Construction World October 2015

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MARKETPLACE

“I want people to know that Shando’s Construction is a small company with a big vision,” says managing director Princess Ndiweni. BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE There is no doubt that the construction industry is a man’s world but a fearless Princess Ndiweni together with her busi- ness partner, Dickson Dladla, are tackling it head-on. This former administrator at Sasol became an entrepreneur because, “I’ve always dreamt of owning my own business and when the opportunity presented itself to start a company, I jumped at it. The zeal of owning a business in a male dominated industry was just a plus for me, I wanted to be one of those women who face the challenge head-on and simply do better and excel in it,” she explains. Ndiweni adds, “My passion is to be part of a transformed and competitive construction industry that delivers quality infrastructure, promotes economic growth and also become a company that cares for its employees.” Besides building construction, the company offers a number of services including plumbing, paving, landscaping, electrical, carpentry and painting among other specialities. The business continues to grow since she and Dladla started it in 2011. The first project they won was pure luck, she approached a company in Potchefstroom for a project but she didn’t give up. She continued to pursue the opportunity until they gave her a chance, however, it turns out that the contract was meant for another woman also named Princess. She grabbed this chance with both hands and never looked back. In four years they have worked on both major and small projects. However, for these two, the size of the project does not matter – they make sure they leave behind top quality work. It’s this quality work that has opened doors for them. Over the years, the company has achieved great results working closely with construction giants such Group Five, WBHO, Dalmar Construction, Trecon construction, Cross Border, Gorogang and Toro ya Africa. Some of the projects that Shando’s Construction have completed referrals – an impressive feat considering that the partners did not have any experience in this industry when they started - but they learned and persevered. “We gained knowledge as we learned and we are still learning even now. We welcome any grooming from the companies which we work with because we also want to grow,” says Ndiweni. Shando’s Construction’s 100 employees are scattered across the Gauteng province working on various projects which include the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital – it’s working with Group Five on this project. It’s also building a fire station in Germiston, renovating schools and homes and one of the small projects it’s working on is building office blocks in Sandton. Previously, the company built the retirement homes in Waterfall Estate, miners’ accommodation in Potchefstroom and was contracted by Anglo American to build a block of flats in Rustenburg. Another great referral came from a friend who introduced them to The Hope Factory. The duo joined the Enterprise and Supplier Development mentorship programme and according to their mentor, they are thriving in their business.“It’s been a great experience to have someone who’s neutral listen to your ideas and give objective advice. This has made our decision making much easier,” she says. The owners want to grow the company so it becomes a significant player among the best and leave a legacy. Part of this growth also includes introducing more women to the industry. Currently, Shando’s Construction employs two female safety representatives and wants to expand this in the future. The company is also giving back, and has provided an unemployed youth the opportunity of an internship for gaining valuable work experience. >

R6-billion project has demonstrated engineering excellence. It has enhanced regional economic growth and significantly improved the quality of life of the Botswana people. Bigen Africa also won the Mentoring Company of the Year, spon- sored by Bosch Holdings. Bigen Africa states that its biggest asset is human capital. They have designed and implemented strategies which align business objectives with individual expectations of career success. In an effort to promote mentorship of young engineers CESA recognises the contribution Mentors make to the industry and the future of the profession. Colin Andrews is the mentor of the year. He exudes a passion for mentoring that has produced impressive results at Royal HaskoningDHV, which has made him the obvious choice for preparing guidelines for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s Mentoring Programme. In the Visionary Client of the Year category, which is sponsored by Santam, CESA nominates candidates for the award, which must then consent to their nomination. Nominees in this category can be from the public, parastatal or private sectors, and are judged inter alia on their contribution to sustainable economic job creation in South Africa and or Africa. Creating sustainable development in communities through skills and knowledge transfer is an equally important factor. The judges also look at the opportunities provided for the growth and expression of professionals, including those from formerly disadvantaged commu- nities. Projects should also have embraced innovative designs that highlight the ability of South Africans in the technological field. CESA this year gave recognition, in the category of Visionary Client of the Year to the Development Bank of Southern Africa. In recognition of the role that the media plays in the industry, 3S Media received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Trade Publica- tion and Independent Newspapers received recognition for Publishing Excellence: Daily Newspapers . UWP Consulting was announced as the winner of the CESA Job Shadow Initiative with Royal HaskoningDHV, Hatch Goba and Infracon- sult as runners-up. CESA’s KwaZulu-Natal Branch was named winner of the Branch of the Year Award.

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Shando’s Construction managing director, Princess Ndiweni.

CONSTRUCTION WORLD OCTOBER 2015