Construction World June 2017

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plaza, providing ample scope for both the
consulting engineer and civil contractor, G4
Civils, to refine operations and achieve a
desired production rate over the duration of
the project.
The Stormvoël plaza was next. Located
in a built-up urban area, it required extensive
rerouting of both vehicles and pedestrians.
The relocation of the many services,
including water reticulation, optic-fibre cable
networks and traffic lights, as well as other
temporary and permanent road signs, added
another level of complexity to the project.
Ngqumshe says most of these
challenges were overcome by an extremely
proactive approach taken by JG Afrika and
G4 Civils, prior to mobilising to site.
This was complemented by excellent
team dynamics between both parties right
from the outset.
“G4 Civils is an extremely competent
contractor with a solid track record in road
construction, which was a major advantage
for us. However, we left nothing to chance.
All participants in the professional team
were very aware of the need to plan well in
advance and work together to overcome
any contingencies to the benefit of the
client,” he says.
Pumulani and Doornpoort toll plazas
were next in line and these are due for
completion in March 2017. These two
are followed by the Brits and Marikana
facilities, with the entire project scheduled
for completion in October 2017.
All the new Plazas comprise a 300 milli-
metre-thick concrete pavement supported
by stabilised layers, while structural work
was required to also extend the existing toll
plaza canopies.
This is over-and-above the work required
to install the new signage and signalling
as part of the overall work scope.
The only delays are as a result of the
recent heavy rainfall, reflecting the efficien-
cies of the professional teams on site, and
Ngqumshe is just as pleased by the impres-
sive safety levels maintained throughout
the programme, with no major incidences,
or loss time injuries reported, to date.
This is a significant achievement consider-
ing that the extensions were undertaken in
operational areas, where impatient driving
behaviour and pedestrian movement along-
side the highways were major risks that had
to be thoroughly managed.
He says that successes in this regard
can largely be attributed to the professional
team, G4 Civils, as well as Bakwena’s
emphasis on safety.
“Health and safety have always been
paramount for JG Afrika and G4 Civils, and
our client insisted on this – even if it was at
the expense of production. Bakwena was
well aware of the challenges that we would
encounter in this regard and were, therefore,
more than willing to accommodate any of
our suggestions to ensure a safer site,”
says Ngqumshe.
With a just a few months left before this
project is completed, he believes that it
will be another milestone in the firm’s long
legacy in transport infrastructure, as well as
its close affiliation with both SANRAL
and Bakwena. 