The Civil Engineering Contractor September 2018 | Page 9

CONTRACTORS ON SITE
Construction of the USD24-million Umlazi Station Mall
is due to commence soon, with the planned two-phase
development expected to open in October 2019. Umlazi
is a township on the east coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South
Africa, located south-west of Durban. It is the fourth
largest township in South Africa. The Umlazi Station Mall
development is a partnership with the Passenger Rail
Agency of South Africa (Prasa) that, together with the
eThekwini Municipality, will be upgrading the station
precinct to a modern commuter environment. The parties
will be investing in the development of the Feeder Facility
as part of their Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network
(IRPTN), planned in consultation with and for the benefit
of the local taxi associations.
The IRPTN project by eThekwini incorporates the
upgrading of the access road infrastructure. The mall
infrastructure will address pedestrian safety as well
as facilities for local traders. The co-ordination of the
development interface between the partners in this
co-operative investment is being undertaken by retail
property development company EMRE. Mandulo Retail
Fund is the owner and developer of the mall. According
to the developers, despite the development of Umlazi
Megacity and KwaMnyandu Shopping Centre, more than
50 000 people of Sections J, K, L & M around the Umlazi
Station Mall do not have access to modern shopping
facilities.
Umlazi Station remains the only super-core Metrorail
station in Umlazi, with more than 28 000 commuters
passing through the station daily on their way into and
from the city. Nedbank CIB Property Finance is the
project’s financing partner and is expected to bring retail
development finance expertise.
Construction of SA’s Umlazi
Station Mall imminent
The City of Cape Town continues long-term drought relief
projects despite plentiful rain.
Tenders open for Cape
aquifer treatment plants
The City of Cape Town advertised in July and August
for tenders for the design and construction of aqu ifer
recharge treatment plants as part of the City’s ongoing
drought response plan. The City says it is looking for
electrical and mechanical contracting firms that have
experience in the design and construction of direct and
indirect potable reuse schemes. It is also to advertise for
a civil engineering subcontractor to carry out the civils
work.
No design expertise is required for the civils work, as
this will be designed by the civil engineering consultant
and priced in the conventional SANS 1200 format. The
tenders advertised will be for a 36 megalitre a day (Mℓ/
day) plant at the Cape Flats Waste Water Treatment
Works; a 22Mℓ/day plant at Mitchells Plain; and a
16Mℓ/day plant at Borcherd’s Quarry. According to the
municipality, the tender for each of the plants will be
advertised in the form of one tender document.
Port of Dande, Angola, launches tender
The Angolan government says it is set to launch a tender for the design, construction, and operation of the Port of
Dande, 30km north of Luanda. The plan to build the port, complete with special economic zone, was first mooted in
2011, after it became evident that Luanda, the country’s main port, was approaching peak capacity. Preliminary work
commenced at that time but was subsequently suspended owing to lack of public funds and a downturn in trade in the
wake of the collapse of oil prices (since reversed).
As a result of the upturn in the international oil price, the project was renewed, and former president José Eduardo
dos Santos approved a budget of USD1.5-billion. In what has been a roller-coaster ride, it was once again cancelled by
incoming João Lourenço, who took power after elections in September 2017. The government now plans to launch an
international tender for the work and has created a body to oversee the process made up of members of the Maritime
and Port Institute of Angola and the ministries of transport, finance, and public works.
At present, Angola has four ports — Luanda, Lobito, Cabinda, and Namibe — each of which has restricted capacity.
Work is under way on a sixth port in the north of the country, Porto de Caio, which is being built and part-financed
by Angola’s leading trade partner, China.
CEC September 2018 - 7