For the concrete industry to remain sustainable, there
is an urgent need for engineers, specifiers, designers,
producers and contractors to be competent - and
responsible, The Concrete Institute MD, Bryan Perrie, has
cautioned.
Perrie saysThe Concrete Institute’s School of ConcreteTechnol-
ogy – which offers courses aimed at all levels from labourers
to engineers – provides the professional education and train-
ing required to achieve competence that, in turn, cultivates a
mindset of responsibility.
“To emphasise the quality of the education provided, the
Concrete Society of Southern Africa endorses all the courses
presented by the School of Concrete Technology. The School is
registered with the South African Federation of Civil Engineer-
ing Contractors (SAFCEC) as a preferred training provider while
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points are also
available for selected courses,”he adds.
“The School provides expert education and training to
ensure that all involved in the civil engineering and construc-
tion sectors, as well as the rest of the concrete industry, have
the opportunity to achieve a better understanding of the
properties and applications of concrete to best address the
social, economic, and environmental challenges for us and our
children, “ Perrie adds.
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THE 3 000 PEOPLE IN
Springbok Pan, who have historically only had
visits from a mobile clinic will now have a dedicated clinic of 235 m
2
with nurses who will be on duty from Monday to Friday, every week
and access to a doctor monthly.Where people would historically have
to queue in an open field, now they have a formal healthcare facility
that provides more privacy.
Springbok Pan community liaison officer, Thabo Mothaung, a
resident of the community was involved in the establishment of the
clinic fromday one. He says,“This clinic will help us a lot.We never had
our own clinic. A mobile clinic would come in twice a week. When it
was cold or when it was raining, our people would have to wait to be
helped with no shelter.”
The clinic project has also created some employment for Springbok
Pan local people. Mothaung explains,“Before SephakuCement stepped
in we could not finish the building of the clinic because people stole
our materials. Sephaku brought everything in for us. Nowwe will have
electricity, water and geysers in our own health facility. Our people
are happy.”
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Bringing Springbok
Pan clinic to life
After 15 years of the North West Province community of
Springbok Pan not being able to finish building its only clinic
because of buildingmaterials being stolen and a lack of funding
to replace these, the healthcare facility will finally open its doors.
The clinic was brought to life through a partnership between
Sephaku Cement and the community situated near its flagship
plant Aganang.
S.A. needs trained and
responsible engineers
November 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
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