The new shopping centre - a 34 000m2 mall, with leading anchor tenants including Checkers, Woolworths, Edgars, Mr Price, Truworths, Foschini and Ackermans - is scheduled for completion in October 2010. The centre will connect to the existing casino.

Job creation and training are important elements of this project, states contracts director Mark Bowen. The firm kicked off its R302-million contract for the construction of the Goldfields Mall in September last year, for client Retail Africa.

Bowen notes that Grinaker-LTA is committed to creating employment opportunities for local people, suppliers and subcontractors, and, to this end, is working closely with the local municipality and the Chamber of Business. "At present, 80% of people employed by Grinaker-LTA on this project are locals," he states. "We have employed a full-time local Safety Officer, and all of the independent sub-contractors thus far employed for the wet trades are local. There are certain standards that have to be met with regard to elements like quality, price, capacity and programme. Where local suppliers and subcontractors can meet these requirements, we are more than happy to utilize them wherever possible," he stresses. He says that the local municipality is being notified of the statistics of local content on a monthly basis.

The time frame is the biggest challenge facing the contractor, Bowen says. Grinaker-LTA has twelve-and-a-half months to complete the centre, but the first tenants take occupation as early as the end of June 2010. In just three-and-a-half months, Grinaker-LTA will erect 900 tons of structural steel. A total of 40 000m2 of roof sheeting will also be used in the construction.