The 2010 Soccer World Cup stadia, some new dams and the Gautrain project should add to cement demand in the current year

Civil engineering and construction group Sanyati Holdings on Tuesday said government contracts and extending operations beyond KwaZulu-Natal had boosted its order book, positioning the black economic empowerment company to achieve its forecast net profit of R53 million for the 2007-08 financial year.

The order book included a R25 million contract for civil infrastructure work in Polokwane, a R75 million road rehabilitation contract in Gamtoos, Eastern Cape, and a R1,9 billion contract for civil works on the new King Shaka International Airport in Durban.

Releasing the company’s results for the six months ended August, CEO Rick Jackson said the buoyant growth in the construction industry boded well for the firm. He said though 66% of Sanyati’s contracts came from KwaZulu-Natal, he was pleased at the inroads the company had made in Gauteng.

“The Gauteng operations are up and running with (the group’s piling subsidiary) Mega Pile’s first R2 million contract ,” said Jackson.

Gauteng accounted for 22% of Sanyati’s contracts, with the balance split among Mpumalanga, Eastern Cape and Zambia.

In an effort to grow the business , Sanyati said, it had acquired Gauteng-based Ruthcon Civil Contractors and GEM Earthworks, which has operations in Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga.

Net profit for the period under review doubled to R22,9 million on a 105% increase in revenue to R396,2 million — up from R192,5 million.

Cash generated from operations surged to R10,9 million from a loss of R4,5 million. Headline earnings per share increased to 8,74c from 5,73c.

Of Sanyati’s four business units, Civils Coastal was the biggest contributor to overall performance.

Revenue accumulated by C ivils C oastal was R215 million. Its performance was boosted by large-scale projects such as the R117 million tender to construct roads in Barberton, and the R52 million contract to construct a water pipeline in Umgeni, on the south coast.

The unit also stood to gain R190 million over the next 19 months after the Ilembe Consortium was awarded a R1,9 billion contract to build the R6,8bn King Shaka International Airport.

On the face of it, the R39bn oil refinery that state corporation PetroSA plans to build at the Coega industrial development zone outside Port Elizabeth will bring much-needed additional refining capacity to an industry straining to provide growing demand for liquid fuel

The Great Kei Municipality faces another financial shock as the developer of a proposed multi-million-rand golf estate.

Many of South Africa’s independent airports and aerodromes remain technically non-compliant and continue to lose out on increasing opportunities presented through either tourism or large events like the upcoming 2010 FIFA World CupTM

Building materials supplier Iliad Africa has bought two businesses in the Eastern Cape and Limpopo as part of its strategy to enhance its geographical footprint in the building materials market, it said on Tuesday.

The financial details of the deals were not disclosed.

USM Building Supplies, which is based in the Eastern Cape, adds trading outlets in Uitenhage and Jeffry's Bay and a truss plant in Dispatch, taking the Iliad network of outlets to 104.

It has an annual turnover of more than 100 million rand.

The acquisition is subject to approval of the competition authorities and the completion of the due diligence process. One-year profit warranties are in place, the company said.

Iliad has also bought Lumber City in Lephalale (formerly Ellisras) at net asset value.

The business will be rebranded Builders Market and existing management has been retained.

"This acquisition expands our presence in Limpopo, and positions Iliad well for the considerable capital projects planned in the region," said Ralph Patmore, chief executive officer of Iliad.

Patmore said these acquisitions would accelerate the group's stated intention of achieving turnover growth of 5 billion rand in the next few years.

Iliad is currently trading under a cautionary related to an unsolicited bid for the group's equity.

Interim results for the 2007 financial year will be announced towards the end of August.

Alcan and the government have agreed that only 5,5% of the 720000 tons of aluminium to be produced by Alcan’s planned R21bn smelter at Coega in Eastern Cape will be earmarked for use in the domestic market

R130m upgrades also help 'break from past'

A Mthatha-based construction council has questioned a recent statement made by Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) chief executive that failing contractors were "biting" the corporations pockets.

ECDC head Mxolisi Matshamba said that 60% of the organisation's loans to small contractors had to be written off in the past financial year.

He said this was due to bad financial planning and tendering.

The Eastern Cape Construction Council's Nelson Mavume responded by saying it was not aware that any of its members had to close shop due to non-performing loans. "Maybe the ECDC needs to be reminded that black contractors do not owe their existence to it and its finances.

"It is unfortunate that ECDC can formulate a negative and reactionary opinion that black contractors lack financial planning, underquote and rush to buy luxury vehicles once they have clinched a contract," Mavume said.

The council challenged Matshamba to prove who the contractors were that failed in their contracts.

A Singapore company would invest nearly R6bn in a chlorine manufacturing plant in Port Elizabeth, the Coega Development Corporation said yesterday.