20th Anniversary of the Power Group

Increased demand

The South African economy is currently in a “bull run”, with similar projections for the medium term, resulting in an increased demand for industrial land.

This segment of the property market is still in the beginning of its upswing, but is already showing good growth for investors.

Saxenburg 2 is situated within 500m of the existing Saxenburg Park and will qualify in terms of:

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  Aesthetically, being one of the most attractive industrial parks in the Western Cape;
  
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  Geographically, being positioned within easy reach of the N1, N2 and R300, resulting in quick access to the City of Cape Town, airport, harbour, northern areas, Somerset West, Strand, Stellenbosch, and so forth;
  
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  Being located in a secure area;
  
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  Providing a variety of plot sizes ranging from 1 000m2 to 5 000m2 offering great value for money; and
  
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  Prices starting at R290/m2 plus VAT.
  

For further inquiries contact the sole mandate agents.

June 2005

New Garden Route Mall takes shape for November opening.

The Garden Route Mall, the R180-million, 65 000 m² regional shopping centre under construction between the N2 and Knysna Road, in George, is reaching peak activity as the end of the construction programme is in sight.

Main contractors’ WBHO project director Wolfgang Neff is managing a team of 200 hourly paid staff with 10 foremen and five site agents, plus coordinating the teams of sub contractors in the frenzy to complete the first phase of the complex according to the 27^th October opening deadline.

Of the time of writing the 12 000 m² second phase had started and the 4 500 m² cinema complex foundation platform was well underway.

According to Neff, the challenges faced in a complex of this size are not in the complexity of design and construction, as this is regarded as fairly conventional. “WHBO have tackled retail shopping centres of this and larger sizes before and clearly have the project experience, but where this one differs is in its location, being outside a main metropolitan area where skilled trades’ people and material supplies can be problematic at times” he said.

Never the less, plans have been implemented to overcome these challenges and despite some periods of wet weather Neff is confident on meeting the first phase deadline of end of October.

Power Construction Coastal, based in Knysna and part of the Power Group of Companies are sub-contractors to WBHO for the original earthworks, (completed last year) internal roads, services and the 100 000 m² parking areas.

Power Construction’s Site Agent Nick Shaw has also had his share of challenges, echoing those of Wolfgang Neff. “Our R18-million contract involves approximately 100 000 m² of parking spaces, 2,8 km of stormwater, 1,5 km of sewers and 10 km of services ducting, some of the sewers installed at depths of 7 m” commented Shaw. “The underlying clay whilst not active, does present an impermeable layer causing flooding when the rain comes” he mused, which has been quite often since the beginning of the year. Shaw and his team are now busy with an additional 4 500 m² foundation platform for the Ster Kinekor cinema complex.

Power also reports that the contract for the External Roads and Services have been awarded to Sibakhulu Construction, one of the BEE Companies in the Power Group. This entails the widening of the George-Knysna Road and N2 off ramp, and constructing the main access roads and services into the centre with an intersection from the above roads. The value of the work amounts to about R10-million, and has already started.

The Garden Route’s developers are Attfund whose retail investments include the shopping centres of Woodhill Boulevard, Clearwater Mall, Atterbury Value Mart, Somerset Value Mart and Centurion Mall.

The professional team includes:

LPA Architects

Nel & De Kock Town Planners

Norval Wentzel Steinberg Quantity Surveyors

Arcus Gibb Civil, Structural, Traffic, Geotechnical and

Environmental Engineers

Gaucon Electrical Engineers

TE Projects Mechanical Engineers

July 2005
Garden Route N2 rehab progresses despite contract delays
The R96-million special maintenance contract of the N2 between George and Knysna currently underway by Power Construction Roads, is progressing despite losing 30 days to the weather (as of end of May) and suspension of the Kaaimans River Pass section, due to expropriation delays.
According to Power Construction’s contracts director Louwtjie Louw, progress is being maintained and the 24-month contract, which was awarded last September and is scheduled for completion in September 2006, will be completed on time.
The contract, which involves the rehabilitation of some 60km of national road, attracts more than its fair share of attention as it is the premier route for the Garden Route tourist destinations in the Southern Cape. Commencing at the Kraaibosch interchange just outside George and finishing 5km beyond the White Bridge at KNysna, this route takes in some breathtaking sceneray as it winds through the picturesque Kaaimans River Pass and the villages of Wilderness and Sedgefield.
In addition to safety improvements at nine intersections along the route, the special maintenance contract calls for:

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  The repais of + 15% of the existing surface with asphalt or by in-situ bitumen emulsion stabilization of a portion of the existing base material, mixed with imported material.
  
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  Increasing the pavement strength in selected areas by in-situ chemical stabilization of the subbase layer and/or by adding an asphalt overlay.
  
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  Crack seal of affected areas.
  
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  Improving the existing road by texturing with slurry seal.
  
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  Construction of 19mm/6.7mm double seal with two applications of 6.7mm aggregate on selected areas.
  
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  Construction of ultra thin asphalt friction course in certain areas.
  
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  Improvements to longitudinal, cross and sub-soil drainage.
  
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  Relocation and protection of utility services.
  
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  Ancillary road works including road markings, signs, finishing off of road reserves, installation of studs and fencing, etc.
  

Although temporarily suspended from the contract at the time of writing, safety improvements on the Kaaimans Pass include the construction of a 1.6m high concrete median barrier and the re-alignment and reconstruction of the carriageway, which involves a 45 000m3 cut into the face of the pass. The logistics of the construction programme present some interesting challenges over such a long distance of road repair. The entire route has been broken down into 14 sections of approximately 4km each and only four sections can be closed at any one time to minimize the disruption to traffic flow.

The construction programme intended to commence at the George end and work towards KNysna, but the suspension of the Kaaimans section and the unavailability of quality materials in the George area necessitated some rearrangements in order to keep to the construction programme. Suitable quality stone was sourced in Knysna which has meant increased transportation and delays caused by Power Construction’s own necessary traffic management system which operates 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Power has 110 hourly pais workers on site and a supervisory staff of about 27 that will increase as sealing operations commence. Louwtjie Louw has seven teams operating including asphalt, layer work construction, base stabilization, slurry, traffic accommodation and road marking. Traffic accommodation has been sub contracted to a local firm in George and sister company Nikamandla Construction is handling slurry operations.
A full time safety officer continuously monitors the traffic management and incidents have mercifully been few.

August 2005
Sukses is ‘n bysaak vir Power-groep se kragman
Dit is met ‘n onvermydelike skerp oog dat ‘n mens na die Power-groep se geboue in Blackheath kyk, na doe mense in the voorportaal en in die gange en na mnr graham Power, in soveel woorde die “krag” after die Power groep. Want dit is maar die manier van mense. Iemand met die etiket “bekende Christen-sakeman” moet weet die wereld gaan met ‘n baie meer kritiese oog na hom kyk.
Graham Power slaag die toets. Daar is noe sprake van ‘n aangeplakte stroperigheid nie. Later as ons deir die werkwinkel en agter in die werf tuseen fir konstruksievoertiue en padtekenborde loop al mik-mik na stukkies droe grond tussen die modderplasse op die reendag, groet die werknemers vriendelik. ‘n Mens vind nie hier die gewoonlik dun repie geestelikheid wat net Sondae anngeklee word of deur enige krisis of klein irritasie afgeruk word nie. Dit is iets deipers wat deursyfer na sy lewe as sakeman en hoof van die Power-groep.
Power is Vrydagaand by ‘n speggeleentheid aangewys as die 16de Sakeleier van die Jaar van die Burger en die Kaapstad Sakekamer. Dit is die persoon wat deesdae in Afrika en selfs internasionaal amper meer bekend is vir die Transformasie-gebedsgeleenthede wat in Mei 2001 op Nuewland in Kaapstad begin is as vir sy suksesvolle konstruksie maatskappy.
En vir sy erkenning twee jaar gelede dat hy ook een van die mense was wat geld onwettig uit die land geneem het en van mnr Trevor Manuel minister van finansies se belastingamnestie gebruik sou maak.
Hy het dit een naweek in Maart 2003 op ‘n geldinsamelingsgeleentheid in Pretoria vir die Transformasiebeweging aan die gaste vertel – sonder dat he geweet het daar was ‘n verslaggewer in die gehoor. Die Maandag het Die Burger dit in ‘n koerantopskrif uitgebasuin: “Kerkman van die Kaap bieg oor sy geld.”

Hy se self een van die vrae wat dakelui hulself moet afvra wanneer hulle voor moeilike etiese kwessies te staan kom, is hoe jy sal voel as dit wat jy doen of belsuit die volgende dag in die koerante uitegebasuin sal word. En hoewel dit vir hom ‘n verleentheid was, het dit tog sy standpunt reg bewys; hy kon juis sy kop hoog hou omdat hy dinge wat hy vroeer wou wegsteek, self in die ope gebring het.

Hy vertel hoe hy enn van baie sakemense was wat elke keer as hulle oorsee gaan, ekstra spaargeld saamgeneem het om in ‘n oorsese bankrekening te los. Hy kon later ‘n woonstel in Spanje koop, ‘n klein boot . . . ‘n steweige neseier is vir die toekoms opgebou.
Maar niemand wat alles in sy persoonlike lewe en in sy maatskappy aan ‘n sekere etiese kode meet, het die punt in November 2002 gekom toe hy en sy vrou, Lauren, vir mekaar gese het hier is die een ding in hull ewe wat onwettig is en hulle is bereid om dit op te offer. Die besluit van Manuel in Februarie 2003 om amnestie te verleen aan mense soos hy, was dus vir hom ‘n uitkoms uit die etiese dilemma. Hy het nooit verwag dat dit in die media sou beland nie, maar hy glo vandag hy sou dit nie anders wou he nie. Hy meen sy openhartigheid en die feit dat die media dit nog wyer uitgeblaker het, het baie mense aangemoedig om ook van die amnestiegeleentheid gebruik te maak. Op die ou end het Power sy 10% boetebelasting betaal en die woonstel in Spanje gehou.
Maar alles het begin toe ‘n jong en waagmoedige graham Power in April 1983 by die siviele-ingenieursgroep Savag & Lovemore bedank en sy eie konstruksie onderneming begin het.
Dit was ‘n klein en eenvoudige begin op sy eie bene nada thy vir tien jaar by Savage & Lovemore vandag die paaie-afdeling van Group Five gewerk het. Hy is in die noordelike voorstede gebore en is ‘n oud-leerling can die Hoerskool Settlers. Sy pa, ‘n motorwerktuigkundige is tydens Graham se diensplig oorlede en daar was nie geld vir studier nie. Hy het as leerlingopmeter by Savage & Lovemore begin en oor die tien jaar gevorder tot terreinagent, projekbestuurder en kontrakbestuurder. In 1983 het hy geskuif van groot projekte by Savage & Lovemore soos die bou van opgaartenks by Saldanha en die Langebaan-Velddrifpad na klein siviele projekte soos om sypaadjies te bou.
Hy moes letterlik klein en van onder af begin. In die beginjare was sy skoonpa, mnr Heinz Baumker wat in April vanjaar oorlede is, sy mentor. As afgetrede sakeman het Baumker baie jare se ervaring in die hotelbedryf gehad en het Power bygestaan met die stigting can die onderneming en met die neem van sakebesluite. Baumker was vir die eerste vier jaar ook ‘n 50% aandeelhouer. Power het sy huis verkoop en die Elandskloof-kleinhoewe by Sir Lowry’s Pass gekoop. Met ‘n tweede handse bakkie as aanvanklik die enigste voetuig het hulle in die eerste jaar ‘n omset van R300 000 gehaal. Die voldenge jaar was dit R3miljoen en die jaar daarna R6 miljoen en daarna R12 miljoen en R24 miljoen.
Power se prestasies is gou raakgesien. In 1989 het die Johannesburg Afrikaanse Sakekamer hom aangewys as Suid-Afrika se Junior Sakeman van die Jaar. Die toekenning is gegee aan sakelui jonger as 40. Vandag bestaan die Power-groep uit 12 afsonderlike maatskappye wat elkeen op hul eie bene kan staan. Vier van hulle is swartbemagtigings maatskappye. Daar is in total 1 700 werknemers, waarvan 900 permanent is. Die res word op kontrak grondslag aangestel.
Power is trots daarop dat hulle nie in die 22 jaar van die groep se bestaan dit nog nodig gehad het om weens rasionalisering een werknemer aft e dank nie. Hy glo deel van die geheim is die sterk passie en familie-gees in die werknemerverhoudinge, wat regdeur die groep strek.
Op meer as een manier is dit ‘n familie-onderneming. Sy dogter Nadene is haar pa se persoonlike assistant. Hy en Lauren het ook ‘n seun, Gary, die oudste, ‘n reisagent in Kaapstad en die jongste dogter, Alaine, wat in matriek is. Soos general Motors se GM Way het die Power-groep wat hulle die Power Ways noem. Power verduidelik dit behels onder meer ‘n motivering stelsel waar elke afdeling en elke werknemer daagliks meetbare maatstawwe het waarteen hulle hul prestasie of produktiwiteit van die dag kan meet, en telkens nuwe teikens kan stel. “As jy vir ‘n werknemer ‘n doelwit stel waarteen hy himself kan meet, asook teen ander werknemers of ‘n ander span, maak dit die lewer interessant.”
Hy vertel die idees waarop Power Ways gegrond is, spruit uit sy dae in die weermag toe hy as 18-jarige ‘n boek van Dale Carnegie gelees het oor hoe Carnegie ‘n kommpetisie begin het tussen die dag-en nagskof in ‘n fabriek, deur bloot die produksieteikens wat die vorige span behaal het, op die kennisgewingbord te plaas vir die volgende span om te sien. Dit het hulle gemotiveer om beter te probeer vaar as hul kollegas. Natuurlik gaan so ‘n motiveringstelsel by die Power –groep gepaard met die betaling van die nodige produkbonusse, voeg hy by.
Power se hy is al dikwels gevra hoekom die groep nie ‘n notering op die JSE oorweeg nie. Hy se hy het ses jaar gelede dit oorweeg om tot so ‘n stap oor te gaan, maar het daarteen besluit, en beskou dit by terugkouing as die beste sakebesluit wat hy nog geneem het. Die Power-groep is vandag die grootste nie-genoteerde konstruksiegroep in Suid-Afrika.