Infrastructure November 2022

PUBLISHED BY

Picasso Headline, a proud division of Arena Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Hill on Empire, 16 Empire Road (cnr Hillside Road), Parktown, Johannesburg, 2193

Postal Address: PO Box 12500, Mill Street, Cape Town, 8010 www.businessmediamags.co.za

EDITORIAL

Editor: Rodney Weidemann

Content Manager: Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za

Contributors: Trevor Crighton, James Francis, Gareth Griffiths, Amira Osman, Anthony Sharpe

Copy Editor: Brenda Bryden

Content Co-ordinator: Vanessa Payne

DESIGN

Head of Design: Jayne Macé-Ferguson

Senior Designer: Mfundo Archie Ndzo

Advert Designer: Bulelwa Sotashe

Cover Images: SeventyFour/istockphoto.com, Supplied,

SALES

Project Manager: Arnold Cruywagen arnold@picasso.co.za | +27 21 469 2508 I +27 71 012 5286

Sales: Mark Geyer

PRODUCTION

Production Editor: Shamiela Brenner

Advertising Co-ordinator: Shamiela Brenner

Subscriptions and Distribution: Fatima Dramat, fatimad@picasso.co.za

Printer: CTP Printers, Cape Town

MANAGEMENT

Management Accountant: Deidre Musha

Business Manager: Lodewyk van der Walt General Manager, Magazines: Jocelyne Bayer

Tackling the challenges innovatively

In this issue of Infrastructure, we tackle the issues around our water infrastructure, road maintenance, the increasing impact of load shedding on construction projects and how the climate crisis is seeing an increasing number of designers turning to sustainable architecture to promote energy and ecological conservation.

Rodney Weidemann Editor

Copyright: Picasso Headline.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for unsolicited material. Infrastructure is published by Picasso Headline. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline. All advertisements/advertorials have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publisher.

5 WATER

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

A conscious approach to energy and ecological conservation in built environment design is increasingly popular in developed nations. We consider its viability for South Africa.

10 ROADS

The state of South African roads is parlous. Is anything being done in regard to building and maintenance, and are climate-related challenges like ooding making things worse?

11 ELECTRICITY

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: HOUSING

Cape Town narrowly avoided Day Zero. The Eastern Cape is facing the same scenario and water restrictions are hitting Johannesburg. Are we on the brink of another looming load-shedding-style disaster? 7

Why considering housing as a form of infrastructure makes economic development and poverty reduction sense.

TECHNOLOGY

New 5G network construction offers opportunities for SMEs in the construction and maintenance phase, while the operational network’s high-speed connectivity will offer additional stimulus..

Construction is essential to South Africa, but is also a heavy power user. Will the ongoing load-shedding crisis cause the industry to buckle?

12 SAFETY AND SECURITY

What happens when your safety processes fail and an accident occurs? We look at issues such as compensation, rehabilitation, and reskilling, as well as proactive preventative measures.

PRESERVE, PROTECT AND PRODUCE

DID YOU KNOW?

Looking at the security of the water supply, GARETH GRIFFITHS queries if South Africa is on the brink of another looming load-shedding-style disaster

One of the biggest long-term threats to water security is the presence of invasive alien plants that use far more water than indigenous vegetation in catchment and riparian areas. Current land-use practices have also adversely affected our catchment areas and rivers. Negative practices include plantations, such as sugar cane, and water-intensive crops, and, especially, inappropriate irrigation practices.

THE CHALLENGES

Protection of groundwater is key. Groundwater is an essential reservoir for water security that is being increasingly overextracted and more polluted. “There is little accountability, and an ‘all for some for now’ mentality that will destroy this resource,” suggests a seasoned water specialist and environmental scientist who commented anonymously.

“While the appointments at the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) of Minister Senzo Mchunu and Dr Shaun Phillips as director-general have renewed hope for this national function after

years of mismanagement, there are still many challenges. Ageing infrastructure, with leaks and theft of water, must be addressed. Failure to pay for water, including by local authorities and large organisations, is another problem. Perverse incentives to use water inefficiently, especially to farmers, mining and industry, have to be challenged. Investing in demand-side management, where users are helped to be efficient in their use of water, is the easiest return on investment in the short-term, but it is also sorely neglected,” says the scientist.

There is scope for the reuse of water, and the purification of polluted water. However, options such as desalination are only viable along a slither of South Africa’s coastline and are also highly expensive, so this is a limited solution to addressing food security.

Droughts will continue to be part of what must be navigated, and climate change compounds all of the above challenges, as does the still very unequal access to water in our country. “There has to be equity, efficiency and sustainability if we are to have water security,” comments the scientist.

More than 50 per cent of South Africa’s wetlands have been lost, while 33 per cent of the remainder are in poor ecological condition.

• The National Treasury says that 43 municipalities have already collapsed while 151 are on the point of falling over, and 85 per cent are in serious fi nancial trouble.

FIX THE INFRASTRUCTURE

Jan Venter, CEO of industry nonprofit organisation the South African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA), comments that an interrupted water supply – or water shedding – will be catastrophic.

SAPPMA has consistently been daylighting South Africa’s ageing delivery infrastructure.

“Government should depoliticise water management in the country and fully utilise all available engineering skills to solve the crisis. The key issues requiring focus include urgently addressing the widespread pollution of rivers, dams and wetlands. Government

Source: SAPPMA State of the Nations Water report

“Government should depoliticise water management in the country and fully utilise all available engineering skills to solve the crisis.” – Jan Venter

Jan Venter

should intervene in the mismanaged municipal water and sewage treatment plants, prove it understands the problem and allocate sufficient funds for the expansion and maintenance of distribution systems, and monitor the proper use of it,” says Venter.

Plastic pipe is dominant in secondary water distribution, and Venter stresses that there are benefits to its usage in replacement piping systems because it is designed, produced and installed in accordance with international and national standards. This ensures a long-term and leak-free service life.

“Plastic pipe offers a lifetime that is more than double that of other materials, is quicker and easier to install, has lower failure rates and corrosion, fewer joint leaks, and is lower in price compared to other pipes.”

SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE

In the light of the DWS 2021 Green Drop Report, Kate Stubbs, marketing director at Interwaste, believes we need a much more diverse water mix, including groundwater and wastewater reuse. Waste management companies are key to this, where wastewater –and the treatment thereof – has become a critical consideration in addressing scarcity and safety issues.

“Effluent water treatment is one example. If treated to the required standards, as set out by national environmental agencies, we have found that nearly all effluent can be recycled, if done properly. This means that a large bank of water could become available, which previously may not have been considered as ‘safe’ for the environment or community,” she notes.

“Innovative wastewater management can result in the redistribution of this water into the environment for irrigation and dust suppression, or other industrial uses, as well as to replenish rivers and catchments in our water infrastructure networks.

FAST FACT

The 2022 DWS Blue Drop Progress Report reveals that 52 per cent of water supply systems range from medium to critical risk. Some 60 per cent do not comply with microbiological standards and 77 per cent with chemical standards per SANS 241:2015. Some 61 per cent of municipal supply systems have poor technical skills, and 72 per cent have insufficient maintenance teams.

The different technologies and processes are so advanced today, that effluent can even be treated further to provide potable water for areas where it is in short supply,” adds Stubbs.

Yet another approach proposed is a systems-driven one. Johan Potgieter is the cluster industrial software lead at Schneider Electric.

Looking at the innovative smart water technologies and services on offer, he says: “Water can be made safe, reliable, sustainable, and efficient across the entire water cycle.

“Systems can monitor and help address nonrevenue water and leakages caused by ageing infrastructure, electrical energy consumption, rising operational expenses, and help to protect critical water infrastructure systems against cyberattacks.

“Telemetry solutions form part of numerous solutions that create robust, fully configurable water solutions with standardised controls that allow for the optimisation of water networks, reduce training and increase visibility into water network performance,” he says.

SQUEEZING EVERY LAST DROP

Shaakira Jassat is the founder of Studio Sway. Currently based in the Netherlands, she relies on her background as an interior architect to design water solutions that “intersect at the boundary of food, ecology, architecture, and society”.

“Since the Day Zero drought in Cape Town, I’ve been looking closely at people’s ways with water in cities. My project, the Aquatecture Rain Harvesting System, is currently undergoing validation in both South Africa and the Netherlands,” she explains.

Her pilot project at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town has caught more than the random eye. She’s been invited to represent her Aquatecture Water Harvesting System in an open call to attend this year’s COP27 in Egypt.

“Looking towards further innovations, the Namib desert beetle helped me to perceive water and its relationship with architecture in a more regenerative way. This beetle can condense desert fog, helping it sustain its water needs. Air plants such as the Tillandsia and Bromeliad species are able to ‘harvest’ water from the air. I found that the leaf structure helps to condense water vapour through cooling.

“My models demonstrate low-tech alternatives to condensation. By using form and materials, a special facade design mimics air plants. A new level of architecture is proposed, united with water, allowing it to be used and not diverted away. Aquatecture panels permit water to be collected through a punctured, geometric surface and stored for use in local food gardens and community projects,” she explains.

FAST FACT

The 2021 Green Drop Report covered 996 wastewater systems, of which 39 per cent are identifi ed to be in a critical state. Some 35 per cent of treated water –1.660 million m 3 per year – is lost due to theft, leakage or poor infrastructure.

Kate Stubbs

Interwaste’s mechanical water treatment plant with tri-phase separation.

UPHOLDING PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE

The South African Institute of Architects is a professional voluntary membership-based association supporting the pursuit of excellence and responsible design

The South African Institute of Architects (SAIA) and its nine regions (see sidebar for regional offices) are recognised by the architectural regulator, the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). SAIA is a member of the Africa Union of Architects, the Commonwealth Association of Architects, the International Union of Architects, the International Commission on Monuments and Sites, and the International Committee Documentation and Conservation of buildings, sites and neighbourhoods of the Modern Movement.

MISSION

The institute’s mission is to act as the collective voice serving the interests of its members in pursuit of excellence and responsible design.

It aims to uphold the dignity of the architectural profession and contribute meaningfully to the enhancement of society and the environment.

The fundamental principles of equality and justice are implicit in SAIA’s Constitution.

CODE OF ETHICS

SAIA and its regions are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and competence.

Members are required to uphold and subscribe to these objectives and, within the built environment, strive to improve the standards of health and safety for the protection and welfare of all members of society and enhance, with their professional skills, the natural environment to the benefi t of all.

The SAIA Code of Ethics establishes principles for the conduct of members in pursuance of these goals.

MEMBERSHIP

SAIA membership comprises professional architects, candidate architects and architectural students who are educated and trained to provide leadership, critical judgment, specialist knowledge, skills and aptitude for the design and development of the built environment.

Members enrol as individuals with a region of SAIA, while their architectural practices are registered nationally with SAIA.

Membership benefits range from the following:

• Advocacy – ensuring the protection of the architectural profession resulting from regulatory changes and the changing responsibilities of other professions and role players in the built environment.

• Communications – newsletters and publications.

• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) validation of the architectural sector courses and offering category one activities – webinars addressing practice and transformation.

• Practice support – advice and services ranging from contractual documents, appointments of arbitrations, mediations and specialist opinions resulting from confl ict resolution.

• Promotion of architecture – awards recognising individuals and the Corobrik SAIA Awards of Merit and Awards for Excellence.

• Professional indemnity (PI) insurance through the APIGIS scheme at discounted rates.

• Network opportunities – regional-based events and exhibitions.

SAIA AND REGIONAL OFFICES

SAIA National Of ce: 011 782 1315, www.saia.org.za

SAIA Border-Kei (Eastern Cape): 043 748 1156, www.bkia.co.za

CIfA a region of SAIA (Western Cape): 021 424 7128, www.cifa.org.za

SAIA Eastern Cape: 078 586 6556, www.ecia.co.za

SAIA Free State: 051 447 4909, www.fsia.co.za

GIfA a region of SAIA (Gauteng): 010 006 5566, www.gifa.org.za

SAIA KwaZulu-Natal (KwaZulu-Natal): 031 201 7590, www.kznia.org.za

SAIA Limpopo: 015 297 0204, www.saialimpopo.co.za

SAIA Mpumalanga: 079 686 6535, www.mpia.co.za

PIA a region of SAIA (Gauteng): 012 346 1051, www.pia.org.za

➔ Scan this QR code to go directly to the SAIA website.

For more information: 011 782 1315 admin@saia.org.za www.saia.co.za

SAIA and its regions are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and competence.

LOOKING AT HOUSING DIFFERENTLY

Determining the exact size of the housing backlog or future demand is difficult; society is dynamic and constantly changing. The more government is pressured, the more mass housing focuses on the housing unit and the numbers delivered (the product) rather than on decision-making flexibility and high-quality long-lasting environments built for change (the process).

Here is our proposition: why not consider housing as a form of infrastructure?

Conventional understanding of infrastructure references public buildings and amenities, transport structures, roads, service lines for water, sanitation, and electricity, yet the definition can be broadened. Health and educational facilities are generally referred to as “infrastructure”, while residential/housing is not. Yet, housing constitutes about 80 per cent of built environment investment. Infrastructure implies accessibility and use by all, irrespective of income level or social status. Imagine a scenario where people are told to use one or another road depending on income level. It sounds ridiculous, yet that is how we approach housing.

HOUSING AS INFRASTRUCTURE

Infrastructure needs to be high-quality, robust and long-lasting. These principles should also apply to residential infrastructure, which could become a tool to create jobs, encourage private investment, and promote spatial inclusivity. Subsidies would be used to deliver beautiful, long-lasting, robust and high-quality base buildings where local-level activities may play out – creating dynamic, ever-changing neighbourhoods without disrupting their character, stability or architectural identity. Government only supports what is shared; there are no subsidies for individuals –everything funded by government is to be used by everyone.

Within this residential infrastructure, unit sizes and equipment are adjusted to suit variations in affordability. These structures are not empty skeletons; they are finished buildings where individuals, social housing institutions, government agencies, and the private sector carve out space, design and sell or rent to develop a living, evolving stock of dwellings. This separation of tasks is exactly the way other infrastructure systems work. Government reserves space for fully funded homes for those unable to co-fund. These structures also accommodate other functions – educational, healthcare, commercial, and so on. Different agents lease parts of these structures while owning the infill.

Infrastructure needs to be high-quality, robust and long-lasting. These principles should also apply to residential infrastructure, which could become a tool to create jobs, encourage private investment, and promote spatial inclusivity.

Housing as infrastructure implies that the delivery of housing is considered a process that is a crucial driver for economic development and poverty reduction through job creation – not as a mere provision of rigid, “complete” houses that deplete state resources.

HOUSING AND GOVERNMENT’S PLANS

By 2030, Africa will have 760 million urban residents, increasing to 1.2 billion by 2050, according to the African Economic Outlook 2016. In South Africa, the state has committed substantial funding to public infrastructure.

The National Infrastructure Plan 2050 aims to implement the vision set out in the National Development Plan with a focus on network sectors. We argue that housing should be part of those plans, and the budgets amended accordingly.

A national infrastructure plan needs to be centrally driven while aligning with local project management systems. If this operates efficiently, it will allow for the creation of conditions for embracing smaller-scale, dispersed projects and project packages that are more accessible to emerging construction enterprises. Some construction companies can specialise in producing simple, energy-efficient, long-lasting base buildings, other certified companies can specialise in filling them in response to evolving demand, using the latest technology, logistics and teamwork strategies.

SYSTEMS TO ENABLE DELIVERY

We need governance and regulatory frameworks that allow for experimentation and testing of alternative forms of delivery through pilot projects balanced with a parallel activity of delivery actions that can be scaled up to have real impact. These new systems will allow for efficient construction of residential infrastructure with the in-built capacity for change and variation of occupancies.

Affordable housing becomes an integral part of all city developments in well-located, mixed-income, mixed-function, mixed-community settings. Delivery of housing will be quick and efficient with minimal bureaucracy and delay. We may finally achieve our dream of living together in the city, in safe, harmonious and dignified neighbourhoods.

Amira Osman

Professor AMIRA OSMAN , president of the South African Institute of Architects, shares why considering housing as a form of infrastructure makes sense from an economic development and poverty reduction perspective

THE CHALLENGES IMPACTING 5G ROLL-OUT

Accessing the enormous promise of 5G relies on the right network infrastructure. RODNEY WEIDEMANN investigates how this is being achieved

While 5G’s promise remains constrained by infrastructure challenges, it has nonetheless come a long way since MTN undertook a demonstration of how 5G could work, back in 2018. MTN demonstrated a fixed wireless access use case in Tshwane, and, a month later, 5G mobility at Gerotek, using 5G to deliver video to a virtual reality headset, worn by a driver in a car with blacked-out windows, who then used the video stream to navigate. Since the success of these trials, explains Zoltan Miklos, GM of network planning at MTN, much has been done to put the right building blocks in place, including the necessary radio infrastructure and upgrades to sites in respect of capacity, as well as to the backhaul infrastructure – the network connecting to the core, which must also be upgraded.

“Essentially, the entire infrastructure requires upgrading –key elements being tower and base station upgrades, mobile core network upgrades and connectivity capacity upgrades,” he indicates.

“MTN has an IP network that connects radio infrastructure to the core of the network. Within the metros, this IP network is mostly served via fibre, but as we move outside the metros, we rely on high-capacity microwave links in addition to fibre connectivity.”

Miklos adds that individual site connectivity requirements shift from 1Gbps to 10Gbps due to the increased data capacity demand.

“However, the network upgrades also extend into the mobile core. Currently, 5G is deployed in a non-stand-alone mode, resulting in a deployment that leverages the 4G network to deliver 5G. Thus, a 5G user connects in dual connectivity mode, with aggregated bandwidth capacity across multiple 4G and 5G bands.”

He notes that 5G deployment in new spectrum bands requires additional power to new radio units, which means 5G upgraded sites physically use more power.

“This is a double whammy in South Africa because the site itself consumes more power through its upgraded and additional hardware. However, due to ongoing load shedding, the batteries used to maintain power have to provide backup for heavier loads. This means we also have to upgrade the physical battery infrastructure with more storage capacity.”

NEW INFRASTRUCTURE BENEFITS

Corridor Africa Technologies CEO Matone Ditlhake suggests that there are opportunities for smaller businesses to benefit from these 5G infrastructure upgrades.

“5G operates on higher frequencies, and these radio waves travel shorter distances, meaning that telcos need to densify their networks. This should lead to local businesses benefitting in the build and maintenance phases of the network.”

With the phenomenal growth in the use of internet of things (IoT) apps on a 5G network, adds Ditlhake, the new mobile technology

has the potential to generate a meaningful economic impact in the medium term.

“However, the first thing that is needed is a greater sense of urgency from city and municipal town planning departments because issues relating to town planning permits are one of the major impediments in network deployments,” he suggests.

“It’s also worth outlining the impact that 5G infrastructure can have on businesses and the economy. The technology will not only provide connectivity, but also impact socioeconomic sectors and encourage small business innovation. It will make it possible to implement well-known initiatives such as artificial intelligence (AI) and smart technologies in business. Meanwhile, increased data transfer speeds and low latency will redefine the role connectivity plays.”

Using 5G to usher in a more immersive alternative to current collaboration tools will unlock efficiencies and opportunities in the workplace. The technology will also boost operational efficiencies across industries and enable organisations to build smart operations that leverage technologies such as automation, AI, augmented reality and the IoT.

“In the end, 5G is viewed as a long-term opportunity, and it has been largely left to the telecoms industry to determine the timing of deployment. With much of the required technology now available, it is important that government incentivises the large investments required to realise these benefits and increase resilience in this economy,” Ditlhake concludes.

“It’s also worth outlining the impact that 5G infrastructure can have on businesses and the economy. The technology will not only provide connectivity, but also impact socioeconomic sectors and encourage small business innovation.”

– Matone Ditlhake

Zoltan Miklos

Matone Ditlhake

BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

South African architects have, for some time, been eager to explore integrating sustainable principles into their projects, but this is often dependent on whether or not the clients or developers are willing to incorporate these into their budget. That’s the view of Y Tsai, founder of Tsai Design Studio.

“The recent energy crisis has pushed the South African building industry to start adopting sustainable principles,” says Tsai. “Energy calculation has been introduced into the building plan submission process, prompting architects and clients to design more sustainable homes.

The Green Building Council South Africa has been working to expand the rating system to encourage more companies to build responsibly.”

Tsai sees sustainable architecture as a combination – applying creative thinking with a scientific lens to the design of buildings and specification of materials. “Typically, it would require an energy consultant to help the team evaluate design decisions and optimise energy consumption in the life cycle of the final product. It is about achieving net-zero carbon footprint, minimising the impact on the environment.”

SUSTAINABLE AGENDAS

Tsai Design works within two sustainable design agendas. “For commercial projects, we try to experiment with sustainable technologies as building materials. When working with nongovernmental organisations with limited funds, our sustainable goal is to create buildings that can make a social impact.”

“Zip Zap Academy, designed for Zip Zap Circus School, helps children in need with circus and life skills. Bridges Academy, for

FAST FACT

South Africa’s national housing backlog is around 2.6 million dwellings, equating to 12 million in need of proper homes.

Source: GroundUp

Bridges for Music, is a school in Langa that uses electronic music to uplift young, budding musicians. Both buildings use a simple passive strategy to maximise tight budgets and harness the site forces.”

Another form of sustainable design is adaptive reuse, which the studio employed at Vissershok School, demonstrating that they could adapt an old container and turn it into a building with a distinct architectural feature – one the community will enjoy and take ownership of.

“Working with several companies such as Safmarine and Woolworths and tapping into their corporate social responsibility programmes, we have developed a series of container buildings, the most recent being the Spinach King Kiosk in Khayelitsha, sponsored by Virgin Active,” says Tsai.

NO OTHER OPTION BUT SUSTAINABILITY

While sustainable design may seem like a luxury for wealthy nations only, for a country facing the economic and infrastructural problems that South Africa does, it’s increasingly the only option.

“If you want to live a normal life, you need to look at having an off-grid system, so you

don’t have to rely on Eskom,” says Dr Jeremy Gibberd, a specialist in sustainable architecture. “We’ve been lucky with water until now, but some cities have come very close to having no water, and in many places, it’s a continual issue. Where there are functioning utilities, sustainability may be a choice; where these do not function, it is no longer a choice.”

Gibberd says weather phenomena such as heatwaves are making people realise they need to make their buildings cooler – putting more insulation in the roof, painting the roof lighter colours, and shading windows. Our regulations have improved too, he adds. “The energy efficiency requirement of building regulations for hot water systems, lighting, glazing, walls, roofs and insulation has developed rapidly.”

Gibberd says the plan is to ramp this up between now and 2050 to meet the country’s nationally determined contributions for carbon emissions. “We’re already much more stringent than we were five years ago,” he says.

CHALLENGES IN INFORMAL SETTLEMENTS

Gibberd says it is in informal settlements where the greatest challenges lie, as many buildings are informal. But sustainability starts where people live, he suggests.

“A small house, 40km out of the city centre with poor access to work opportunities, schools, healthcare, and so forth, is not a sustainable building model. We shouldn’t be replicating that; I think the Department of Human Settlements is moving in the right direction regarding higher density housing in better locations.”

“Energy calculation has been introduced into the building plan submission process, prompting architects and clients to design more sustainable homes.”

– Y Tsai

Conservation in the design of the built environment is increasingly popular in developed nations. But is it viable for South Africa? By ANTHONY SHARPE

Dr Jeremy Gibberd

The roads to nowhere?

South Africa’s roads are, generally, in very poor condition, exacerbated by many factors. Can we reverse this trend? asks JAMES FRANCIS

Our modern reliance on mechanised transport requires well-built and maintained roads. Poor road conditions are an economic and development cancer, as countries such as the DRC demonstrate. But we don’t need to travel 3 000kms to find proof. Many of South Africa’s roads are in a dire state and need maintenance, says Dr Matthew Townshend, economic consultant at Cornerstone Economic Research:

“The road maintenance backlogs are immense, particularly for the provincial and municipal networks. By the end of 2017, the provincial and municipal road rehabilitation backlogs were approximately six and eight times higher than their respective total annual road maintenance expenditure. The pressures on road maintenance budgets, such as the National Treasury’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and crowding-out by other needs, such as education and healthcare, are also currently worsening, rather than abating. These subnational road maintenance backlogs therefore appear too large to be addressed through national transfers and subsidies.”

Though authorities are looking for alternative funding, that is not enough. Without better prioritisation and asset management, the situation will worsen. While national highways and metro arteries garner the most attention, rural and unpaved road conditions are shocking – only 9.7 per cent of unpaved rural roads are in good condition. Paved low-volume roads don’t fare much better.

Why are we on such bumpy terrain? Underspending on maintenance is an issue, though the state has made efforts to push

significant funding towards this area. But there are also many unfilled vacancies in the sector, despite ongoing training efforts.

“Although there are skills available to maintain roads in South Africa, the current challenge appears to be in the procurement processes to appoint professional engineers and contractors to execute road construction and road maintenance projects,” says Solange Soares, communication manager for Trans African Concessions. “This delays the road infrastructure improvements the country desperately needs to boost economic growth.”

PREVENTION VS CURE

“Prevention is better than cure, that is why ongoing preventative road infrastructure maintenance is key. Once potholes start forming, it’s too late, and rehabilitation and resurfacing are needed,” says Soares.

Fortunately, it’s not a crisis without a response, and there are examples of entities reversing the trend. For example, Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire maintains the high-quality N1 highway between Pretoria and Bela Bela.

“We contract to SANRAL and follow their road maintenance standard, which amounts to 100 per cent maintenance of every kilometre of road, 100 per cent of the time,” says Bakwena’s COO, Solomon Kganyago. “Under the

DID YOU KNOW?

• South Africa has 750 000km of roads, the 10 th longest overall and 18 th largest paved globally.

• SANRAL oversees 21 403 km. Municipalities and provinces manage around 260 000km each.

• Replacing South Africa’s roads would cost R2-trillion.

• The current maintenance backlog is estimated at R417-billion.

Source: Dr Matthew Townshend, Cornerstone Economic Research

concession agreement, the concession holders are responsible for raising capital for road construction, servicing this debt, and funding all upgrades, rehabilitation and maintenance, as well as operational costs.”

As Bakwena is not subject to public sector procurement processes, it’s easier to find skills and partners with a high level of transparency. But while toll booths and concessions are feasible for national highways, it’s trickier for municipalities that often lack skills and, legislatively, cannot toll for maintenance. Addressing these issues will help improve roads. So will other infrastructure, such as fixing the railways. The country’s roads carry more freight traffic than necessary to accommodate the lack of reliable rail services.

But low-volume and unpaved roads cannot be neglected, especially as they impact rural development and agriculture, and therefore require urgent attention.

Townshend says: “A policy to seal all low-volume roads worth maintaining at all, at the fastest rate possible, within the exogenous fiscal constraints, would free up resources over the long-term for additional maintenance activities. A policy to seal low-volume roads offers other potential welfare benefits, including employment opportunities, skills and contractor development, substitution of local resources for imports, decreased rates of rural-urban migration, less dust and carbon emissions, and all-weather road access to basic services.”

“The pressures on road maintenance budgets, such as the National Treasury’s commitment to fiscal consolidation and crowding-out by other needs, such as education and healthcare, are also currently worsening, rather than abating.” – Dr Matthew Townshend

Solomon Kganyago

Construction is essential to South Africa.

It establishes infrastructure and buildings that support people and companies and is a substantial job creator. Though the pandemic harmed construction plans, experts saw signs of a turnaround.

For example, Nedbank listed dozens of upcoming development projects, and the government announced R2.3-trillion in 276 projects over the next 10 years.

Then load shedding returned with the worst and longest-running planned blackouts to date. The impact has been catastrophic.

“Load shedding has seriously impacted construction projects,” says Roy Mnisi, executive director of Master Builders South Africa. “Things got even worse when the country moved to stage 6. Most of our members say they are losing many man-hours, due to the lack of power needed for various types of projects. The problem is so serious that some of our association’s member companies informed us that they are considering shutting down their businesses, as they are no longer sustainable under the circumstances of power uncertainty.”

John Matthews, chairperson of Construction Alliance South Africa, paints an equally bleak picture: “The recent spate of load shedding has

CONSTRUCTION’S POWER PROBLEM

HOW LOAD SHEDDING IMPACTS CONSTRUCTION

Load shedding harms construction on many levels:

• Many types of on-site machinery can’t function.

• Working in dark areas, such as basements, becomes a health and safety risk.

• Generator fuel and upkeep substantially increase project costs.

• Power surges damage electrical equipment.

• Suppliers and subcontractors can’t deliver materials and services during dark periods.

had a devastating impact on the construction sector. We depend a lot on electricity and fuel for our projects, and we are definitely not coping with the load shedding, particularly now that we are reaching stages 5 and 6.”

Construction is a very time-sensitive industry. Projects work on strict schedules, and overruns often result in penalties. The 2016 report, The Impact Of Load Shedding On The Construction Industry In South Africa, published by the University of Bloemfontein, cites one project’s overrun penalty at R12 000 per day. The same project experienced over 600 hours of load shedding. Though load shedding wasn’t the only factor in the project’s delays, it added significant pressure.

MASSIVE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND COMPOUNDING ISSUES

Electricity shortages also affect infrastructure projects meant to revitalise the economy – such as the state’s plan to build 96 rural bridges – and the long tail of small and residential projects.

“Almost all construction projects are affected by load shedding,” says Matthews. “This includes minor works projects such as home building and renovation, all the way to mega-projects such as commercial buildings, bridges and shopping centres.” He adds that the unpredictable supply makes multiyear mega-projects far less feasible. Even though Eskom provides load-shedding schedules, these still interrupt construction work, and there isn’t always time to factor in changes brought by a sudden shift in the load-shedding level.

“We have been informed that it’s riskier now to tender for a multiyear project, as load shedding causes delays, which come with price escalations, penalties, and litigations,” says Mnisi.

Eskom, he notes, tries to manage the situation primarily with construction moratoriums. Final sites need approval for the electricity capacity they will consume. But this results in fewer construction projects. It’s triage, not a sustainable growth solution. “The prospect of rising energy prices also paints a bleak picture for the sector,” adds Mnisi. “Perhaps it’s time the government looks at direct rebates and concessions to sectors such as construction, as it heavily relies on energy for business.”

Rising costs, delays and narrow margins are pushing more construction companies out of business. Even countermeasures, such as large generators, are expensive and often still insufficient to meet a site’s many electricity demands. Construction companies need reliable and affordable energy. As they falter, so does an economy reliant on healthy businesses, sound infrastructure, and growing employment.

“We are one of the major sectors contributing significantly to the country’s labour force at skilled and unskilled levels,” says Matthews. “These interruptions pose a high risk to our ability to keep people employed and bring in new entrants to the sector.”

“Perhaps it’s time the government looks at direct rebates and concessions to sectors such as construction, as it heavily relies on energy for business.” – Roy Mnisi

As vital as it may be to the country, South Africa’s construction sector could buckle under the pressure of load shedding, writes JAMES FRANCIS

John Matthews

Roy Mnisi

COMPLIANCE, COMPENSATION AND REHABILITATION

TOP INJURIES IN THE IRON, STEEL AND METALS INDUSTRY

For the financial year ended 2021, Rand Mutual Assurance received 23 024 injury claims totalling almost R758-million, with the bulk of claims coming from the metals industry (16 218), and some 6 806 from the mining sector.

The five most common injuries reported in the metals industry were:

• Foreign body cornea;

• Open finger wounds;

• Sprain and strain of lumbar spine;

• Contusion of finger/thumb;

• Open wound on other parts of wrist/hand.

Source: RMA

PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION

The Occupational Health & Safety Act and the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment (COIDA) Bill regulate occupational health and safety in South Africa. This legislation informs organisational needs around minimum safety requirements, prescribing legal compliance and compensation for injuries and diseases.

“Compliance ought to be a legal and moral obligation because it’s about protecting the lives of employees,” says Rand Mutual Assurance (RMA) head of prevention, Dr Jessica Hutchings. She says that accidents in the workplace don’t just happen due to a once-off activity, but are generally down to a number of latent conditions that build up over time and result in an accident, and sometimes catastrophic events.

“Sometimes, the writing can be on the wall through near-misses or small injuries, and if those aren’t managed or investigated properly, and corrective actions put in place, bigger events, where the results can be catastrophic, will occur,” she says. “The root cause of even a near-miss needs to be investigated

and the cause determined to help implement protocols to avoid bigger incidents.”

COST OF COMPLIANCE

Speaking anonymously, a COIDA consultant with more than two decades of experience in this field explains that every employer has to register with the Department of Labour, undergo an assessment of their facilities, pay an annual registration fee with the Compensation Commission.

“The main purpose of the Health & Safety Act isn’t to compensate the employee – it’s to protect the employer in the event of a workplace incident. It’s a type of insurance that sees an injured employee with a valid claim, paid out at a rate determined by the Compensation Fund,” he explains.

Dr Hutchings says that compliance generally boils down to an organisation’s maturity, though larger organisations usually have practices in place, either because they can afford to dedicate resources to health and safety, or are compelled by international shareholders subjected to stricter enforcement measures.

“In the metals sector, we find that smaller organisations can’t manage the bare minimum of compliance because they either can’t afford to or aren’t aware that they need to be compliant – until an incident occurs and the lack of safety processes is revealed,” she says.

Prevention and rehabilitation are key focus areas for RMA, which recently launched a prevention programme and a rehabilitation programme. “The prevention programme seeks to complement and strengthen existing employer safety programmes,” says Dr Hutchings.

“If we’re able to guide members on prevention processes, it’s likely to have a domino effect in ensuring things are safer, there’s less chance of employee injury and a resulting decrease in claims and a reduction in the claims cost members pay.” The programme aims to assist members to reduce workplace injuries and diseases and help them develop a culture of safety.

Upcoming amendments to the COIDA Bill have introduced the concept of a multidisciplinary employee-based process. Here, employee rehabilitation, reintegration, and return to work processes must be undertaken by employers for employees who suffer occupational injuries or disease.

“Compensation was previously a financial settlement determined by the fund, based on the significance of the injury or illness and requirements for care or rehabilitation,” says the COIDA consultant.

RMA is involved in several programmes that help reskill and rehabilitate injured workers. Its Rehabilitation Programme is being piloted in the mining industry, where, for example, it teaches farming skills to enable those who have been disabled to start their own small businesses.

“Ensuring their rehabilitation to either return to the same job or be reskilled to contribute socially and economically, is key,” concludes Dr Hutchings.

“Compliance ought to be a legal and moral obligation because it’s about protecting the lives of employees.”

– Dr Jessica Hutchings

When safety processes fail in the workplace, compensation for injuries needs to go beyond the financial, writes TREVOR CRIGHTON

Dr Jessica Hutchings