June 2011

Construction World's June issue features two major projects in the South African infrastructure landscape: the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme and the BRT project in Cape Town.

CMI Joint Venture is responsible for building the tunnels and related infrastructure that will connect the Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme's two dams in order to generate electricity in what is the second hydro-electric project of its kind in the country. The JV is building an elaborate subterranean network and is running a very tight ship with around the clock work.

The low pressure headrace tunnels will be split into a concrete lined section and a steel lined section. The steel lined section will have two 5,1 m diameter, 150 m long circular steel lined pressure headrace tunnels.

In another infrastructure project, the kilometres of red road through Cape Town's CBD represent an ongoing project commonly known as the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system ‒ a principal part of a bold government initiative to transform the public transport sector into a safe, reliable and efficient scheme.

Comprising a network of trunk and feeder bus services, the BRT will be integrated with the Metrorail passenger rail services, minibus taxis, conventional scheduled bus services and metered taxis as well as with improved pedestrian, bicycle access and park and ride facilities.

In a detailed article, read about the testing, the challenges and the logistics behind this big project.

According to international road standards, dedicated public transport routes have to be a different colour from the general road network. This is to clearly distinguish the BRT routes from the routes used by the public.

The South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) recently released its scorecard for South African infrastructure. The country's infrastructure achieved a C- grading, up from last year's D+. See how the water, roads, sanitation, airports and electricity sectors fared.

The C- grade encompasses the focused investment over the past five years that resulted in more new infrastructure and an improvement in the condition of some existing assets.