Cover Story - GAP Infrastructure Corporation (GIC)

Working with integrity is vital to who we are

Gap Infrastructure Corporation has spent years adding to a track record of successfully completed projects that stand as a testament to our unfaltering drive for excellence. Not only do our esteemed clients place the utmost confidence in our diverse capabilities, but they know their expectations will be exceeded.

Along with a database of qualified construction companies, we also own and operate our own fleet and plant equipment. This enables us to guarantee exceptional quality and greatly reduces project operational costs. GIC is comprised of phenomenal employees and a passionate and dedicated executive board who share a vision for a better future for all South Africans.

Development is the cornerstone of our identity, and it allows us to create social and economic prosperity not just locally, but across Africa too. What sets us apart in the industry is our mission to change lives through our service delivery. Inclusion, dignity, equity, and diversity apply to our internal systems too, and we promote from within to create growth opportunities for our employees, continually maximising their potential. Working with integrity is vital to who we are, and we ensure reliable and transparent reporting to our stakeholders.

Our vision is to become a multi-national market leader, changing not just the lives of our employees and investors, but the communities in which we operate. Through growth, investment, and community, we are closer to this pursuit than ever. Our eyes are fixed on a bright future, and we are set to succeed.

As A Stand-Out Leader in Africa's Infrastructure Development Sector, We Are Best Known For:

• Future directed, people-centred solutions

• Our dedication to staying ahead of the technological curve using stateof-the-art innovative systems for project management

• Continually seeking cost-effective alternatives

• Balanced business portfolio

• Sustainable approach to community development and the environment

• Award-winning project management solutions

• Proven profitability and stable cash flows

• Relentless commitment to changing lives

In an increasingly competitive market that demands adaptability and a dynamic approach, going digital is non-negotiable. Gap Infrastructure Corporation has placed considerable effort into the digital transformation of every process, ensuring swift, seamless, and efficient solutions.

We utilise Enterprise-Level Insight, Project Controlled Management software to reduce the time it takes to handle processes, as well as mitigate human error. Such innovations increase our productivity and reduce operational costs, which gives us a competitive advantage in the market.

Our Expertise

GIC’s services cover seven main areas with an approach which emphasises a focus on future expansion and supporting a growing population:

Town Planning

We consider every detail of the planning urban or rural human settlement process to ensure that land and infrastructure are designed and developed in ways that make a meaningful and sustainable difference when uplifting the livelihoods of the communities that we work with.

GIC is registered as a professional planning consultant at the South African Council for Planners (SACPLAN), and we believe in the principle of Spatial Justice. We believe that an informed community is a happy community, and we will do everything in our ability to ensure that we live up to our motto, which is “changing lives”.

Civil Services

We understand that civil services are the backbone of societal progress and with our extensive experience in civil engineering and project management that we use to implement solutions in partnership with both municipalities and developers. Access to the right kind of infrastructure also provides developmental benefits to communities, which enables them to grow and thrive. Our innovations are geared towards covering the basic needs of every South African by improving access to clean water and sanitation, which are major contributors to the health and safety of every citizen.

Structural Development

In order to create the skylines of the future we make use of exceptional talent, superior technologies, and globally recognised best practice to develop a variety of benchmark projects. We meet South Africa’s sustainable development needs through establishing service infrastructure, and our range of offerings that include planning, development, construction, and project management.

Health Infrastructure

Despite boasting some of the best medical facilities on the continent, South Africa’s citizens still face the challenge of access to quality healthcare services. We offer phenomenal turnkey solutions that encompass the design and construction of world-class hospitals and medical centres, clinics, and institutions. Our services also extend to specialised infrastructure such as ward buildings, frail-care facilities, and accommodation.

Property Management

GIC is the preferred choice for discerning and forward-thinking investors who are looking for an exceptional return on investment. We develop and manage upmarket properties that highlight contemporary designs, luxury living, and secure comfort. The GIC Prestige Property Management Portfolio currently caters to the residential market with developments such as The Villas and The Palms.

Mining

GIC’s sector-specific construction includes mining development in South Africa. We have both indepth knowledge of the industry, and specialist knowledge of geology, mineral processing, mine waste management and mineral economics. We provide clients with turnkey solutions that emphasise engineering expertise and safe, high quality mining infrastructure.

Roadworks

GIC helps to build roads that don’t just improve lives today, but improve the lives of generations to come, keeping South Africans connected and allowing for the transportation of goods and services which boosts productivity across all sectors and offers people greater access to employment, education, retail outlets, medical care and recreational activities.

Changing Lives

GIC continually seeks ways to reach out to communities and make a difference, often through exciting partnerships that bolster the positive impact we wish to make through our CSI initiatives. We have been involved in various community projects including the Derick Spencer Soccer Festival, a blanket drive in partnership with Muvhango, renovations at the Madibatlou Middle School, and the Barney’s Army Golf Day.

Through hard work and innovation, GIC provided a standpipe and metered water to each home within a community in the Dawid Kruiper Local Municipal area of Upington. The community was without running water for 10 years, and our services have drastically improved their quality of life.

We have been involved with various food parcel drops and SPCA food deliveries. Some of these donations include:

• Partnering with the Rotary Club of Klerksdorp to distribute over 1 000 meat parcels to local old age homes, shelters, and orphanages, and a meat drop at the Triest Training Centre for people with intellectual disabilities

• A meat drop for the Atamelang Shelter

The construction industry’s role in alleviating poverty

The solution to the sector’s employment challenges is for construction companies to continue hiring from the communities where their projects are based, particularly focussing on young, unemployed residents. But companies must go one step further to provide the necessary training to ensure that these individuals have both the skills needed to make the project a success and to access future employment opportunities.

By equipping individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds with the required skills, we can address unemployment and build a talent pipeline that will fuel South Africa’s infrastructure development for years to come. For example, Gap Infrastructure Corporation’s (GIC) Kathu project in the Northern Cape involved the construction of roads and storm water drainage, and a water and sewer network for around 5,100 homes. From the beginning of the project, youth workers were employed and upskilled from the local community, and became responsible for 72% of work conducted.

Our goal was to empower these young workers to go on to establish their own small construction businesses, or to empower them with the skills needed to access future career and employment opportunities.

However, creating jobs and upskilling young and inexperienced employees is just the first step. Lack of education is still a major concern, as last quarter’s employment statistics reveal that only 9.8% of employed youth were graduates.

To truly empower individuals from disadvantaged communities for success in construction, education and skills development are crucial. This is where platforms like Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, apprenticeships, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education are particularly important.

We need to see more companies working with the relevant tertiary institutions to help workers obtain relevant qualifications to market themselves for the future. Collaborative efforts with these institutions can also result in the development of specialised training modules that better ensure that graduates are job-ready.

Moreover, construction companies can provide students with internship and mentorship opportunities which offer invaluable handson experience and exposure to real-world projects. This will allow students the chance to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical settings, and provide companies with direct access to well performing and qualified workers the moment they graduate.

Ultimately, by emphasising youth employment and upskilling practices, the construction industry can invest in meaningfully changing the lives of those most in need, while reducing youth unemployment and helping to build a technically skilled workforce for the industry to draw from in the future.