ON THE COVER: Following the introduction of the new generation Volvo excavator range last year, Babcock reports a strong uptake of the EC210 and EC220 models in general construction and plant hire. In a fiercely competitive 21-22 tonne (t) market segment, the two models combine premium quality and competitive pricing, pushing boundaries in performance, efficiency and total cost of ownership. 

Despite the seemingly improved infrastructure project rollout from government, construction contractors in South Africa are generally navigating a challenging operating environment marked by high inflation, rising material costs and fuel price volatility, resulting in squeezed margins.

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While there are green shoots for South Africa’s construction materials sector, the landscape remains complex and uneven - leading AfriSam to focus on resilience, agility, long-term investment and strong customer partnerships.

According to Eric Diack, AfriSam’s Executive Chairman and CEO, the most important signal the company is watching is the pace and direction of infrastructure investment across the country. The sector has been characterised by constrained infrastructure spending, rising input costs and shifting demand patterns.

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In an industry defined by cyclical pressure, rising input costs and persistent skills shortages, financial discipline and operational agility have become decisive differentiators. For GVK-Siya Zama (GVK), a national construction group with more than 1 000 permanent employees across South Africa, longevity has not been accidental. It has been engineered. Wilhelm du Plessis spoke to CFO John de Sousa who unpacks how the company structures funding, manages compliance, navigates public-sector payment cycles and balances empowerment objectives with commercial discipline.

ON THE COVER: Energy security continues to shape infrastructure investment across Southern Africa. In Botswana, this imperative has taken shape through a landmark project delivered by Trotech in partnership with Botswana Oil Limited (BOL). The initiative, based in Francistown, demonstrates how disciplined construction management and collaborative execution can deliver infrastructure that meets national objectives while setting new benchmarks for safety and quality.
Botswana Oil’s mandate is clear: secure, manage and distribute petroleum products in a way that supports operational efficiency and long-term sustainability. The Francistown project was designed to strengthen national fuel storage capacity and ensure reliability across the supply chain.

ON THE COVER: In construction, downtime is costly. A single machine failure can stall an entire project, leading to delays, penalties, and financial strain. That is why contractors value plant hire partners who keep projects moving, no matter what. For more than 20 years, Eric’s Roller Hire has built its reputation on doing exactly that - providing reliable machines, well-trained operators, and an after-sales service network designed to prevent problems before they escalate.  Quick response times are central to the company’s service philosophy. “The reason we respond so fast is simple - we carry most of the spare parts ourselves,” explains Eric Laynes, owner and director of Eric’s Roller Hire. “We import our own engine parts and hydraulic components, and we also manufacture some parts locally. Our stores are always stocked so that most breakdowns can be fixed quickly.”