Opinion & Analysis
Excellent contractors deserve evidence-based recognition
The industry needs positive stories, but praise is strongest when clients, records and completed work support it.
Author
Linda Jones
Contributor to Built Report. A verified biography has not yet been supplied.
Latest News
R486m Meiringspoort flood-repair contract targets partial reopening in early 2027
Temporary bypasses are being built as permanent repairs proceed along 21km of the N12 between De Rust and Klaarstroom.
Latest News
Seven Passes flood repairs reach 10,458 local labour days
The R73.6 million Garden Route contract covers damaged sections of MR355 and district roads west of George and near Wittedrif.
Latest News
Western Cape sets R2.4bn three-year health-infrastructure programme
The portfolio spans clinic upgrades, hospital expansions and mental-health facilities.
Latest News
North West road pipeline balances freight links and village access
The programme spans major regional corridors and shorter links serving rural settlements.
Latest News
Delareyville health facility reaches completion
The facility is one of several completed health-infrastructure projects.
Projects
Lessons learned belong in the next project brief
Close-out workshops add little when findings are filed without changing templates, rates or design standards.
Latest News
Boegoebaai port secures project-preparation funding
The Market Demand Study is complete and the strategic environmental assessment is nearing completion.
Business
Enterprise-development clauses need measurable work, not a percentage alone
Participation targets deliver more value when packages, mentoring and payment are planned from tender stage.
Latest News
Gabosch Dam and bulk pipeline move through construction
The Amsterdam-area scheme combines storage with a long transmission pipeline.
Business
Succession planning belongs in small construction businesses
A capable company can become fragile when every quotation, approval and relationship depends on one founder.
Latest News
Excelsior Welisizwe bridge reaches 75%
Three quarters of the bridge programme was complete at the reporting date.
Homes & Building
Payment stages should follow completed work
Large deposits and vague percentages can leave both owner and builder exposed.
Latest News
Gauteng completes 27 major health-facility refurbishments
Emergency units, theatres, maternity wards, clinics and mental-health facilities were prioritised.
Latest News
Mangaung pipeline renewal places network losses under scrutiny
Nearly 33.8km of replacement pipeline between Lieuwkop Chamber and Brandkop Reservoir has reached completion.
Latest News
Sasolburg–Deneysville reseal package handed over
Provincial maintenance work on the route was completed in 2025/26.
Latest News
R72 Port Alfred–East London corridor placed in 2029 road pipeline
The coastal route is listed among major provincial road works planned through 2029.
Investigations
Maintenance backlogs measured against assets that repeatedly fail
Budgets and work orders should be connected to pumps, roofs, roads or substations with recurring service consequences.
Latest News
Wastewater upgrades need process results after civil completion
New tanks and equipment matter when effluent quality and reliability improve across changing flows.
Features
A lifting plan should follow the load from ground to final position
Crane capacity is only one part of a lift involving ground, rigging, weather and people.
Infrastructure
Bridge bearing inspections should begin with access and movement records
Bearings transfer load while allowing controlled movement, but dirt, corrosion and inaccessible details can hide deterioration fo…
Infrastructure
National Building Regulations: the framework behind a compliant South African building
The law, local approval and technical standards work together. A plan approval is important, but construction must also follow th…
Investigations
From quarry source to road layer: checking the material trail
Source approvals, haul tickets and laboratory results should connect every paid layer to material that met the specification.
Homes & Building
A snag list works best when each defect has an owner and deadline
A room-by-room list turns handover complaints into work that can be verified and closed.
Opinion & Analysis
Modular construction is a method not a miracle
Factory production can improve control, but it does not remove design, logistics or site-interface risk.
Homes & Building
A borehole needs water-quality and legal checks
A successful yield test does not prove that water is safe for every household purpose.
Business
Recruiting a site manager requires evidence beyond project names
A CV can list large projects without showing the candidate’s authority, decisions, team size or delivery results.
Projects
Measured work should connect the certificate to the site
Payment becomes difficult to defend when quantities cannot be traced to locations, drawings and dates.
Business
Regional expansion should begin with delivery capacity, not a new address
Opening in another province adds procurement, supervision, travel and relationship demands that a promising tender pipeline may n…
Opinion & Analysis
Small homes need generous thinking about storage
A small floor area becomes harder to live in when everyday possessions take over circulation and work surfaces.
Technology
An RFI register should close design questions before they reach the workface
Requests for information need priority, ownership and a clear answer linked to current drawings.
Latest News
What a building noncompliance notice means for the programme
A notice can stop affected work while the responsible parties explain, correct or regularise the departure.
Projects
Concrete cube results need context before they become a verdict
A test result is meaningful only when the sample, curing, age, mix, location and acceptance rule are known.
Homes & Building
Building a new home? What NHBRC enrolment is meant to protect
The builder enrols the home before construction. Homeowners should verify the record and understand the time-limited warranty ste…
Business
Plant ownership should be tested against verified utilisation
Equipment can look like an asset while idle time, finance, transport and maintenance consume the margin it was meant to protect.
Homes & Building
Water pressure should be checked before fittings are chosen
A stylish fitting may perform badly when pressure is too high, too low or inconsistent.
Infrastructure
Stormwater attenuation ponds need maintenance access from day one
An attenuation facility cannot manage peak flows when silt, vegetation or inaccessible outlets reduce its working volume.
Opinion & Analysis
Professional appearance must respect wigs natural hair and safety
A polished wig can look professional, and so can well-kept natural hair; the fair standard is neatness, choice and safety.
Infrastructure
Gravel-road maintenance starts with water, not another blade pass
Repeated grading offers short-term smoothness if side drains and cross-drainage remain blocked.
Infrastructure
Gravel-road drainage determines how long the riding surface lasts
Material quality matters, but crown, side drains and outlets often decide whether a gravel road survives repeated rain.
Projects
Temporary works deserve permanent attention
Formwork, excavation support and access systems may be removed later, but failure while they are in use can be catastrophic.
Latest News
What a road reseal notice should tell residents before work starts
A useful notice explains limits, traffic changes, working hours and the difference between preparation and the final seal.
Infrastructure
Rural school maintenance surveys should begin before the rainy season
A disciplined walk-through can turn leaking roofs, blocked gutters and unsafe paths into a planned repair programme before learne…