It is not the cranes or concrete mixers that make or break a project - it is the choices made before they even arrive on site. In the scramble to stretch budgets, too many infrastructure projects in South Africa are being quietly, but irreversibly, undermined by a silent compromise - sacrificing quality in construction materials.
This trend, according to leading construction materials supplier AfriSam, is not only becoming more entrenched - it is becoming increasingly dangerous.
“Durable infrastructure doesn’t fail in a headline-worthy moment,” says Amit Dawneerangen, Construction Materials Executive: Sales & Product Technical at AfriSam. “It deteriorates quietly, beneath the surface, because someone, somewhere, decided that cutting costs on aggregate, cement or concrete was a risk worth taking.”
That risk has now become routine. From road upgrades and bridge construction to housing and water infrastructure, there is growing concern across both public and private sectors about a shift away from high quality technically specified materials toward cheaper borderline alternatives.
On the surface, the savings may seem substantial. But once roads begin to rut, buildings start to crack and pipelines leak long before their design life ends, the real costs come due - and they are measured not only in rands, but also in safety and public confidence.
This regression is being driven by a toxic mix of affordability pressures, regulatory gaps and, in some cases, what Dawneerangen describes as “misplaced innovation.” Borrow pits - often unregulated and lacking the geotechnical validation of established quarries - are being favoured purely on the basis of proximity and price. Material that would not pass formal compliance is being repackaged under new product names to obscure its true quality. And in the absence of a formal regulatory body for the readymix sector, opportunistic suppliers are entering the market with offerings that underperform and under-yield.
“Unfortunately, this has become a race to the bottom,” says Dawneerangen. “And as a responsible business, AfriSam is not going to join that race. Our responsibility to customers, and to South Africa, is to be a partner in building infrastructure that lasts.”
With a heritage of more than 90 years in the business of building South Africa, AfriSam is raising a red flag on the long term consequences of short term cost cutting. “Infrastructure is a long game,” he says. “And when we get it wrong at the material stage, we are locking in a future of inflated maintenance budgets, early failures and expensive rework.”
This is why AfriSam continues to invest in certified quality across its cement, aggregate and readymix concrete operations. Its manufacturing facilities meet ISO 9001 standards, while its Centre of Product Excellence maintains SANAS 17025 accreditation - the gold standard for laboratory testing in South Africa.
“These are not box-ticking exercises,” says Dawneerangen, “but the foundation of consistency and reliability.”
“At AfriSam, our technical teams conduct process control and product testing on a daily basis, and quarterly performance audits are built into our operating rhythm,” he says. “We don’t do this for compliance; we do it because we believe our customers deserve to get exactly what they paid for. And in fact, we go a step further to help them understand how quality choices pay off over time.”
That philosophy extends beyond major infrastructure contracts to every customer segment, from civil contractors and engineers to informal builders and DIY customers. “Regardless of the project size or location, quality should not be negotiable,” Dawneerangen insists. “That’s why we developed products like All Purpose Cement - to take the guesswork out of cement selection for small-scale builders while still delivering a high-quality solution.”
Quality, however, is not just about strength and durability. AfriSam is equally focused on the environmental footprint of its products. By incorporating recycled industrial byproducts like fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag into its cementitious blends, the company is actively reducing the carbon intensity of its products.
The company has also pioneered the use of low water demand cements, helping projects in water-scarce regions meet environmental targets without compromising performance.
“True quality today must be sustainable,” says Dawneerangen. “That’s why our innovation isn’t about pushing down cost through dilution. It is about raising performance, extending life and reducing environmental impact - all at once.”
And the market, he believes, is still listening. Through AfriSam’s Voice of Customer programme, the company routinely engages with clients to gather feedback, understand project needs and identify pain points. One message comes through clearly - customers still want to build well.
“Most people want to do the right thing,” he says. “But they’re under pressure. That is why we need everyone in the value chain - suppliers, contractors, consultants, regulators - to push back against the slide into mediocrity. We have to champion quality together.”
Ultimately, the message is simple but urgent - materials are not just a line item. They are the DNA of infrastructure. And when that DNA is compromised, so is the nation’s future.
“If we want to build a South Africa that lasts,” concludes Dawneerangen, “we need to stop trading durability for discounts. The real question is not what your project costs today – the question is what it will cost tomorrow if you choose the wrong material today.”
