The Engineer-Dec/Jan 2016 by Fortune Publications

Engineer The

VOL.2/NO. 8 • DEC-JAN 2016/17

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NAMIBIA’S PULSE OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

Ester Angula; an engineering name for the future

2016 was tough - Cancellation of projects - Late payments - Foreign contractors getting everything

What now 2017?

Namibia vs. Africa’s 2016 construction projects

Lamek Kweenda remodels engineering entrepreneurship

NUST advances in industrial engineering research

Top Consulting Engineers discuss how Von Bach Dam came 3cm to a massive leak 12

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

Tulipamwe: Twelve years at Windhoek Consulting Engineers’ water engineering department led to opportunities in Dubai and Bahrain for civil designer Jacques Beukes as Aurecon snatched him.

Namibia’s new motorway links, an engineer’s dream

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Namibia’s massive motorway construction programme will improve transport connections and boost the country’s economy. PG 14

Plastic pipes: The plastic pipes industry is arguably one of the most important in Southern Africa as infrastructure such as water distribution, waste disposal, irrigation, telecommunications and more...

Engineering Professions stock take 2016

EPA

The EPA aims to uphold excellence in the field of engineering and to promote the image of the engineering profession in Namibia.

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Confidence is at its lowest ever: Recently in various meetings with a number of people, it transpired that the government owes contractors in the construction sector, hundreds of millions of dollars. This is not a good sign.

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South Africa dominates construction projects: South Africa continues to account for the most infrastructure and capital project activity in Southern Africa, at 48.2%, followed by Angola at 12.9% and Mozambique and Zambia at 10.6% each. Boris Böttcher, Senior Technical Advisor of the RFA says the eﬃciency and eﬀectiveness of the enterprise largely depends on improving the current systems and technologies used in its various operations.

Muzwembiri: Where sustainable architecture leads A firm that has overseen projects that have completed thousands of houses in Rundu, Otjiwarongo, Oshikuku and Windhoek in 2016.

Okavu Roofing: Roofing for demanding standards Our roof sheets have been used and approved on over 100 government and private projects since 2012. This is complimented by 0% materials failure rate and excellent customer satisfaction.

Africa gets renewed broadband focus with Eutelsat oﬀshoot Africa is set to benefit from a new broadband venture that aims to bridge the digital divide through the use of extensive, highquality and aﬀordable satellite infrastructure.

Graphic Designer Keith M. Tuwelo

Contributor Toini Martin editor@theengineer.com.na

Group Marketing Manager Greg Goeda Business@targetnam.com

Admin & Accounts Marizaan Bock admin@targetnam.com

Business Development Kenneth Karamata

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Executive Editor Confidence Musariri 081 122 6850

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The Engineer is a magazine published once a month and circulated to 10 000 senior engineering decision makers in Namibia. Subscription Rate: N$20 per copy In each issue, The Engineer oﬀers advertisers the opportunity to get to the front of the line by placing a company, product or service on the front cover of the journal. Buying this position will aﬀord the advertiser the cover story on pages and maximum exposure. For more information on cover bookings contact us on Tel: +264 61 254 005/081 122 6850

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Engineer The

Vol.1/No.1 September 2014

NAMIBIAS PULSE OF TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION

First edition

The nexus of taming Namibia’s oldest building How hybrid subcontractors can replace current tender system

Inside

The truth behind Neckartal Game changer: Namport’s Luderitz rail connection

Cover opportunity 1

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

frica faces a crippling deficit of engineering skills, which will stunt its future economic growth and lead to hardship for the continent’s growing population, a conference on engineering heard recently. The president of Mauritius, Ameenah GuribFakim, a biodiversity scientist, told the meeting in London: “Only through science, technology, engineering and mathematics can we as a global community increase the prosperity of our people. But Africa, despite its impressive recent economic growth, remains burdened by a deeply rooted scientific deficit.” She said that encouraging young female students into science and engineering disciplines was key to increasing the number of skilled people available to build much-needed infrastructure and prepare the way for a new society. “We need to make science more attractive to women,” she said, laying out three strategies to make this happen: raising the profile of female

role models; challenging the “false distinction” that only “soft” subjects were suitable for girls; and making schools facilities in Africa better suited to girls by putting the necessary infrastructure in place. The president was addressing the Royal Academy of Engineering’s conference Engineering a Better World. Engineers and international development professionals discussed how to meet the sustainable development goals adopted by the UN general assembly in September last year.

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She said that encouraging young female students into science and engineering disciplines was key to increasing the number of skilled people available to build much-needed infrastructure and prepare the way for a new society.

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DEVELOPMENT

How a shortage of engineering skills will stun Africa’s growth

A report commissioned by the academy from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) found there was a “strong positive correlation” between a country’s skills base in engineering and its economic development. Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands topped the list of nations ranked by their engineering strength, measured by a high number of people employed in engineering jobs, high average wages for engineers, and good quality engineering infrastructure.

The study confirms other research showing that a lack of engineering expertise was a brake on developing economies. The report also revealed that some small emerging economies were ahead of larger players, including the UK, when it came to the proportion of women studying engineering.

Two-thirds of such graduates in Myanmar were women, along with 42% in Tunisia and 41% in Honduras. By contrast, little more than a fifth of engineering graduates were female in the UK, Australia and the Netherlands. The European average was 28%. According to the report, India and Vietnam are set to be the next engineering “hotspots”, owing to their forecast economic growth, burgeoning population and need for new infrastructure. David Whitaker, managing economist at CEBR, said the study found that a one percentage point increase in a country’s score on its engineering index correlated to a 0.85% increase in GDP per capita. TE

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Twelve years at Windhoek Consulting Engineers’ water engineering department led to opportunities in Dubai and Bahrain for civil engineer Jacques Beukes as Aurecon snatched him.

CIVIL ENGINEERING

Tulipamwe: Engineering core business and strengths during tough construction times

“I returned to Namibia in 2009 and performed site supervision for five years for Aurecon Namibia for the Tsumeb-Katwitwi Road Link Project,” begins Beukes. Exposed to international engineering environment, Beukes in 2014, joined Tulipamwe Consulting Engineers as Oshakati oﬃce manager spending a year before returning to Windhoek in the design oﬃce. Below he describes how perseverance and the ability to embrace change, characterised his engineering life: TE: What were your biggest projects for 2016? JB: I would definitively say that the key highlights were the commencement of the construction of water and sewer infrastructure at /Ai-/Ais and at Hobas Campsite. The project entailed the construction of waste water treatment plants and re-using of the purified water for irrigation. Tulipamwe Consulting Engineers were also appointed to render professional services pertaining to the detailed design, tender documentation and contract supervision for the construction of municipal services infrastructure at Ompumbu Extensions 1, 2 and Proper in Oshakati. TE: Of the lessons learnt, which ones stand out and why? JB: One must make a value judgement and consider all possible outcomes before making decisions regarding a project. One must also make decisions often and correct wrong decisions immediately. No decisions can often cause more costs to a project or delays to a project. As engineers, we are trained to find solutions to problems. TE: So where will your growth be focused in 2017? JB: Strategic management, innovation and social media marketing. In 2016 there was a decline in the growth in construction industry and I think 2017 will be similar. In uncertain times one must concentrate on the core business and your strengths. +264 61 417 600

Fax: +264 61 417 611

TE: What have been the biggest challenges of 2016 and do you have any solutions to fix it? JB: The continuous drought and the scarcity of water is increasing uncertainty and causing doubt in the continuation of projects especially in Windhoek. Late payments of invoices and freezing of projects are also challenges. Therefore, we need to engage more with stakeholders and looking for alternative markets and strategic partners. TE: But how do you best describe the industry? JB: Exciting and challenging. I think even though you have years of experience you can learn new things every day and you can travel the country or the world. All construction projects are not the same and each has unique circumstances and challenges. TE: And government? Are you satisfied with the progress? JB: Progress had been made since independence in the industry to provide construction contracts to previously disadvantaged Namibian companies. However, a substantial portion of capital projects especially the larger projects are done by foreign companies. We should try to keep the money in the country and focus more on training local contractors regarding contract administration and contract finances. TE: If you were to change something in 2017, what would it be within your organisation? Where is change needed?

JB: I would not change anything in 2017. Our company is flexible and we would make changes if the industry changes drastically. TE: Let’s talk about competition? What is it that makes you unique from your competitors? JB: We are a 100% Namibian owned company and full compliant with NEEF. Our expertise are in roads, transportation and civil engineering consultancy. We can produce designs and contract documents fast, eﬃciently and will go the extra mile for our clients to ensure that projects are delivered successfully and to excellent standards. We are adaptable to change, flexible in incorporating company strategies and non-bureaucratic thereby meeting the requirements of our clients. TE: Innovation: How does innovation/ technology impact the nature of your business? JB: It impacts every aspect of our business as we require the latest versions of design packages and drafting programs to be able to stay competitive and produce designs with speed and good quality. TE: Your message to your clients and stakeholders for 2017? JB: Thank you for your support. We try to equal and better the quality of our services for 2017. TE

No. 126 A, Dr Kenneth Kaunda Street, Eros, Windhoek, Namibia

ABOUT: Jacques Beukes completed his National Diploma in civil engineering in 1995 and B.Tech Degree in 2003 at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. In high school, he participated in the young scientists’ competitions and which stimulated his appetite towards engineering. He also completed my BCom degree part time through Unisa while working full time. He is currently an associate at Tulipamwe Consulting Engineers.

The Engineer | Dec-Jan 2016/17

INFRASTRUCTURE

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Plastic pipes, integral to water infrastructure The plastic pipes industry is arguably one of the most important in Southern Africa as infrastructure such as water distribution, waste disposal, irrigation, telecommunications and a myriad of other services rely on pipe infrastructure to work eﬀectively, says Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (Sappma) CEO Jan Venter.

e points out that the challenges in the water infrastructure industry lie in the inability or unwillingness of local government to address the problems in their areas of responsibility such as proper planning, maintenance and timely award of contracts. Additionally, around 40% of treated water is lost, owing to water leaks and old pipes that are long overdue for replacement, while pipe manufacturers are desperate for work. One challenge, however, is to convince local government of the legality of alternative certification bodies other than the South African Bureau of Standards. Venter explains that, while not much can be done in terms of the manpower problems in local government, the message related to standards and certification is continually being preached. In addition, Sappma also helps in cases where technical advice is required.

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available, leading to a new industry in the region. Other major areas of potential growth for the plastic pipes industry lie in telecommunications, and the mining and oil industries.

In the long term, the industry trusts that natural gas will become suﬃciently

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Sappma hosted its Pipes X conference last month at the Bytes Conference Centre, in Midrand, South Africa with the support of the main sponsors: supplier of plastic piping systems and solutions DPI Plastics, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes and fittings manufacturer and distributor Rare Plastics, plastic pipes manufacturer and distributor Marley Pipe Systems and South African HDPE pipe suppliers PipeFlo. With more than 200 delegates attending the event, Venter says its yearly pipes conference has become firmly established in the industry’s events calendar.

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Moreover, Sappma recounts that major potential in the plastic pipes industry lies in the hope that political stability is achievable, to enable increased investment in infrastructure and to provide muchneeded upgrading of services for all communities.

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“There are many exciting, new markets and opportunities emerging for the plastic pipes industry. We have an ever-increasing role to play, and are making a diﬀerence where it matters,” he says.

Many of the papers presented at the conference reflected the current problems various industries are facing regarding the accreditation of national standards.

Meanwhile, Venter indicates that there seems to be renewed emphasis on the rehabilitation of old pipelines by way of trenchless techniques. To this end, new polymer grades are available and particularly suitable for this process. Another promising development is the manufacture of orientated polyvinyl chloride pipe, which opens new possibilities in terms of possible pressure ratings.

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He adds that the hosting the conference and other activities, have proven that Sappma is heavily invested in the wellbeing of the plastic pipes industry – especially where standards and technical specifications are concerned. More than 1 500 delegates have been exposed to almost 200 technical papers since Sappma first hosted the conference in 2005. “This year, we were privileged to have 17 experts, including international speakers from Australia, Spain, Germany and the Middle East, who shared their expertise,” Venter details. Many of the papers presented at the conference reflected the current problems various industries are facing regarding the accreditation of national standards. Venter explains that high quality in general and long-term product quality in particular, are Sappma’s cornerstones. Considering that about 60 000 km/y of plastic pipe is manufactured in South Africa, Venter notes that the association is doing everything possible to facilitate alternative mechanisms and prevent a general deterioration of plastic piping systems.

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The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

NaTIS Business Hours and Services

Ogilvy & Mather Namibia | www.ogilvy.com.na

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063 272 051

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065 263 121

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062 564 116

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063 270 851

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066 252 127

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CONSTRUCTION

South Africa dominates the continent’s construction projects There are only 15 water projects in Africa for the period under review, with a total value of $4.8-billion. Southern Africa has the largest number of projects, with dams in Angola, Namibia and Mauritius and water infrastructure and distribution projects in Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

South Africa continues to account for the most infrastructure and capital project activity in Southern Africa, at 48.2%, followed by Angola at 12.9% and Mozambique and Zambia at 10.6% each.

outh Africa also has the most projects, by country, in Africa, at 41 projects, Deloitte’s ‘Africa Construction Trends’ report revealed. With 85 projects, Southern Africa – which includes Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritus, Mozambique, Namibia, SouthAfrica, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe – represents 29.7% of all projects in Africa, and 28.9% in value, at US$93.4-billion. However, this is 24 projects less than the 109 recorded in the 2015 report. In East Africa, only 43 projects are recorded from 61 previously, with the overall value dropping from US$58billion to US$27-billion.

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In total, Africa’s large construction projects are currently worth a collective US$324-billion, slightly down on last year’s US$375-billion, the report finds.

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“Construction projects are continuing in Africa, despite slower economic growth and the commodities price slump which has an impact both on the financing available and project viability.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

SOUTHERN AFRICA SCOPE Across the region, the real estate sector accounts for 30.6% of activity, seeing the largest increase in the number of featured projects, followed by energy and power which account for 24.7%.

Transport projects recorded the thirdlargest share with 20%. This is followed by mining and shipping & ports projects making up 7.1% of projects each.

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In total, Africa’s large construction projects are currently worth a collective US$324-billion, slightly down on last year’s US$375-billion, the report finds.

At the same time, it is imperative that African governments and companies invest in water infrastructure, especially given the drought conditions facing much of the continent,” said Deloitte associate director JP Labuschagne.

Transport projects recorded the third-largest share with 20%. This is followed by mining and shipping & ports projects making up 7.1% of projects each.

However, in terms of value, energy and power projects dominate, valued at US$33.3-billion, while oil and gas, the second-largest sector, is valued at US$25.5-billion. Projects in transport and mining declined by seven percentage points each, in terms of the number of projects, along with projects in the water sector, which also saw a decrease in the number of projects, from nine to six.

In a change from 2015, Southern African governments account for the greatest financial investment by funding 31.8% of all projects. Private domestic entities account for funding 24.7% of projects with various other countries funding 20% of projects in Southern Africa. International development finance institutes (DFIs) and African DFIs are funding 10.6% and 4.7% of projects throughout Southern Africa respectively, with China funding 8.2% of projects. Meanwhile, of sub-Saharan Africa’s (SSA’s) big four economies – Nigeria, South Africa, Angola and Kenya – Nigeria is rapidly contracting, while Angola and South Africa are static. It is only Kenya which is bucking this trend and growing at a decent emerging market rate of close to 6%.

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Government-owned projects account for 60% of the market share, followed by private domestic-owned projects with 25.9%. Single countries owning projects make up the smallest share in the region, with 14.1% combined.

WATER WOES The current drought has highlighted shortcomings in water infrastructure. Water resources have come under increasing pressure, through urbanisation, population growth, climate change and water-intensive industry. Since 1990 sub-Saharan Africa’s population has almost doubled, and water infrastructure has lagged demand.

“Water provision is a critical component for agriculture and agro processing, energy generation and industrial development. To diversify their economies, African governments need to invest in water access and related infrastructure projects,” said Labuschagne.

CONSTRUCTION

This overall decrease can be attributed to lower-for-longer commodity prices and regulatory uncertainty in a number of countries in the region.

However, supplying water is often politically charged, and financial returns are the lowest of all the infrastructure asset classes. Deloitte’s research found that water accounted for 3.8% of total projects and only 1.3% of projects by value. There are only 15 water projects in Africa for the period under review, with a total value of $4.8-billion. Southern Africa has the largest number of projects, with dams in Angola, Namibia and Mauritius and water infrastructure and distribution projects in Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. South Africa, with three projects at a combined value of $1.3-billion, is the leader both in terms of the number and the value of water projects on the continent. “Investment in water infrastructure will be crucial for African countries that need to ensure adequate water access for the public, while developing their economies. It will be critical to look for innovative ways to finance these water projects,” said Labuschagne. TE

Uncertain global macroeconomic conditions and domestic challenges have led to lower growth projections for this region as a whole. Growth in sub-Saharan Africa fell to 3.5% in 2015, significantly below the 5% to 7% average experienced by the region over the last decade. Sub-Saharan Africa’s 2016 growth forecast is even lower at only 1.4%, the first time that the region’s growth has been lower than the world average since 2000.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

ENGINEER OF THE MONTH

Namibia’s new motorway links, an engineer’s dream Namibia’s massive motorway construction programme will improve transport connections and boost the country’s economy. A massive road building programme is transforming Namibia, with new motorways connecting major towns, boarder towns as well as many new rural roads being built. The Namibian Government has set an impressive plan for its infrastructure investment that will see even the country’s small and remote villages having proper connections to the main road network.

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Thohi Construction owner Aron Mutumbula believes this project is part of a strategic move remaking the coastal town into a commercial hub. He mantains, “Walvis Bay can become the small Singapore. Already it is a better starter route to Europe than Cape Town as it is much closer.

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In 2017, the Roads Authority plan includes building highways and connecting rural roads, with the government having set a target to construct some hundreds of roads per year. The new tolled motorways are already helping with the transportation of heavy goods between cities and also with the country’s immediate neighbours and through its ports, boosting trade overall.

Part of Namibia’s network development includes the N$1 billion upgrade of two coastal roads into dual carriageways, a project expected to create at least 600 jobs, where small and medium enterprise (SME) participation will constitute at least 15 percent of the project. Thohi Construction is one such stakeholder who has partnered with Unik Construction Engineering to build the passage between Swakopmund and Walvis Bay along the Dune 7. The project is expected to be completed in 2018 and the road will be up to bitumen standard with a tar road, two bridges and four lanes, which will run along the sea leading up to the Walvis Bay Airport.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

The Unik/Thohi joint venture – which constitutes Namibian and Chinese contractors – will benefit the Namibian company Thohi as it will allow the Namibian contractor and sub-contractors to acquire skills from their experienced foreign partner. Thohi Construction owner Aron Mutumbula believes this project is part of a strategic move remaking the coastal town into a commercial hub. He mantains, “Walvis Bay can become the small Singapore. Already it is a better starter route to Europe than Cape Town as it is much closer.” More than 600km of roads in the Erongo Region will be tarred or resurfaced by 2019 as part of the highly acclaimed Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) unveiled by President Hage Geingob. The gravel roads to be tarred are Section A of 60km from Swakopmund to Henties Bay and Section B (about 123km) from Henties Bay to Uis settlement. Earthworks on these two sections are under way. Another gravel road of approximately 120km between Uis and Khorixas will also be tarred, as will the gravel road that connects Swakopmund to Walvis Bay behind Dune 7 (about 65km).

The 60km of tarred road between Omaruru and Karibib – full of potholes – is already being renovated. Renovations will also continue from Karibib to Swakopmund and further to Walvis Bay on the B2 road. This distance is about 235km. The Roads Construction Company will oversee all these projects to make sure that they meet international standards and that contractors complete them within the required time frame. And for Aron Mutumbula, the die is cast. A civil engineer of repute, Aron Mutumbulua founded Thohi Construction in 2001. “Thohi” means moving forward in Oshiwambo. Working on such projects is a dream as he has been cultivating himself since graduating from Mangosuthu University of Technology in Durban 1998 through a City of Windhoek (CoW) bursary. He had worked for the City that same year, firstly in the department of Solid Waste Management, then roads and eventually, maintenance. Nine years at CoW was enough to propel him to new heights. “I outgrew the system,” he says. “In 2007 I went fully into the business because I felt compelled

And now he runs a project that will help reduce congestion and improve traﬃc as vehicle numbers have increased considerably lately on Namibian roads due to the rapid population growth, a rise in cheaper imports. Of course, the job is complex and includes a number of challenges, not the least of which is its location near the sand dunes, plus there a lot of water in the area. But that is the least of his worries. “What worries every contractor is delayed payments. The role of main contractor comes with its own set of challenges as you carry more of responsivity. For one, besides showing your experience, you have to provide guarantees that the job will be completed and have 10% of the total cost of the project from your side before it begins,” he says. Besides this, a main contractor must have startup capital, equipment, site agent, professional engineer and skilled personnel. The challenge of course comes in when clients do not pay on time, which can be disruptive to projects.

Mutumbula adds, “When your submission for a tender is being evaluated, you have to have your staﬀ and equipment already in order and an engineer fetches up to N$60 000 a month. When you’re not paid, it aﬀects everyone.” With some of Thohi Construction’s current projects including construction of the The project, estimated at about N$ 958.4 million will take approximately 3 years to complete. road in Uutamanzi and the road between Onyaanya and Future projects for Thohi Construction include Onanko, he is not worried building improving the road between Omuthiya about his job but about payment delays. and Ondangwa and building a road network in Hochfeld, which is located just 13.5km just “Imagine if the delays in the dual carriageway north-east of Okahandja, which will lead to road being constructed between Windhoek Grootfontein, thus eliminating the need to travel and Okahandja were to come on this project, all the way to Otjiwarongo and Tsumeb for those considering the task at hand? There will be who wish to go to Rundu and Katima Mulilo. disaster,” he says. He says of his Chinese partnership; “They were once a colonised people but now they are world leaders. To do the same, we should learn from them but not allow them to take over so that in 10-20 years we will be able to do our own things.”

“The road network is the backbone of our economy and we should ensure it is a priority for us,” he says, and if his 18 years in the industry are anything to go by, Mutumbula and Thohi construction will be here for the long haul. TE

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Municipal Engineering

With a commitment to quality, safety, and technical excellence, Knight Piésold specializes in creating tailored solutions at every stage of a project life cycle while delivering sustainable bottom-line results. We have led numerous awardwinning projects to completion, and have fostered many longterm client relationships that still hold strong today.

298 61 307 297 | Fax: +264 61 307 Namibia Oﬃce: Tel.: +264 ek, Naimibia dho Win , Eros 62, 860 Box | P.O. namibia@knightpiesold.com Namibia ek, o Hahn Streets, Klein Windho c/o 45 Nelson Mandela & Hug

ENGINEER OF THE MONTH

to make things right. Having worked for the City and interacted with other businesses many times, I found that in construction there are many chance-takers who are only in it to make a quick buck. I saw we needed change.”

PROJECT FOCUS

Saving Von Bach: Knight Piésold’s stitch in time Civil engineering is often called the oldest engineering discipline, as humans have been building roads, bridges, and water ducts for thousands of years. These kinds of infrastructure projects are ones that civil engineers still work on today.

he profession is also expected to expand by 8 percent in the next 10 years, as increasing urbanization and an interest in renewable-energy create new projects for civil engineers. Given the makeup of the field, that raises big social questions. Engineering is the STEM sector where urgency is a priority, as presented by Knight Piésold during the refurbishment of the Von Bach Dam. The asphalt contract was handed to Knight Piésold who were responsible for the asphalt repair on the road and dam wall as well as the repair of the indentation on the dam wall. Knight Piésold Consulting, Civil engineer Dr. Gert Cloete enthuses on the company’s major project of 2016. “The last time the dam was this empty was 20 years ago, the same time it was refurbished. On a given timeline, NamWater would not have had an empty dam like this. So, after carrying out our tests, we managed to produce suﬃcient results that the Von Bach Dam was 2-3cm away from a major crack which would have caused massive leakage. We bought into the window of opportunity that it is a drought season and the dam is empty, good enough for refurbishment,” he says. The test results had proven that the condition of the asphalt especially around the top part of the embankment was badly exposed to UV radiation more frequently. This had been caused by the rise and drops of dam water levels where about 15-20m of asphalt had become exposed. Adds Dr Cloete, “The poor condition of the covering layer, the bituminous mastic layer which is a sacrificial layer to protect the asphalt needed to be replaced because the radiation was causing cracks. We drilled into the crack and found it had penetrated into the dam’s full depth of the asphalt layer, about 150mm deep.” The dam could have leaked significantly if more water had penetrated deeper into the cracks onto the porous layers, 2-3cm below.

The Von Bach Dam was constructed 50 years ago and its Water Treatment Plant produces potable water for the capital of Namibia, Windhoek, as well as for a number of other consumer points in the central part of the Khomas Region. The plant is situated downstream of the Von Bach Dam and 10 km south of Okahandja. “It was indeed due for refurbishment since the last one was done 20 years ago. We only replaced the upper part, as our tests indicated that the lower part was in good condition, no cracks visible or present.” With no African companies involved in this kind of business, Knight Piésold Consulting had to rely on international European agency and transporting materials to European labs where they were analysed for hydraulic purposes at times took longer than envisaged. “We have learnt a lot from this 2016 project. It was one of the biggest and challenging but exciting activities for us,” he says. Now the consultancy is planning a future in desalinated water supply. Risk proposals and investigations have been carried out on how Windhoek can solar energy to pump water from the coast to the capital. “But funding remains a huge challenge. Either projects are cut or those that are running are not paid on time by government. We have had hiccups with the Neckartal Dam project where delays in payment aﬀected our cash flows immensely as we have huge general expenses for construction teams. But it has been the greatest opportunity working with the government.” Knight has also been providing training for the department of Hydrology in the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry field technicians and hydrologists on how to measure flood peaks in Namibian rivers.

Harsh environment “The consulting industry is very harsh. You spend 50-70 hours compiling a tender and 5 months later you are told the tender has been cancelled because of lack of funding. We put in our best oﬀer, and we can’t go lower. But someone comes in and puts in a lower bid which would be practically impossible considering we all have the same suppliers. In the end the lowest bidder gets the job, fails to deliver because they already compromised from the word go. Lowest doesn’t give best product,” thus Dr Cloete. To him, there is a need to consider several bids and opt for the average. He argues that lower bids are usually just desperate for funds while trends show that the costly ones are just taking chances and not overly interested. “Average bids could be more realistic and more representative.” This 2016 Knight might have proven that although they are a small company with global expertise from around the world, they do boast of in-depth experience in engineering, construction and consulting services and visualising projects. For him, “Time is money and the more technology is applied on getting the results the better. Knight Piesold would love to continue working, building relationship with clients and stakeholders and providing high quality work related to the field of engineering that always provide.” TE

Von Bach Dam The Von Bach Dam is a rock-fill embankment dam on the Swakop River near Okahandja in the Otjozondjupa Region of Namibia. Built in 1968 and commissioned in 1970, the dam provides Namibia's capital of Windhoek with much of the city's water. Height: 35 m Opened: 1970 Surface area: 4.89 km² Construction began: 1968

By Daniel Steinmann

Recently in various meetings with a number of people, it transpired that the government owes contractors in the construction sector, hundreds of millions of dollars. This is not a good sign.

EDITORIAL

Confidence is at its lowest ever

IN SHORT

Namibian contractors everywhere are under financial strain with several of them having severe cashflow problems to the extent that their employees are constantly at risk of not getting paid

his has a major ripple eﬀect which pans out to subcontractors and professional service providers. In an economy as small as ours, it is not possible to keep these developments under wraps with the result that confidence deteriorates by the day. What began as a few ripples in May has now developed into a fullblown meltdown and all because government funding is under pressure. If ever there was a stark reminder that the government’s involvement in the overall economy is way too big, it is now. Comparing the budget figures to the National Accounts, it reveals that the government contributes roughly 44% to GDP through direct expenditure. This is already uncomfortably high. If I consider the two main transmission mechanisms in the economy, the government wage bill and the tender channel, the government contribution can be as high as 65%. Not only is this scary, it shows the government’s overpowering dominance in the economy as a whole.

In our own economy, 2016 was supposed to be the crowning year of a series of high growth years which started in 2010. But regardless of what label we put to one after the other stimulatory package, the unavoidable outcome was that both sovereign and national debt increased by the year. When an economy posts nominal growth between 15% and 20% per year, nobody really worries. The growth rate carries everything else on the rising tide. When that translates to real growth between 5% and 6%, it is seen as a confirmation of the soundness of our development policies. Why then has the government gravy train ground to a halt in such a short period?

This may be good if a government is all powerful like the Chinese like to believe they are, but in our small pond it created risky distortions which quickly lead to a wider contagion that now aﬀects the entire economy.

Again, this is not due to a single event. It is a whole chain of events aﬀecting us as well as every other country in the region. The weakness in our system is that the billions of dollars spent on civil servant wages and the ambitious infrastructure projects we undertook, did not translate into an increase in productivity, or to lasting jobs. Thousands of jobs were only temporary and that has now come to an end.

Our troubles are not isolated. They are only one aspect of a complex economic puzzle that permeates the southern African region. When oil prices came down, the Angolan economy collapsed. This economy is also controlled by the Angolan government so when their petro-dollars declined by an average 67%, the Angolan retail sector collapsed. Little did we realise at the beginning of this year, how severely that fallout will impact our own retail sector in the north.

Take for instance the massive project to build a new double lane road between Windhoek and Okahandja. Count the number of workers on the extended site. It is quite revealing that one battles to find 200 people working on this very large project. Most are operators of heavy equipment, so it is the machinery who does the work and not people. Not much in the sense of lasting job creation there. And many of the people on that site, are also temporary.

The ladies waving the red warning flags will certainly not join the permanent staﬀ of any of the contractors, or even the Roads Contractor Company. We are in the middle of a conundrum. If the government cuts back as it has done since May this year, then a large number of governmentdependent value chains are impeded. If they continue with the borrowing-to-spend spree, then our economic stability is at stake. Perhaps a sensible long-term approach would be first to reduce the government wage bill by a natural process of attrition. Fill only those positions that are crucial. Second, get rid of all the obsolete and redundant ministries, agencies and oﬃces. Three, encourage a much bigger private sector participation in other words, stop crowding out those enterprises that create permanent jobs. Four, kickstart the Public Private Partnership model so that it can start generating returns immediately and relieve some of the fiscal pressure. Finally, use this framework to pave the way for the privatisation of a myriad of institutions that now depend on subsidies. In short, end the culture and mentality of entitlement, it is slowly killing us through a thousand small cuts, none of which is lethal, but together are toxic. TE First Published by the Namibia Economist Daniel Steinmann is the editor of the Namibia Economist

The Engineer | Dec-Jan 2016/17

COMPANY PROFILE

EPA

Engineering Professions stock take 2016

The Engineering Professions Association of Namibia (EPA) is a non-profit, voluntary membership association of the engineering and related professionals in Namibia. IN SHORT

Membership categories:

Continuous Professional Development – CPD

Corporate members: Conditional registration with ECN Associate members: active in engineering field Student members: Unam or Nust

The EPA, in cooperation with the South African Road Federation (SARF), facilitated the following courses during the past year:

EPA membership

• During 2016 Induna Training/FIDIC conducted The Management of Claims and Dispute Resolution, on 8&9 June 2016 and

The EPA currently has 325 members as at 11 November 2016 (compared to last year when the number was 311) consisting of the following disciplines: Agricultural Chemical Civil Electrical Electronic Environmental Geotechnical Industrial Mechanical Mining Structural Transport

2 2 173 69 4 1 1 13 54 1 5 1

The EPA has made positive strides to increase its memberships, and will continue to do so. Once the Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme becomes obligatory, it is expected that the membership will increase substantially. Voluntary memberships and service to the engineering community are becoming a challenge by the day due to the workload of engineers.

Engineers Tour of the South Namibia on 16-17 September 2016: A Visit of the 3 Dams and a Fish Farm on the Fish River

• The Management and Administration FIDIC module 4, on 25&26 October 2016 Neckartal Dam – Keetmanshoop Namibia. As such big projects do not get repeated within 20 years of a nation’s development. Its capacity is designed for 880m m³ water-holding. The user-Ministry is Ministry of Water, Agriculture and Forestry. The Engineering Professions Association (EPA) organized an excursion to the Site of the massive construction project of Neckartal Dam 60km west of Keetmanshoop on Friday 16 September 2016. The Engineers and constructors on the project have both local and international content plus all disciplines of Engineering are integrated in the project to make it complete case study. Knight Piésold Consultant engineers stationed 21 engineers on site. The total workforce on the project is about 1,000.

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The EPA currently has 325 members as at 11 November 2016 (compared to last year when the number was 311)

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The EPA aims to uphold excellence in the field of engineering and to promote the image of the engineering profession in Namibia. It has statutory representation on the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN), and is a full member of the Commonwealth Engineers’ Council, the South African Road Federation (SARF) and the Southern African Federation of Engineering Organisations (SAFEO).

Local subcontracting involves transportation, hired heavy equipment, local hotels, catering. Construction stone is crushed within the vicinity of the dam. About 30 Members of the EPA attended the tour. This event realized membership entry of 10 new applicant members registering. The engineers succeeded in seeing two other dams on the Fish River. The 800m m³ water-holding capacity Naute Dam was visited on the way back from Neckartal dam to Keetmanshoop and after the night on Saturday morning the engineers came through the Hardap Dam, before finally going through the Hardap Fish Farm under the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources to appreciate the newly refurbished Fish farm opened in May 2016 after Chinese donor handed it over to Hon. Minister Esau. Hardap dam with 320m m³ water holding capacity was derated to 70% to avoid the flooding as it did to Mariental town in 2006. The flood gates open discharging 5,500 m³ per hour when it reaches the new set lower limit.

EPA Young Engineers’ Construction Project: Bridge Building Competition. The year missed the normally enthusiastic response and therefore the competition was missed out. It also occurred at a time EPA was having a transition period without a stable administrator. The EPA strives to promote an interest in a career in the engineering profession. The annual Bridge Building Competition for all secondary schools in Namibia is a popular event. The next annual bridge Building Competition is scheduled for 2017. EPA Engineering Forum

The Stone Crushing Plant at ongoing Neckartal Dam Construction scheduled for completion next year. Photo by Frederick Muketi Friday 16 September 2016.

The EPA and the partnering entities, among others, the GIZ (German Development Cooperation), the Engineering Council of Namibia (ECN), the University of Namibia as well as the University of Science and Technology of Namibia, initiated the EPA Study on the Role of the Engineering Profession in Namibia, a first of its kind in the country. The study come at an opportune time when the Namibian Government initiated major engineering related projects, such as the mass housing project, upgrading of major roads in the country to dual carriage way and the building of the Neckartal Dam in the south. Upon completion of the study, an engineering forum was organised to discuss the results and recommendations of the report. The forum was held on 27-28th March 2014 at the Safari Hotel and Conference Centre in Windhoek. The outcome of the forum is currently being compiled as recommendations to Government as a contribution from the engineering fraternity for development in the attainment of Vision 2030. The recommendations report was finalised and distributed for comments to the ECN and EPA Council members. The final report will be distributed for publishing.

the appointment of adjudicators to the dispute adjudication boards. 25 adjudicator nominations have been made to date. There are two senior adjudicators, ten adjudicators and five junior adjudicators. The EPA is committed to developing capacity for adjudication services in Namibia, and the support of employer organisations is crucial towards achieving this end.

COMPANY PROFILE

School projects to promote engineering:

EPA Scholarship Fund The EPA’s own scholarship scheme has been established and the following four individuals received scholarships from this fund: Marion Kretzschmar ( Stellenbosch University), Jacobus Linde (North West University); Hanas Nenkavu and Silas Iileka (both studying at Namibia University of Science and Technology). Ohorongo Cement Scholarship Fund administered by EPA In August 2015 EPA was appointed to administer on behalf of Ohorongo Cement Trust Fund. The Ohorongo scholarship scheme has been established and the following individuals have received scholarships from this fund: Ndakalako Nambahu and Saara Ipinge both at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.

It is envisaged that the recommendations will be communicated to all stakeholders and some critical recommendations will be implemented, such as the institutionalisation of the EPA, the formalisation of the training of engineers/incorporated engineers in the country, etc. EPA National Adjudicators List (NAL)

Laying the Floor of the Neckartal Dam

The EPA aims to provide the Namibian construction industry with a low-cost, but high quality, alternative dispute resolution system to the traditional systems of arbitration and litigation. The NAL has been established with the support of InWEnt – Capacity Building International, Germany, the Roads Authority and the City of Windhoek, which is registered as a major employer. The NAL Committee advertised for foreign adjudicators and the evaluation and the selection process took place in January 2014. An upgraded list is envisaged for early 2017 to meet the demand in the construction sector.

Hardap Dam near Mariental covers 25km²-area, and has a conference centre facility, and a Fresh water Fish Farm.

Thus, the EPA, through the NAL, oﬀers a procedural and impartial nomination service to assist employers in the construction industry with

EPA Council for 2015/2016 President: Frederick Muketi Immediate Past President: Gunter Leicher Vice-President: Sophie Tekie Hon. Treasurer: Volker Fischer-Buder Hon. Secretary: Fritz Jacobs Civil Engineering Representative: Rianus Gonteb Industrial Engineering Representative: Helmut von Maltzahn. Electrical/Electronic Engineering Representative: Penda Negonga Co-opted: Angula Nashandi (Electrical), Ulla Vermaak (Industrial); Cronje Loftie Eaton (Industrial), N. Kapofi

ARCHITECTURE

Muzwembiri Architects: Where sustainable architecture leads Toini Martin

Brian Muzwembiri is at the helm of Muzwembiri Architects, a firm that has overseen projects that have completed major aﬀordable housing in Rundu, Otjiwarongo, Swakopmund and Windhoek in 2016.

exceed N$500 million, Muzwembiri is an interdisciplinary firm oﬀering services in planning, policy foundation, architecture, project management and interior design throughout Namibia.

Housing, their main drive for 2016 has stemmed from inspiration drawn from the Harambee Prosperity Program.

With expertise that incorporates cost eﬀective and contextually responsive designs for stakeholders, many of their developments have involved the prior establishment of infrastructural facilities such as roads, electricity and water pipes, even before the commencement of the building structures.

Working on projects that range from shopping centres and housing, some whose budgets

“Our operations are fully computerised enabling us to produce a higher standard of design and documentation in the shortest time possible. We are dedicated to design excellence which integrates function, aesthetics, sustainability and cost criteria. We collaborate with clients, consultants and contractors to plan and implement projects as a seamless team,” says Muzwembiri. He is already focused 2017 on diversifying and increasing the clientele base which has been 50% reliant on the government.

Muzwembiri Architects Contact Details Email: brian@muzarch.com - Cel: 081 673 7447/081 430 9341 P.O. Box 2345 Tsumeb/ Website: www.muzarch.com

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

“For 2017, housing is within the realm of aﬀordability, so

Brian Muzwembiri is at the helm of Muzwembiri Architects sustainable architecture will be key. Architects must start playing a role in the building of the environment. Urban architecture: PlanningThis needs a lot of attention but if only architects can work with urban planners to create a better town where the orientation of the erven and roads is all put together to produce a sustainable beautiful environment,” he says. But then there is need for the government to create more competition to accommodate new architects if they are to survive in a bigger system play. “Government must start trusting more into the younger generation. As architects, everyone must have a fair share and government must create competitions on projects where small architects can participate at their own level,” he concludes. TE

PROFILE

Meet Ester Angula; A name in engineering for the future Lecturer: University of Namibia, Faculty of Engineering and IT, in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (Eng. JEDS Campus) • Master of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering), specialized in ThermoFluids, Stellenbosch University, South Africa • Bachelor of Science in Engineering and Technology (Mechanical Engineering) specialized in Technological Machines and Equipment: Saint Petersburg State Polytechnic University, Russia

Q: What have been your key highlights for 2016? What projects were the biggest for you?

Q: Where will your growth be focused on in 2017? A: In 2017 I plan to focus more on research and do a lot of consultancy work. My research will focus more on the energy sector, where I will emphasise more on performance enhancement technologies of power plant dry cooling system. Q: What have been the biggest challenges of 2016 and do you have any solutions to fix it? A: Getting funds to execute my research. The research ideas were many but there were no funds. That still remains a challenge. There is a lot that needs to be done in the engineering field. 2016 Lessons

A: This year was a bit focused more on the academic side of things. Besides lecturing, I have been conducting research and doing some consultancy work. I carried out some mini projects such as designing the net shading for the garden of the Ministry of Agriculture in Ongwediva. This included the designing of the frame structure and water spraying system for the nursery.

Innovations most of the time have greater impacts. For example, new or upgraded designing or simulation software package can make design, research and lecturing works easier, and save time.

Uniqueness I think I am unique from my competitors, in ways that: • Most of the people who have qualifications in the field of Mechanical Engineering are men, and women are few, and i am one of those few. • Few people have a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, specifically specialized in Thermo-Fluids, which I have. That’s just more than the word unique. TE

Q: What more needs to be done from a government/policy level to enable a conducive environment for you? A: Government should: • Provide funds for research and projects that are aimed at addressing our national needs. • Promote innovative projects and let local engineers implement them, instead of hiring foreign consultants.

Apart from that I also took part in the curriculum development programme of Rigging and Airconditioning and Refrigeration for VTCs.

• Revise or draw up policies so that they are in favor of qualified Namibians to execute projects or any other kind of jobs.

UNAM Eng. JEDS CAMPUS +264 (0) 65 223 4006 +264 (0) 65 223 4069 Nandjembo Mengele Street

“Innovations most of the time have greater impacts. For example, new

or upgraded designing or simulation software package can make design, research and lecturing works easier, and save time.” 17

RESEARCH

Tel.: +264-61-207-9111 | Fax: +264-61-207-2444 13 Storch Street Windhoek, Namibia Private Bag 13388 Windhoek, Namibia

Industrial Research opens global doors for top NUST engineering specialist NUST Mechanical Engineering graduates are some of the most sought-after in Namibia’s broad spectrum of professional engineering practices, as the market often considers their wealth of knowledge and skills in management, marketing and government to be a cut above the rest.

Dr. Michael Mutingi: -PhD (UJ), M.Eng: Ind (NUST-Zim), B.Eng: Ind (NUST-Zim). -Senior Lecturer: specialising in Industrial Department: Mechanical Engineeringv

The Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) oﬀers National Diploma, Bachelor of Technology and Bachelor of Engineering programmes, second to none in Namibia. Highlighting the need for 18

The Engineer | Dec-Jan 2016/17

encouraging engineering graduates towards pursuing research, senior lecturer Dr Michael Mutingi says Namibia just like much of southern Africa is lacking required infrastructure and qualified faculty which results in the quality of engineering education to reaching greater heights.

o him there is an immediate need to brigde the gap between for instance, the institute and technology and the students must be aware of the latest technology. “In my experience, I have found that in Namibia from an academic perspective, there is a willingness to interact with the industry so I find myself well placed. Most of the post-graduate students are employed which then links us up with industry,” says Dr. Mutingi.

The awards he has received from the Industrial Engineering and Operations Management (IEOM) are a constant reminder of the nature of his work. The IEOM Society recognizes educators, researchers, and professionals for the significant contribution through teaching, research and publication, service, innovation, or leadership in the field of industrial engineering and operations management. He has also received the overall Established Researcher Award in his faculty after publishing three journal articles, and a Springer International Book plus 12 peerreviewed conference papers, in addition to graduating three Masters students this past year. These awards come after the 2015 Emerging Researcher Award, which he also scooped. The Healthcare Operations research which he conducted this year, focused on the aim to improve process, cost reduction, eﬃciency and develop mathematical methods that assist in developing improved operations and was done in collaboration with his NUST students. He says, “Research keeps me up to date with what is going on in the industry, such as the technological advancements which then helps me with curriculum development and updating. In simple terms I use research to beef up the curriculum and see what to add or remove from it.”

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He has received the overall Established Researcher Award in his faculty after publishing three journal articles, and a Springer International Book plus 12 peerreviewed conference papers, in addition to graduating three Masters students this past year.

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Because research has been one of his main focuses over the last two years at NUST, Dr Mutingi was awarded at the 2016 Institutional Research Week, the Institutional Established Researcher of the Year Award after a Healthcare Operations Research, Multicriteria Decision Making, Metaheuristics, System

Dynamics, Lean Systems, which received more than 600 citations.

With vast experience of lecturing in Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe, his research methods have been ever evolving over the years, improving on practical research and linking up with industry and going into the field, whereas in the beginning it was more desktop research.

RESEARCH

As a result, his is focusing on his faculty taking the lead and guiding the students towards latest technologies headed towards the industry. And this he says, is mainly through research.

Some of the case studies his faculty researches with Masters students is used with students that are in the lower year. The need for technological advancement in the context of the global economic growth is one of the driving forces of the Department of Mechanical and Marine Engineering at NUST. As such Mutingi’s research helps provide industry-driven training to meet local and international needs. Mechanical Engineering at NUST covers a vast range of activities from simple hand tools to spacecraft. Areas of study cover mechanisms, the use of heat to deliver work and the reverse process, the factors influencing the strength of components of machines and structures, manufacturing processes and design of components. Having pioneered engineering programs at previous top notch universities, Dr. Michael Mutingi has continued his trend of success at NUST. Since 2014, he has revamped the engineering faculty to strengthen its research capabilities, one of the most important aspects of engineering, he argues. Mutingi has worked on revising the Masters of Industrial Engineering curriculum and has pioneered the Bachelor of Industrial Engineering, a first of its kind at NUST. Whereas students in the field of engineering would all be lumped together in their first year, students specialising in Industrial Engineering would be able to get into Industrial Engineering in the first year. The curriculum has already been drafted and approved and will go into eﬀect in 2017.

The Engineer | Dec-Jan 2016/17

RESEARCH

“It is an exciting event to have three more students graduate next year. It shows that as a department we are growing in gaining experience in developing post graduate students.” Says Mutingi. Industrial engineering is the branch of engineering that involves figuring out how to make or do things better. Industrial engineers are concerned with reducing production costs, increasing eﬃciency, improving the quality of products and services, ensuring worker health and safety, protecting the environment and complying with government regulations. They “work to eliminate waste of time, money, materials, energy and other commodities,” according to Mutingi. For example, industrial engineers may work to streamline an operating room, shorten a roller-coaster line, make assembly lines safer and more eﬃcient, and speed up the delivery of goods. His ambitions for 2017 are already set. Besides garnering more awards for faculty, “I want to do more in case studies, solving real life problems. I also hope to get funded research projects. I want to increase my collaboration activity within the faculty, among my colleagues.” Two books published this year on Mutingi’s research include ‘Studies in Computational Intelligence 666: Grouping Genetic Algorithms’ in collaboration with Charles Mbohwa and Advances and Applications in collaboration with the same author. Under Mutingi’s leadership, three students, Johannes Mutesi, Nestor Sheefeni and Rudolf Kalumbu, have graduated from this year program in Master’s program, taking the tally to 13 since he joined the institution. Says Mutingi, “It is an exciting event to have three more students graduate next year.

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From left: Dr Happy Sithole, Chief Executive Oﬃcer of the Centre for High Performance Computing, South Africa; Dr Michael Mutingi, Researcher of the Year 2016, and Prof Errol Tyobeka, Special Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor.

It shows that as a department we are growing in gaining experience in developing post graduate students.” However, even with success, challenges do arise and from Mutingi’s observation, a constant challenge is supervision for students on their projects and thesis. “Our courses are fine, but with more students joining, we are running out of supervisors when students are working on their own research of thesis,” he laments. “There is also a lack of analytical skills and mathematical thinking from students, which the engineering industry requires. We have had complaints from the industrial advisory board about this but we also understand from the students’ perspective that it goes back to high school education and they feel the mathematics they are getting at that level is not the standard it should be to prepare them for analytical thinking.”

It is an exciting event to have three more students graduate next year. It shows that as a department we are growing in gaining experience in developing post graduate students.

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NUST wishes all students and staﬀ a happy vacation. 20

The Engineer | Dec-Jan 2016/17

In Namibia, just like across Africa, roads have had to compete for funds against other more demanding sectors like health and education and this usually places them at a considerable disadvantage in the annual budget debate.

The performance of such funds has, however, been mixed. Some of the common problems cited are: weak financial management, absence of independent audits, potential use of funds for unauthorized expenditures, diversion of funds, and weak oversight. As a result, most of the earlier road funds, sometimes known as “first generation” road funds, have actually been closed down.

Boris Böttcher, Senior Technical Advisor of the RFA says the eﬃciency and eﬀectiveness of the enterprise largely depends on improving the current systems and technologies used in its various operations.

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One of the greatest challenges we have as RFA is capacity within ourselves. The ideal situation would be a readily available pool of engineers to impart skills and implement projects in the stipulated time frame.

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Countries around the world have responded to the growing shortage of finance in various ways including earmarking selected road related taxes and charges and depositing them into a special oﬀ-budget account, or road fund, to support spending on roads.

“MDC Automation will ensure that distance is measured automatically other than manually. It will enhance the billing process and enable road users to get invoices automatically. In addition, the Traﬃc Law Enforcement (TLE) processes will be redefined.

For Namibia, the Road Fund Administration (RFA) is a vibrant entity surviving on its state-of-the-art digital systems. Boris Böttcher, Senior Technical Advisor of the RFA says the eﬃciency and eﬀectiveness of the enterprise largely depends on improving the current systems and technologies used in its various operations.

We have furthermore extended our scope by working in conjunction with Ministry of Works and Transport to implement Intelligent Transport System (ITS) for the benefit of all stakeholders in road management,” says Böttcher. To this end, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) Namibia will be founded in 2017 to support the benefits of ITS technologies.

The RFA collects funds through Road User Charges (RUC) which comprise Fuel Levy (FL), Cross Border Charges (CBC), Licence Fees (LF), Mass Distance Charges (MDC) and Abnormal Load Fees (ALF).

MDC is part of ITS and the advantages of the system is that for example the Namibian Police can use the same technologies to capture speedover-distance with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR). The City Police, National Road Safety Council and the Roads Authority will all benefit from these technologies which enhances road safety by reducing response time in case of emergency.

“Our income is raised where it is spent, that is, from road users to road maintenance. At the RFA we have our engineers as well as the Executive: Project Management and Policy Advice that ensure that funds are allocated in an eﬃcient and sustainable way,” says Böttcher. In 2016, the RFA commenced with the preparation of a pilot study on the Automation of MDC collection, something done manually since its almost two decades of establishment.

TECHNOLOGY

Road Fund Administration goes digital

Lessons Learnt “We have decided to go on this route of technology upon learning how eﬀective it is to work in a more organised way. Three years ago, the collection of MDC-foreign and CBC was privatised but since its reintegration into RFA, income has tripled,” says Böttcher.

All the lessons learnt in the past year concerning the RFA staﬀ accommodation project at the border posts have been drafted into a document to be used in the improvement of processes in Phase 3. The document is also essential in helping largely SME dominated tender bearers who tend to struggle with delivering under the vast capacity of projects. Challenges “One of the greatest challenge we have as RFA is capacity within ourselves. The ideal situation would be a readily available pool of engineers to impart skills and implement projects in the stipulated time frame,” says Böttcher. The RFA has sought to address this anomaly by raising capacity on the spot and this by engaging UNAM and NUST graduate engineers in the pilot study to enhance skills capacity for the MDC Automation. “Namibia is starting on digitalising in the right time in the era of technology in RUC collections. Prices are going down, while technologies are improving and mobile phone applications are readily available. Our drive is now to ensure eﬃciency of all our operations by harnessing the potential of these technologies,” says Böttcher. Plans for the Future In line with the Harambee Prosperity Plan, plans are underway for the extension and upgrade of the Walvis Bay-Windhoek road and others, due to the envisaged higher capacity on the road once the port is extended. In this respect I wish all ITS stakeholders and road users enhanced road safety for 2017, says Böttcher TE

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

RADIAL TRUSS By Toini Martin

Radial Truss Industries: Engineering entrepreneurship at its modest Radial Truss Industries (Pty) Ltd was established in 2011 and is one of the fastest growing Conglomerates in the field of Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mining, Manufacturing, Real Estate, Investments and Renewable Energy and Retail.

“My focus is broadly related to Civil Engineering, Mining Engineering, Construction, Electrification and Procurement. I give close attention to General Policy and Direction of Radial Truss Industries, lobbying for business and key relations establishment and sustenance with our Clients and Partners globally,” says 31-year-old Kweenda, Managing Director and a civil engineer at Radial Truss.

The housing division has a team of excellent and professional architects, engineers, foremen, builders, plasters, tillers, joiners, carpenters, pavers, glazers and other necessary personnel to deliver outstanding products.

Radial Truss Industries oﬀers turn key solutions in Civil Engineering; from structural design, approval to the subsequent construction. The company has an electrical engineering as well as housing division.

We have relationship with all banks involved in housing funding in Namibia, your dream home can be planned, designed, drawn, approved and constructed all under one roof. One Product, One Team,” says Kweenda.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

“We never compromise on quality and customer satisfaction is more important than profit in this department.

“

I faced a lot of challenges in life but I tend to not look back and focus on the future. ’m very grateful for the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) and my parents for helping me out achieve what I have today.

“

With oﬃces in Windhoek and Ongwediva, on average, the company employs in the region of 300 employees, mostly from previously disadvantaged backgrounds country wide. Radial Truss Industries a fully Namibian Corporation with key focus on Civil Engineering Services and Products, with a youthful Mekondjo Lamek Kweenda at the helm.

Renewable Energy Projects As Namibia experiences a shortage of electricity, Radial Truss Industries is embarking on various initiatives in renewable energy solutions. Currently the company is actively involved in the following activities in search of amicable solutions for the country. • Bush to Energy Initiatives • CPS Power • Solar Energy

Civil Engineer – BSc Eng (Civil)-UCT Kweenda has varied engineering experience in Civil / Structural Engineering with emphasis on building design, project management and supervision. Kweenda has been orientated in the various mining engineering disciplines.

In 2003, after matriculated from Mweshipandeka High School, Lamek proceeded for a two-year course in Bridging in Civil Engineering at UNAM and later went to University of Cape Town (UCT) in the Western Cape province of South Africa, where he obtained a Degree in Civil Engineering.

And if we can believe in ourselves more, we can build Namibia largely by our own hands. I believe that our over-dependence on foreigners is not healthy. It retards our ability to grow further and realize more potential.

“I faced a lot of challenges in life but I tend to not look back and focus on the future. ’m very grateful for the Namibia Student Financial Assistance Fund (NSFAF) and my parents for helping me out achieve what I have today.

My advice to my fellow engineers in Namibia is the need for more collaboration as a united people regardless of background. We also need to look further beyond tenders and focus on innovation and invest in research and development.

He is a passionate and innovative Namibian engineering entrepreneur, who believes that the unification of business and engineering is critical to sustainable growth and development in Namibia.

All these 300 employees would not have been there if it was not for the NSFAF, they came at the right time,” says Lamek. And yet, he is still inspired to grow. The recipe for entrepreneurship.

It is the truest way of establishing a Namibia that is industrialised and developed, when we can look at being a net exporter of goods and services rather than a net importer as we currently are.

“It has been my passion doing engineering and in my childhood, my room was powered with electrical appliances,” recalls Kweenda.

I believe we have significant and excellent capacity and talent in Namibia, amongst our own people.

Namibia has so much potential, and I am indeed happy and I feel lucky to be part of the team that will realise that potential over next 50 years God willing. TE

RADIAL TRUSS

• Waste to Energy Solutions • Biomass Energy Initiative

“It has been my passion doing engineering and in my childhood, my room was powered with electrical appliances.”

At the holiday season our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made the progress of Radial Truss Industries possible. It is in this spirit that we say, thank you and best wishes for the holidays and happy New Year. +264 61 301 336

+264 61 304 513

+264 81 30 88 3 55

PO Box 27514, Windhoek, Namibia

info@radialtruss.com.na

www.radialtruss.com.na

No.: 2 Jenner Street, Windhoek West, Windhoek, Namibia

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

TELECOMS

Paratus Telecom turns on first FTTH in Namibia From left to right: Finkenstein Manor and Village Development developer Gerdus Burmeister, Paratus Telecom fibre project director Gert Duvenhage, Paratus Telecom sales executive Genevieve Cloete, Paratus Telecom Group CEO Barney Harmse and Finkenstein Manor and Village Development developer Ronald Kubas.

Paratus Telecom is the first 100% privately owned Pan-African operator to turn on Fibre to the Home (FTTH) in Namibia. Connected residents in Finkenstein estate, East of Windhoek, will now enjoy this world-class connectivity. The developers of Finkenstein Manor and Finkenstein Village have partnered with Paratus Telecom to create the first ever Namibian digital village, providing each and every home owner with a gateway to the digital age.

aratus Telecom has already started to deploy fibre to 550 homes and will be providing an all-inclusive turn-key service solution to residents. Speaking from his Botswana oﬃce, Paratus Telecom Group CEO Barney Harmse says residents will now be able to enjoy endless value-added broadband services and connectivity solutions over a state-of-the-art fibre optic network. He believes this is the first FTTH deployment in Africa for a privately-owned Pan-African operator, built on own infrastructure. “The entire solution is an end-to-end solution from Paratus Telecom, completely independent of any third-party infrastructure. Looking forward, we plan to invest a total of more than N$150-million on

infrastructure in Namibia over the next three years of which N$100-million will be invested in fibre infrastructure,” he explains. Finkenstein Village and Manor developer Gerdus Burmeister says the fibre infrastructure will eventually be deployed to more than 1000 homes. “Compared to any other connectivity medium, fibre reigns supreme.” “Due to its inherent speed, capacity and reliability, fibre will now enable us to implement a fully comprehensive access control and security solution which will include CCTV on the estate - one of our primary objectives. Residents will now also be able to enjoy access to triple-play connectivity including voice, video and data solutions,” he concludes.

More about Paratus Telecom Paratus Telecom is an African Telecommunications company with the head oﬃce based in Windhoek, Namibia. It also has fully licensed oﬃces in Angola, Botswana, Zambia and South Africa and delivers products and services to 22 African countries. Paratus Telecom was founded as Internet Technologies Namibia in 2005 as the first privately and 100% wholly owned Namibian telecommunications operator. The Group turnover for 2016 was N$1-billion, it plans grow to N$1.2-billion for year ending February 2017. The total budget for Africa over the next 5 years is US $110-million. Since inception, Paratus Telecom has established a prolific network extending the entire Namibia, with additional international points-ofpresence located in Johannesburg (South Africa), Lisbon (Portugal) as well as London (UK). This network is commensurate of its ability to provide exceptional customer service at all times.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

Engineered Plastic’s & Linings is an specialist contracting company, concentrating on the supply and installation of geosynthetic liners and associated products for the purposes of containment and environmental and corrosion protection. We have over 18 years experience in various applications related to Mining, Waterproofing, Environmental, Industrial and Agricultural sectors.

Below are some of our completed projects

Okavu Roofing maintains consistent growth in 2016 The expansion of the Namibian construction sector has paved way for innovative and entrepreneurial companies that supply materials for this industry, and it is against this backdrop that Okavu Roofing was established. The company has been in existence since 2012, specialising in a full range of steel roofing profiles, with a specific focus on “KLIPLOCK 406” concealed-fix roofing and wall cladding sheets, IBR 686 roof sheets, standard and custom-made flashings, gutters, ridgings and closers. Okavu Roofing was established by previously disadvantaged Namibian youths and initially founded the roof sheeting and rainwater manufacturing company in Windhoek.

Leach pipe installation, Treck Kopje

Says Director, Festus Nuunyango, “After studying the needs of local customers, we learnt that customers the need variety of products. Namibians need to start providing variety of goods which are in line of roofing materials and we, as Okavu Roofing, fill that niche. This has also helped us to grow our output by not relying entirely on one product.” Products

Onawa Sec. School, Oxcidation Ponds

The company provides SABS quality roofing materials such as Chromadek which is a genuinely certified and sole Chromadek manufacturer of Arcelor Mittal South Africa in all standard thickness and 14 Chromadek Colours. Also available is ColorPlus which is a genuinely certified and procured from SAFAL Group and is also available in standard thickness and 14 ColorPlus Colors. Okavu Roofing also supplies ZincAl (AZ150) AND Galvanised (Z275) which is also SABS quality certified roof sheets available in standard 0.3-0.58mm in nominal thickness. Operations of 2016

Okoruso Mine Water Reservoir

Contact Mari-Leen: Oﬃce: +264 61 219 716 Fax: +264 61 255 782 Cell: +264 124 7765 e-mail: epl@poolcovers.cc

Contact Rainer: Cell: +264 81 124 0060 e-mail: epl2@poolcovers.cc Web: www.poolcovers.cc

“The biggest highlight of 2016 is the Keetmanshoop military base. We supplied roof material for the structures. We also created good relationships with prominent Namibian retailers, such as Ark Trading and Pennypinchers, who were selling our products on our behalf,” says Nuunyango.

COMPANY PROFILE

Engineered Plastic’s & Linings

Okavu Roofing’s roof sheets have been used and approved on over 100 government and private projects since 2012 and this is complimented by 0% materials failure rate and excellent customer satisfaction. The company is the first Namibian owned, to enter into the metal fabrication which is dominated by foreign companies and or supported by foreign sister companies. That helped Okavu Roofing be unique in addition to the quality and aﬀordable prices of our products. “In spite of our success, we did have challenges which include competing with foreign products. This has had a negative impact on growth at home strategies and manufacturing at large. Furthermore, the credit policy on a non-payment hampered operations and they should be strengthened and addressed by law to prevent defaulters. The only fix to this is the Procurement Act yet to be finalised and implemented which we hope will be as soon as possible,” says Nuunyango. Plans for the Future Okavu Roofing intends to provide more products according to customers’ demand, to add diﬀerent type of stock to the production line and to capture more retail to sell products especially the big building material business Because of the unconducive construction environment in 2016, there was little influence from the government side and public institutions which may have stalled growth in the company. Thus, the company plans to keep up with modern technology and innovations so as to remain consistent in the market. Concludes Festus Nuunyango, “We are thankful to clients who supported us as fellow Namibians and also our retail businesses notably Pennypinchers and Ark Trading. In 2017, we are prepared and ready to serve our customers in a professional manner as we have been doing before.” TE

Africa is set to benefit from a new broadband venture that aims to bridge the digital divide through the use of extensive, high-quality and aﬀordable satellite infrastructure.

“

“Innovative broadband technologies are critical for Africa’s transformation plans and cost-eﬀective solutions are required to ensure universal access [to broadband services],” said Konnect Africa CEO Laurent Grimaldi.

The satellite broadband venture will draw on the expertise, “deep” experience and financial backing of its parent company to unlock supplementary satellite services to narrow the technological gap that is inhibiting telecoms operators and Internet service providers’ provision of reliable broadband access and oﬀerings, particularly in rural areas.

“

atellite communications provider Eutelsat’s newly established subsidiary Konnect Africa plans to deploy commercial Africa-focused satellite services in 2017, ramping up to cover more than 20 subSaharan countries by 2019.

He explained that while the diﬃcult and costly task of fibre deployment was under way across the continent, this was viable only for larger cities and urban regions, leaving the 341-million people in sub-Saharan Africa that live beyond a 50 km range of fibre out in the cold.

A mix of technologies, such as fibre, third- and fourth-generation technologies and satellite, is required for seamless broadband connectivity across the continent. Konnect Africa marketing and business development director Francois Boullete said the first phase of the venture’s five-year development plan would see South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Uganda, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Swaziland,

Côte d'Ivoire, Lesotho, Benin, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal and Togo, gain access to satellite connectivity in the second quarter of 2017. The second phase will involve a dedicated high-throughput satellite providing coverage to Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Sudan, Angola, Zambia, Madagascar and Ethiopia in 2019. “[Beyond] five years, Konnect Africa is considering the upcoming very-high-throughput satellite technology to further increase the performance and economics of satellite broadband,” he explained. To accomplish its ambitions, Konnect Africa will establish local partnerships, with its flexible endto-end Internet service portfolio structured to the needs of its data, mobile or very small aperture terminal operators, Internet service providers or pay-television platform partners. “Consumers, businesses, schools, hospitals and governments all benefit from instant connectivity anywhere – in urban, rural or the most remote locations,” Boullete noted.

The Engineer

Dec-Jan 2016/17

Engineering News Online

EUTELSAT

Africa gets renewed broadband focus with Eutelsat oﬀshoot

The Road Fund Administration would like to thank all our valued Road Users and Stakeholders for their support during the year. We wish you all a blessed festive season and a safe journey into 2017. Road Fund Administration | 21 Feld Street, Windhoek, Namibia | Tel: +264 - 61 - 433 3000 E-mail: info@rfanam.com.na | www.rfanam.com.na

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