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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
OCTOBER
2015
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MARKETPLACE
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.
“I want people to know that Shando’s
Construction is a small company with a
big vision,” says managing director
Princess Ndiweni.
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.
Shando’s Construction managing director, Princess Ndiweni.
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE
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