National Home Builders Registration Council's straight-talking, no-nonsense, CEO, Sipho Mashinini told delegates at the IQPC Affordable Housing Development Summit South Africa
NHBRC revenue was down with 52% less housing enrolments last year.
The former banker said that he would like to see Financial Sector Charter housing targets increased to 100 000 units.

Local structural steel companies with substantial exposure to mining projects in South Africa will have to enter, or further expand their export markets or face the possibility of having to substantially shrink their operations.

In a bizarre twist, the President's Special Investigations Unit has been barred from the National Home Builders Registration Council's premises, and the Council has taken the Minister of Human Settlements to court to stop the investigation of NHBRC CEO, Sipho Mashinini.

Basil Read Mining has teamed up with Australia's Leighton Group and Botswana's Bothakga Burrow Botswana to tackle the US$3 billion pit deepening project at Jwaneng. Cut 8, as the project is known, will create a true ‘super-pit' and extend the mine's life from 2017 into the 2020s.

The worst may finally be over for South Africa's civil engineering industry, which has endured a period of severe contraction due to a decline in contract activity, which led to job losses.

Read Harrison Shumba's comments on "The Humble heat exchanger and global warming". Dr Shumba is a Senior Engineer at Sasol Synfuels Engineering

Consulting engineering, project management and implementation firms Hatch and GOBA are pleased to announce that the two businesses have finalised their merger and will now operate as one entity under the name, Hatch Goba.

This month Planning and Cost Engineering Services' [PaCE] CEO and Managing Director, Nic Bennet believes that there is a drastic shortage of cost engineers not only in South Africa, but worldwide. He says that engineering-based corporate investment in tertiary institutions is vital to assisting quantity surveyors.

Commissioned in November 2010 after an intensive 24 month construction programme led by main contractor, Polysius, Ohorongo will be the first producer to mine and process cement products in Namibia. Currently three mining pits are being developed simultaneously to source the material blends with Ohorongo's Cat fleet deployed for the mining, materials handling and civils phases.

Fast emerging coal producer Continental Coal has provided an update on its developing Penumbra coal mine, which has a planned production of 750 000 tonnes of ROM coal a year. The company has also revealed the preliminary findings of a BFS on its De Wittekrans project, which is likely to be an opencast operation in its initial phase with underground mining following in year two.

• Proactive maintenance, lubrication and contamination management
• Materials handling and logistics
• Heating, cooling, ventilation and air conditioning
• Manufacturing technology

There are instruments that can detect short intermittent interferences present on our power lines - which cannot be seen when carrying out a ‘one shot' measurement.

A conventional plant has numerous pH measuring points, often fitted by different manufacturers. This article shows that by replacing your analogue measuring points with Memosens technology, there is the potential to reduce cost, time and human error - thereby increase accuracy of pH measurement.

A feedback on the very successful IQSA 42nd conference and exhibition held in mid-April, which was attended by over 200 delegates and exhibitors. All-in-all, a great event, and an excellent networking opportunity for everyone.

Atlas Copco started distributing its stand-alone nitrogen generators (NGs) about four years ago. Using pressure swing adsorption technology and carbon-based molecular sieves, the company's NGs are capable of producing nitrogen at purities of between 97 and 99,999%. MechTech finds out how NGs work, and looks at some typical applications and advantages.
Read the full story on page 4.

Botswana's only gold producer, Mupane Gold Mining (Pty) Ltd, which little more than a year ago faced an uncertain future, has been reinvigorated by its new owners, Galane Gold, and could well see not only a significant extension of its mining operations in terms of mine life but also increased levels of gold production as new assets are brought to account.

Murray & Roberts Cementation, one of the world's premier underground mining contractors is transitioning to new shaft-sinking techniques pioneered by its sister company in Canada. It believes that the new methods will not only be much safer but will also lead to enhanced productivity. The company says that the first shafts to sunk using the Canadian methodology could get underway this year.

Alexander Binzel SA may be small in size, but it is large in customer service. The company was founded in 1990 to serve the local market and has been distributing its products through appointed distributors nationally. This article looks at the Abicor Binzel brand, which is known throughout the market for its innovative, reliable, quality welding and cutting torches and periphery.

Corruption is done in secret, in breach of the rules. The more rules, the more opportunity for tenderers and for officials tasked with awarding contracts to impose their own interpretations of those rules. 

HANNES Baard's columns have proved to be a ‘hit' with Sparks Electrical News readers. His knack of ‘getting the message across' in a clear, concise way has resulted in many requests for copies of his columns. 

An accredited Master Installation Electrician, Hannes' has many years of lecturing in standards behind him and this is evident in his columns, which are always well researched. He understands his ‘target audience' and the problems and frustrations they encounter - and his columns benefit not only young apprentices but also veteran electrical contractors.

Our Special report comes from Bonfiglioli, the global planetary drive and speed reducer specialist. At Power and Electricity World Africa, 2013, Bonfiglioli officially launched its photovoltaic (PV) inverter technology solutions into the southern and South African markets. We talk to Steve Davey, Bonfiglioli's newly appointed manager of PV and Drives in the region, who breaks down Bonfiglioli's unique modular approach to PV inverters and the efficiency advantages that become possible by packaging smaller inverters into larger drives. He also gives us an insight into the localisation requirements of the REIPPPP and how his company intend to meet the requirements.

In Power transmission, bearings and bushes, we feature the newly designed Cooper split bearing range, a next generation bearing that offers up to 135% longer L10 life than any other split bearing on the market. We talks to Roger Brown of Cooper and Matthew Tyler of Bearings International, the local Cooper distributor. Also included are FAG's SmartCheck proactive maintenance tool available in South Africa through Bearings 2000, an article form Hansen about its conveyor drives for the coal handling systems at the new Limpopo power station and we highlight the changes in SKF's new SE plummer blocks.

Computer-aided engineering features The CAD Corporation, which since its establishment in 2009, has already become an Autodesk Gold Partner and one of the largest Autodesk software solutions provider in Africa. We talk to Leon Smalberger, the company's MD.

Hydraulic and pneumatic systems features several pneumatic article in this issue. We talk to Brian Abbott of Festo South Africa about the new DFPI linear pneumatic actuator with integrated positioner and the new self-adjusting end position cushioning system, PPS, for standard pneumatic drives. Both of these solutions involve embedding innovations into pneumatic components to give users and installers fit-and-forget solutions to complex control problems. Also featured are BMG Hydraulics' locally produced imperial pneumatic cylinders and Atlas Copco's energy recovery system that cuts costs and improve efficiency of the GA rotary screw compressor at Vital Health Foods in Kuilsriver, Western Cape.

Modern engineering materials and processing features the rejuvenation of Maizey Plastics' local engineering and manufacturing capabilities. We talk to Kevin Govender about the increasing use of thermoplastics in bottling plants, food handling and conveying systems. We also showcase some of the experiences and innovations from DPI Plastics and publish an opinion piece from Vital Engineering's Dodds Pringle.

Innovative engineering features this year's annual Samsung Africa Forum was held in Cape Town from 13-15 March.

VBV Holdings is the holding company for three of South Africa's key vessel-building facilities - Stainless Fabricators, Carbon Steel Fabricators and Tank End Engineering. African Fusion talks to Peter Viljoen, the managing director

There has been a great deal of attention focused on the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB) of late with both Galaxy Gold and Vantage Goldfields working on new projects in the Barberton area. Nevertheless, the biggest operation in the BGB is Barberton Mines (Pty) Limited, which operates the successful Fairview, Consort and Sheba mines, all within close proximity of each other and with a history of production dating back to the 1880s.

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a global public transportation concept utilised in the most populous and industrious cities around the world. The transport system is predicated on its ability to organise mass public transport in a way that is affordable, convenient and classy.

Once the ‘flavour of the month', the Moatize coal field in Mozambique is now looking much less promising, with Rio Tinto having written down the value of its Mozambican assets (essentially the Benga coal mine) and Anglo American recently withdrawing from its deal to acquire a 58,9 % share in the Revuboe coal project. Rowan Karstel, CEO of Beacon Hill, which is developing the Minas Moatize mine, believes there has been a tendency by operators in the coalfield to over-capitalise their operations and to ignore Mozambique's infrastructural restraints. He says that Beacon Hill will not be making this mistake and has replanned Minas Moatize to make it a leaner, meaner project.

COMS, a mining contractor active in the Mpumalanga coalfields, has added 18 new Terex off-highway rigid dump trucks to its fleet to enable it to handle the demands of a major new contract it has secured at Umcebo Mining's Middelkraal colliery. The trucks were supplied by the Eqstra group which put together an innovative leasing solution for COMS.

Michael du Toit, managing director of Power Process Systems, is the personality of the month. When he and his father, Charles, started PPS in Vereeniging in 1993, Michael says he was "the driver, receptionist, store man, tea lady, welder, laminator, assembler and sales representative". After his father's death he took over the reigns of the business, leading his staff with a rare combination of firmness and flexibility. Three things on his ‘bucket list' are: "Play a round of golf at Augusta; bum around Europe for six months before I'm too old; and fly a chopper."

MICHAEL Grant is group leader: business development at CBI-electric: low voltage. Considered a ‘bright spark' in the electrical industry, he humbly attributes his many achievements to ‘luck'. 

Mike is popular with his colleagues who consider him to be an excellent role model, an exceptional design engineer, a brilliant problem solver and a committed educator.

MechTech's special report covers the recent launch by Sandvik Mining and Construction, of its double-pass MC470 continuous miner.

Sexwale's 2010 R16-billion housing budget is dissected with R377,2 million being allocated to human settlements institutions, Social Housing Regulatory Authority benefits by R151,8 million, while newcomer Housing Development Agency run by Taffy Adler received only R69,3 million.

• Power transmissions, bearing and bushes
• Computer-aided engineering
• Modern engineering materials and processing
• Hydraulic and pneumatic systems
• Innovative engineering

WorleyParsons, the Australian-based global engineering, procurement and construction management group, recently announced the completion of the R900-million acquisition of EPCM business TWP Holdings from Basil Read following the receipt of all final approvals, including approval from the South African Competition Commission and shareholders.

This section covers new products and industry news including a new fixing and fastening division opening at Waco Industries, advice on preventing costly downtime from CBI-electric : low voltage, and safe testing without direct contact with live wires with the Kyoritisu phase rotation indicator from Major Tech.

Fast-food giant, McDonald's, is in the process of undertaking the biggest store-by-store makeover in the chain's 60-odd year history. This makeover is also underway in South Africa and Lighting in Design spoke to Roger Nunes of MNS Consulting Engineers who is responsible for overseeing all lighting installations and refurbishments.

Lees treatment and product recovery presents one of the biggest challenges facing the wine industry, especially in light of new legislation limiting the disposal of unwanted by-products. The current development of crossflow filtration technology has led to new production and technological solutions which optimize the costs of filtration and avoid the need to use and dispose of finings at the end of the process. To meet widespread requirements to treat fermented lees and minimize the volume, multi-tube membrane modules are ideal for treating both crossflow concentrates and lees. Tubular systems can be used wherever there are large amounts of suspended solids to be treated or recovered.

Focusing on the situation relating to bioenergy in India, this article provides an analysis of the currently available methodologies for assessing the varied impacts, both positive and negative, of bioenergy production. This contextual information is then framed within a perspective of planning for sustainability; and the reasoning behind development of the RE-Impact framework, drawing particularly from field experience in India, is presented.  

This section covers new products and industry news including ‘power stations in a box' from Master Power Technologies and ACDC Dynamics' new apprenticeship programme.

This article describes a highly deterministic Ethernet network that retains the openness and flexibility of a typical industrial Ethernet environment.

Our Special report is about Isigayo, a new compact and low cost maize mill that has been designed by Bühler South Africa with support from the dti and FABCOS, a foundation for African business empowerment. FABCOS has bought 24 of these compact mills in an effort to shift food production back into rural areas, which is mooted to cut the cost of maize in rural areas by over 30%, because it will no longer be necessary to transport it to centres for bulk milling and then back again for sale. The key FABCOS aim, however, is to create opportunities for rural entrepreneurs.

This month Gavin Kelly, Technical Operations Manager, RFA, keeps us abreast on challenges within the road freight sector and offers his views on some contentious issues.

This section of Sparks covers new products and industry news.

The effect of ultrasound at 256 KHz on Microcystis aeruginosa, with and without gas vacuoles

As always, we cover a variety of important and informative subjects, from new products and services within the industry, to what the OEMs are up to and who is being given what contracts and where, as well as who is moving up the corporate ladder, at what pace!

Ron Ainsworth of Fluke, takes us through two types of calibration applicable to platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs). These are ‘characterisation' and ‘tolerance' testing - each determined by the way in which the unit under test (UUT) is to be used as well as the accuracy required by the user.

With a rejuvenation programme well underway and transport nodes such as the recently opened Gautrain Park station close at hand, the residential property sector of the Johannesburg city centre continues to enjoy a strong revival.

Colas South Africa says that as part of the drive to reduce the carbon footprint of the South African road construction industry, road industry specifiers should be encouraged to implement established and readily available technologies. Money it seems, is a problem.

Do you know that NDSF is the oldest and most widely used fibre? Or that an important consideration in the fibre selection process is that optical signals may need to be amplified along a route... and that the only thing separating fibre types for high-bit-rate systems is Chromatic Dispersion? An insightful and informative read!

Integrated housing development company, Calgro M3 CEO Ben Pierre Malherbe, offered an insight into the lessons that were learnt from the joint venture with the City of Johannesburg at Pennyville Ext 1, and implemented at Fleurhof.

• Pump systems pipes, valves and seals
• Robotics, mechatronics and automation
• Power, energy and energy management
• Modern transport and vehicle solutions

Specialising in the application of cast basalt and alumina ceramic wear linings in the materials handling industry, Multotec Wear Linings is offering a new service model, with the ultimate aim of completely eliminating wear problems of materials conveying systems.

Working in one of the most corrosive environments in the world, with average temperatures soaring in the high 40s, Trimble handles the Namibian challenge with unsurpassed equipment and unrivalled after-sales support. Read more about Trekkopje Projects' Trimble purchase in this arduous location.

We report in our news pages on Banro's progress on the Twangiza-Namoya gold belt in the DRC. Banro's only producing mine, Twangiza, at the north-eastern end of the gold belt near Bukavu, entered operation in the second half of 2011 and has recently achieved commercial production. Banro is already planning to expand the mine via a substantial plant upgrade to take capacity from 1,3 Mt/a to 2,0 Mt/a. At the other end of the gold belt, the company is working on the development of its second mine, Namoya, which should start producing in mid-2013.

Claude Middleton, sales and marketing director at HellermannTyton for the past six months, has decades of experience in the electrical industry. He has a solid reputation as a man of integrity who has the exceptional gift of bringing out the best in his employees.

Engineers Without Borders UK is an international development organization that facilitates human development through engineering.
This interesting article aims to assess the potential of combining the photo catalytic properties of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as a low cost, low energy and low environmental impact water treatment method with the Point of Use ceramic water purifier (CWP) developed by Potters for Peace (PfP) in order to provide a WHO standard drinking water solution suitable for use in rural and peri-urban Sierra Leone.

In the article Initial design and development of a brushless dc machine for high power, slow speed applications, Gerhard Botha of Neu Bergmann Technik describes a new and exciting development which is ‘hot off the press’!

The Concor-Karrena JV has completed nearly 90 metres of the west chimney at Eskom's Kusile thermal power station in Mpumalanga and is aiming to achieve the 213 metre top out by early February 2012.

A profile of Midrand-based JIC Mining Services, now probably the third biggest underground mining contractor in South Africa (after Murray & Roberts Cementation and Grinaker-LTA Mining). Apart from its contract mining activities, the company is developing a shaft sinking capability and is also active in the design and development of mining machinery, its two main products being the Mantis drill rig and Warthog loader.

CHAD Andrews is the executive director, sales and distribution at Aberdare Cables.
He's been at Aberdare for 13 years and is regarded by all as a man of integrity who has a heart of gold and a personality to match.

Mozambique's emergence as an important coal mining area has been underlined by the official launch of Riversdale Mining's Benga coal project near Tete. Phase one of the project, now well into development, entails production of 5,3 Mt ROM tonnes a year to produce 1,7 Mt/a of coking coal and 0,3 Mt/a of export thermal coal.

• Proactive maintenance, lubrication and contamination management
• Materials handling and logistics
• Manufacturing technology and plant automation
• Heating, cooling, ventilation and air conditioning
• Innovative engineering

A closer look at today's diagnostics concepts for serial fieldbuses (eg PROFIBUS), Ethernet-based fieldbuses (eg PROFINET) and industrial Ethernet networks reveals principal differences between the systems as well as advantages and disadvantages of existing diagnostics products. A parallel analysis of customer requirements for efficient network diagnostics shows that much is left to be desired. For this reason, the author's company has developed a trendsetting, unified diagnostics concept that features a combination of remote monitoring and central analysis.

Elize Stroebel CEO of the Johannesburg Housing Agency, the inner city social housing landlord, dispelled myths of a transient inner city community. The agency's research conducted on 27 buildings showed that the average lease is between five to seven years.

The collaborative efforts of road engineer, contractor and supplier have paid off in the face of critical bitumen shortage. An efficient new super-heater was used in N12 Hopetown/Kimberley road rehabilitation to assist in problem alleviation.

Our cover story looks at the role of the concrete sleeper in underground mining, a field in which Aveng Group company Duraset is prominent.

Our cover story focuses on BEE company Powers PNP Plant Hire which has deployed several new Cat 666H wheel loaders at Xstrata Alloys in Lydenburg. Powers PNP is working as a sub-contractor to Fraser Alexander and the two companies between them move about 230 000 tonnes a month.

AEL Mining Services, a pioneer and leader in the development and manufacturing of electronic detonators, continues to enhance its range of electronic detonating systems with the recent release of DigiShot Plus for medium to large surface mining applications.

Increasing global awareness about, and concerns for our environmental impact and rising energy prices, have resulted in a public demand for efficient and ‘green' energy sources. By incorporating the soft magnetic composite material Somaloy® from Höganäs, Microgen Engine Corporation designed a free-piston Stirling engine for use in its microCHP (Combined Heat and Power) appliance, which provides small buildings with energy-efficient and environment-friendly heat and power generation.

David Shapiro is the June Personality of the Month. The managing director of Lesco, David recalls how he started at the "bottom of the ladder" in his family's business and progressed through the ranks.
"At Lesco we are a family. Our products, the exciting growth... and our customers... all add to our enthusiasm and motivation," he says.

This article describes some of the features incorporated in a new calibrator to make wattmeter calibration easier and more accurate.

‘Towards a sustainable pit latrine management strategy through LaDePa technology' is the title of the main feature in this section.

The Umhlanga Ridge in KwaZulu-Natal has a new landmark in the Liberty Life Head Office and Southern Sun Garden Court Hotel Development. QDP Lighting and Electrical Design was asked to provide a low maintenance lighting solution that was bold, though conservative, for the façades and internal public areas of this high profile development.

Thomas Hiesmayr and Andre Botes present Fronius' key new innovations.

This section covers new products and industry news including Southern Power Maintenance's partnership with the Zest Group and ACTOM Power Transformers to provide the skills and manpower required for the installation of 48 auxiliary transformers at Kusile Power Station.

The rocky slope overlooking the N1 in the Hex River Poort presents cases of danger as rocks can detach owing to the degradation of the surface. This poses a danger to the road system below.

The City of Cape Town Human Settlement Contact Office in Manenberg has recently been awarded a 4 Star Green Star SA rating; the first fully constructed local municipal building in South Africa to achieve a rating.

As part of the on-going drive to reduce the total cost of ownership of its mill circuit pump products, Weir Minerals Africa has introduced a new standard premium elastomer lining called R55TM. Rui Gomes, product manager for slurry pumps, believes that this development paves the way for the widespread use of rubber-lined slurry pumps for mill circuit applications. Weir has always offered a wide range of elastomers for lining pump casings, impellers and throatbushes, but in the past, each formulation was designed to suit a different slurry pumping application. "Our new R55 material is a very good replacement for five different elastomer compounds from our previous range," says Gomes.

• Power transmissions, bearings and bushes
• Computer-aided engineering
• Modern engineering materials and processing
• Hydraulic and pneumatic systems

Whether for large or small clients, Group Five Construction Materials is striving to be the service provider of choice to the Gauteng market for construction materials in terms of aggregates, ready mix and building supplies.

While crossing over from legacy systems to more modern IP-based, alternative energy systems might seem a daunting task, the cost savings and other benefits derived from the transition are certainly worthwhile!

Jerry Walker discusses the influence of soil thermal resistivity on the temperature of buried cables.

Tom Bajkay is Managing Director of ACT (SA) (Pty) Ltd, a company specialising in the manufacture of rock crushing equipment used in the mining and quarrying quarters. He shares his insight on where he sees the sectors going further down the line, along with some of the challenges facing South Africa generally.

The Rustenburg Rapid Transport (RRT) project was officially launched recently by the Executive Mayor of Rustenburg, Councillor Mpho Khunou, at the Rustenburg Civic Centre to stakeholders, Government officials, local Rustenburg businesses and the media. Currently in the initial planning and design phase, the RRT project will invest R3-billion over the next four years to deliver a transformed public transport service to the people of Rustenburg by 2015.

LappKabel poses the question, ‘When is flexible not flexible’ - discussing seven categories of continuous flex cables. In a second article in this section Aberdare Cables reviews Interdac III cables which are designed for low power, long distance applications, at low cost but for non-critical loads.

Jürgen Lauer, the brand manager at Dremel and Skil power tools at Robert Bosch is more on the peripheral of the electrical industry than previous personalities and his field of expertise is marketing rather than megawatts and power tools rather than power supply.

The project is being undertaken by the CSIR, in collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and Mintek (South Africa's minerals research organization). The main aim of the project is to focus on the role of indigenous edible plants in improving food security and the health of communities by providing nutrients as well as other health benefiting components (nutraceuticals).

In our special report for August, MechTech visits Consol's soon-to-be opened flint-glass bottle manufacturing facility in Nigel. The Nigel greenfield project is set to add a further 220 000 t/a to the company's current output, taking Consol's total glass capacity to over 1-million t/a - equivalent to 4-billion glass containers.

Leading forklift truck specialist Action Equipment Company [AEC] pins its market success down to innovation and an aggressive marketing strategy, which helps it stay one step ahead of the competition.

JOHAN Bosch, sales manager for Legrand SA, has an easy-going confidence about him and a good-natured down-to-earth approach to life. Blessed with the ‘gift of the gab', Johan is never short of words but he is also a good listener. His wide product knowledge, coupled with his innate problem-solving ability, makes him popular with clients and inspires his staff.

The tribe has spoken in the Absa International Innovative Housing and Sustainable Energy Competition in Wellington. The Drakenstein Municipality allocated 33 sites for low-cost subsidy and Gap market housing. The community voted on the new technologies and designs. APC proved the most popular, scooping first place in the low cost housing category.

The 24 members of the Southern African Vinyls Association have committed themselves to the responsible and sustainable use of PVC with the signing of the industry's Product Stewardship Programme.