine relative levels of difficulty, production quality of finish and cost effectiveness,” Judd said.
“We accept that mechanical paving techniques can be more efficient, but the road surfacing proposed for the Chris Hani branch township is just one aspect of a large contract which as a whole equates favourably with conventional contracting methods in terms of cost.

“And the socio-economic benefits of labour intensive methods are a distinct bonus. The Chris Hani branch contract will not only create employment for hundreds of people now without work, but will leave them with the skills for continued economic activity. We foresee that those workers trained to lay asphalt surfaces will be able to set up small subcontracting groups to lay asphalt, driveways or maintain the roads in small municipalities.”

Judd added that Nunham Shand would prepare a workers’ training course on hand-laid bituminous surfacing on conclusion of the Philippi experiment, with the intention that this course be incorporated into formalized training schemes by the Western Cape Training Centre and the Department of Manpower.

May 1994
Labour award for MD
The managing director of Cape Town based Power Construction has been presented with the South African Institution of Civil Engineers Presidents’ Award for Meritorious Service.
The award was given to Mr Graham Power for his constribution in creating the recently-sopted labout intensive construction system for public works projects.
According to the citation, efforts by Mr Power and others led directly to the Framework Agreement for Labour Intensive Construction on Public Works Projects signed in Johannesburg.

May 1994
Service award for Power
The SA Institution of Civil Engineers (SAICE) Presidents Award for Meritorious Service for 1993 has been presented to Graham Power, MD of Power Construction.
The award was made in recognition of Power’s efforts to establish a system whereby labour enhanced construction can take its place in the array of tools available for the development of infrastructure.
The efforts of Power and others led directly to the historic Framework Agreement for Labour Intensive Construction on Public Works Projects signed in June last year between the civil engineering industry, Cosatu and Sanco.
The initiative committed the industry to maximize the use of manual construction methods on appropriate projects. It also achieved consultation with communities and a human resource enrichment orogramme based on skills and management training.

1994
Nuwe skool open in Wallacedene
Kraaifeontein – Die laerskool Eflakeni, die eerste skool in die Wallacedene-gemeenskap hier, het gister amptelik sy deure geopen.
Honderde geesdriftige kinders en ouers van die eens omstrede plakkerskamp was by die opening teenwoordig. Die skool is in minder as vier maande voltooi en die feit dat die skool gister sy deure kon oopmaak word bestempel as ‘n voorbeeld van uitstekende samwerking tussen die plaaslike gemeenskap, die Kaapse Provinsiale Administrasie (KPA) se tak: gemeenskapsdienste, die Departement van Onderwys en Opleiding (DOO) en provate organisasies.
Die Laerskool Eflakeni is ‘n tydelike skool weens die begrotings probeleme van die DOO. Die department sou eers oor vier jaar ‘n skool in die gebied kon bekostig. Vanwee die dringende opvoedingsbehoefte in die gemeenskap is daar besluit om ‘n skuur in die middle van die plakkerskamp in ‘n skool te omskep. Met die hulp van die KPA is die nodige hulpbronne na die gemeenskap gebring.
Befondsing vir die projek is deur die firma Power Konstruksie in Kraaifontein en die gemeenskap onderneem. Die firma Wouter Engelbrecht en Vennote het die tegniese hulp verleen. Volgens mej. Salome Meyer skakelbeampte van die KPA se tak: gemeenskapsdienste, sou die skooltjie nooit gerealiseet het indien die betrokke private maatskappyr nie ingespring en hul hulp aangebied het nie.
Die KPA en die DOO het net as fasiliteerders opgetree, het sy gese. Die Laerskool Eflakeni is egter nie groot genoeg om in al die behoeftes van die gemeenskap te voorsien nie. Op die oomblik maak die skool slegs voorsiening vir sub A tot st. 2.
Die onafhanklike Ontwikkelingstrust (OOT) is deur die gemeenskap genader vir addisionele fondse. Die skool moet nog van elektrisiteit, addisionele toilette en ‘n omheining voorsien word.
“As gewone mense mekaar se hande vat en begin saamwerk om iets te verrig dan is die gevolge iets soos die oprigting van die skool,” het mnr Fanie Naude, streekdirekteur van die KPA se tak gemeenskapsdienste ten tyde van die opening gese.
Die skool is opgerig met die volle samewerking van die Wallecedene-gemeenskap. “Die aksie is deel van ‘n geintegreerde prose swat bekend staan as gemeenskapsontwikkeling, waarin gemeenskappe leer om hulleself te help.”

1994
School for children of shack dwellers opens
A school for shack dwellers’ children, one of several being provided for squatter communities in the Peninsula this year, has opened in Kraaifontein. Eflakeni Primary, in Wallacedene, home to about 5 000 people on 1 100 services sites, will have classes from sub A to standard 5.
Dignitaries at the opening ceremony, attended by about 300 residents, included Mr Fanie Naude of the Cape Provincial Administration, Mr Wallace Mgoqi, of the Legal Resources Centre and Mr Archibald Ndamase of the Department of Education and Training.
Mr Naude said Eflakeni was a temporary school because the DET could not afford a permanent one for three or four years. The school for more than 500 pupils is a renovated farm shed divided into four rooms and the DET is to provide two pre-fabricated classrooms.
Mr Naude said the project is being funded by Power Construction and the community with the CPA and the DET acting as facilitators. Eflakeni is still not large enough to cope with the number of chikdren requiring education. “The Independent Development Trust has been approached by the community for additional funding to upgrade the school with electricity, fencing and additional toilets,” Mr Naude said.
Mr Bram Mhlom, a former teacher at Simon Hebe High School, in Mbekweni, has been appointed principal. Mr Mhlom, a regional ANC executive member said that although initial arrangements with the DET had been for classes from sub A to standard 2, with six teachers and 300 pupils, residents had asked for the school to be extended to standard 5 because of a great demand for education.
“The community has employed an additional eight teachers who will be paid from community contributions. Negotiations are continuing to have this responsibility transferred to the DET,” he said.
Registration at township schools got off to a slow start, with principles saying a “clear picture” would emerge by Monday. But Mr Joel Magwaca of Langa High, said scores of pupils from rural areas wanting to register without school reports were being turned away. A teacher at ID Mkhize High, in Gugulethu said the school was dealing with standard 6 pupils only snf 220 new pupils had been registered.

June 1994
Labour intensive construction has proved valuable
The historic Framework Agreement for Public Works Projects for Labour Intensive Construction Methods was signed exactly one year ago. In that short year, the complex organizational and administrative procedures needed to ensure that the system can operate effectively have been established and the first few projects have been accredited and are already under construction. One of the largest such projects is the Chris Hani Branch township development at Kraaifontein, awarded jointly to Power Construction and Haw Inglis.
“For me the most powerful affirmation of labour intensive construction methods is that we are slightly ahead of our programme schedule, that the quality of our work is meeting specifications in every sector, that out consultation with the worker community has been productive and helpful and that our site agents, most of whom were initially resistant to the concept of the Framework Agreement, have all done a 180˚ about face and are now its most vocal and positive advocates,” Forrester-Jones said. He acknowledges, however that he and his staff have had to reach the above conclusions are a sometimes frustrating, always eye-opening learning curve.
“Much has been written about the need for skills training for workers involved in labour intensive projects – now called the Labour Pool Worker system. Yet nobody thought to set up a training course for middle and senior management!” he said wryly. And it is in the area of training and budget allocation for training where he feels more thought, refinement and experience are needed.
“The training is actually taking far longer than first envisaged by as much as 50-60% and the way it was initially instituted will have to be revised. For example, the original intention was that workers would have to complete all modules of the Labour Pool Worker programme to qualify for a diploma. We found that his system locked a worker into an unacceptable long period of non-earning activity (eg. We’ve found that more than 160 hours of traiing is required for the kerbing course), made for impractical lead times between training and experience building activity and held up project productivity.
Modules

“It is my belief that the system we’ve instituted now – whereby a worker receives training in a single module, moves immediately into income-earning acativity and receives a certificate for that module – will find far wider acceptance. Having received certificates for all modules over the course of one large or several smaller projects, the worker can then hand these in and receive his overall diploma in the same way a student gets credit for courses at university or at technikon,” Forrester-Jones said. (The Labour Pool Worker training programme, following a basic introduction to business principles, includes modules on supervision, kerb manufacture and laying, underground services (pipework), block-making and toilet construction, roadworks, manhole construction.)

He estimates that to install an effective training scheme, contractors should budget the cost of traiing at between a low of 3% and a high of 7.5% of total contract value. Forrester-Jones said it was also very easy to under-estimate the degree of supervision requires in labour intensive projects. “We’ve found that if our work teams are to reach or exceed their work targets, these targets must be set out for them by 09h00 at the latest every day. And the targets must be clearly and tangibly understandable – eg trench areas must be clearly indicated with pegs, flags, chalk lines or cones the number of moulds for a day’s kerb manufacturing task must be laid out and visible. This requires that our site agents, supervisors, foremen and surveyors have to be on their toes. . . with the side benefit that our own productivity has risen!”
Prductivity

While overall productivity has been easily maintained and sometimes exceeded (proof that the original task loading per man or per team was, in most cases, very accurately assessed) it has been necessary to adopt some new (and some not so new) working methods.

“Although we lais the same amount of pipe in the same time as we would have done by conventional means, the demands of labour intensive construction reduced the cost effectiveness of lasers (at R25 000 each) to unacceptable levels, so we’ve had to revert to the older ‘boning board methods’ which is nevertheless effective and has maintained quality standards.”
Manageable

He said the control of labour had proved to be manageable that enthusiasm and motivation levels were high. And that the cost effectiveness of the overall project compared very favourably with conventional methods. “Many teams or gangs are exceeding their work targests – although some choose to work to a ‘time and finish’ system and go home in the early afternoon after completing their task and we are very satisfied, occasionally even surprised, byt the productivity we’ve achieved. Our bush clearing team, for example, staggered me with a work rate more than double our expectations and we were able to hold his team up to others as an example of what can be achieved and how much money can be made.” Forrester-Jones said that occasionally it has been becessary to yield on task targets or to amend them. With the Cape’s high water table trenches often became untenable for manual excavation. After consultation with the community and the consultants, it was agreed to excavate by machine and allow the work team to make up the lost income by laying additional pipe in the prepared trench.

“Work teams are self-disciplined or subject to the discipline of their communities and we’ve found that dispute resolution, elbeit at the cost of many meetings has been highly effective.
Productivity

“For maximum productivity, however, it is vital to select and groom a good, strong team leader, who is the only communication conduit between site management and workers. With strong team leadership, productivity targets are attainable, manageable and economicallt viable. In fact we are so pleased with the methods and systems we’ve evolved that I am applying some of the principles on contracts in George and Mossel Bay, although these are not essentially labour-intensive projects.”

Loabour employment by the two contractors on the site stoof at about 430 workers in May and with pipework now complete, the contractors were about to begin the roadworks – also by labour intensive methods. Here too, Power Construction and Haw and Inglis will be at the sharp end of the learning curve as they apply the labour intensive training and surfacing methods devised by consultants Ninham Shand in conjunction with the Southern African Bitumen and Tar Association (Sabita) and the two contractors.
“Despite the frustration of the learning process, I believe labour intensive construction under the principles of the Framework Agreement has proved an effective and valuable mechanism for both job creation and community enrichment,” Forrester-Jones said.
“We have learned a great deal and will undoubtedly learn more as we go through the roadworks phase of the project.”

May 1994
Graham Power receives award for meritorious service to civil engineering
The SAICE President’s Awared for Meritorious Service to Civil Engineering for 1993 has been made to Graham Power. The award was made at the annual general meeting of SAICE held in Bloemfontein recently.
The citation reads as follows:

Over an extended period of time Graham Power has been energetically leading a concerted effort to establish a system, whereby labour enhanced construction can take its place in the array of tools available for the development of infrastructure.

He has toiled through many meetings with a wide spectrum of persons and a variety of interest groups, over many hours, with remarkable patience and success. In these efforts he was assisted by many able and dedicated members of the Institution. These efforts were rewarded with the signing of The Framework Agreement for Public Works Projects using Labour Intensive Construction Systems, on June 22, 1993.
This has now grown into a well organized system, recognized by the National Economic Forum and geared to create jobs, train people and ensure community participation. With his efforts Graham Power has demonstrated a keen interest in the well being of fellow citizens of this country, who are desperately in need of jobs.
At the same time he assisted the engineering profession in re-affirming its willingness to play a major role in this daunting task. In fact, members of the Institution are currently involved in a number of demonstration projects that are being constructed.
With this award, the Institution acknowledges the unselfish efforts by an individual who is closely associated with its members. His contribution has indeed enhanced the status of civil engineering and the profession.