| New WC road opened in Nelspruit – 05/03/2010 |
Mpumalanga Mec for public works, roads and transport Clifford Mkansi has officially opened one of the 2010 World Cup roads in Nelspruit. The Sowetan reports that this is one of the roads aimed at easing traffic congestion around the Mbombela Stadium. Accompanied by department head Kgopano Mohlasedi and several senior managers from the department, Mkansi said the function was to officially open the road for use by the public.
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Full report in The Sowetan
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| Gautrain still on track - 02/03/2010 |
Weather and ’construction-related challenges permitting’, the Gautrain is hoping to start with operations at the end of May or beginning of June, notes a report on the IoL site. This is the view of Gautrain spokesperson Ingrid Jensen, who said she was confident ’it was 99% assured’ that the OR Tambo-Sandton route would be operational by the time the 2010 World Cup starts, if unseasonable rain does not disrupt construction. ’Factors such as rain and unforeseen accidents could delay the train from running, but we are fairly confident that it will be ready on time,’ she said.
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Full IOL report
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| LOC satisfied with progress– 26/02/2010 |
South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup has fast-tracked the delivery of infrastructure, says LOC communications chief Rich Mkhondo. ’A lot of bricks and mortar have been used over the past five years. At the moment, there is a lot of pain because of the construction that is going on to upgrade our infrastructure so that, when the tournament begins, it will be smooth sailing,’ Mkhondo says. Engineering News reports that he adds that the country has built six new stadiums and refurbished four others, which were used for the 2009 Confederations Cup.
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Full Engineering News report
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| Building to continue during WC - 25/02/2010 |
Building construction will not grind to a halt in Cape Town during the 2010 World Cup, a city official has said. According to a report on the IoL site, Lorraine Gerrans, manager of the Green Goal programme, said the agreement Cape Town had signed with FIFA stated that construction had to be suspended for the tournament. However, the soccer body had since published a ’guideline’ saying the restriction would apply only to the stadium precinct, major transport hubs, entertainment areas and so-called protocol routes, routes used by teams and FIFA officials, such as from the airport to Green Point Stadium and the stadium to team hotels.
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Full report on the IoL site
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| Important routes to be completed ahead of WC - 23/02/2010 |
The Albertina Sisulu Freeway, formerly known as the R21/R24 - the highway that links Joburg to all other Gauteng municipalities - will be completed by the end of April, to the relief of many motorists. Property24 reports that Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane said at the opening of the Gauteng Legislature that the beautification of the crucial route for the 2010 World Cup, the gateway into Gauteng from the OR Tambo International Airport, will also be completed ahead of the football spectacle. Mokonyane said the Gautrain, which has created over 63 000 jobs, was also still on schedule for completion with the Sandton - OR Tambo link expected to be completed in June 2010.
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Full Property24 report
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| CT Station upgrade in final phase – 15/02/2010 |
The Cape Town Station 2010 upgrade, currently being carried out at an estimated cost of R418m, has entered the final phase of construction. According to a Commercial Property report, the project, most of which will be completed before the 2010 World Cup, is part of a longer-term revitalisation plan, with Phase Two of the redevelopment scheduled to begin after the 2010 event.
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Full Commercial Property report
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| Demolished schools being rebuilt – 26/01/2010 |
Cyril Clark Secondary and John Mdluli Primary schools, demolished to make way for the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, will be rebuilt by the end of March next year. The Sowetan reports that pupils at these schools are being taught in makeshift classrooms after their relocation when the government demolished tore down the schools to make way for the stadium two years ago. Last year pupils from both schools protested against the government’s failure to provide replacement schools. This compelled the provincial government to start building the schools. Pupils from Cyril Clark told The Sowetan that they were happy the two schools would be ready for occupation next year.
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Full report in The Sowetan
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| Builders face post-WC blues – 20/01/2010 |
With the wrap-up of World Cup projects under way, analysts have said 2010 will be one of the toughest years for construction firms. ’As far as construction work is concerned, this is going to be a particularly tough year for the SA construction industry, if not one of the toughest in history,’ said Industry Insight’s Elsie Snyman. While some data point towards economic recovery, Snyman said the construction industry generally lags economic growth by anything from 12 to 24 months due to lengthy planning cycles. FIN24 reports that his means the sector is only expected to show real improvement by late 2011, or possibly even 2012.
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Full FIN24 report
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| New airport set to begin operational testing – 10/12/2009 |
With more than R7,2-billion having already been ploughed into construction of KwaZulu-Natal’s new international airport at La Mercy, north of Durban, the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) said that the airport’s crucial operational testing phase had already started. ’This is probably the biggest risk to Acsa’s balance sheet, so we have to ensure that we get it working well and as seamlessly as possible,’ said Acsa’s managing director, Monhla Hlahla. The Mercury reports that Acsa’s airport project director, Sean van der Valk, said more than 86% of the R7,8bn development was now complete with about 7 500 construction workers still on site.
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Full report in The Mercury
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| Delays in CT transport projects – 08/12/2009 |
A Parliamentary written reply given by Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele to Don Gumede of the ANC shows that the transport network being prepared for the 2010 World Cup in Cape Town is a long way from being ready for the event. According to the reply circulated on Tuesday, bus-based park and ride facilities which were supposed to have been competed in October this year are still only 43% complete. According to a report on the News24 site, city-wide non-motorised transport plan involving a number of upgrades to the pedestrian and bicycle network in the CBD and the Somerset Road areas was supposed to have been finished in August. The project is currently 28% completed.
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Full report on the News24 site
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| CT’s traffic headache – 01/12/2009 |
Cape Town’s 2010 roadworks chaos and the resulting traffic delays are expected to continue until at least the end of April, says Mayor Dan Plato. Speaking at a briefing ahead of Friday’s 2010 World Cup final draw, Plato appealed to Cape Town drivers to be patient and promised that the work was ahead of schedule. Recently, the N1 was closed for more than 12 hours to allow work on the Koeberg Interchange, prompting major traffic congestion and sparking outrage from motorists. According to a report on the IoL site, Plato said the roadworks chaos would probably end towards the end of April or early in May.
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Full report on the IoL site
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| 2010 stadia almost ready – 30/11/2009 |
Once a headache for the LOC, the 10 South African stadia for the 2010 World Cup are now pride and joy as they are set to be ready on time for the football extravaganza. Sports24 reports that stadia construction faced many challenges, including strikes in July when more than 70 000 workers asked for salary hikes, countrywide blackouts in January 2008 that crippled the economy, budget deficits and sometimes unpredictable weather. ’It has been a roller-coaster ride. Sometimes we were happy and most times saddened by the criticism and the pessimism but we always knew we would be ready on time,’ LOC spokesperson Rich Mkhondo said.
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Full Sports24 report
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| Gautrain debacle continues - 20/11/2009 |
The completion date for phase one of the R25,4-billion Gautrain project, running from OR Tambo International Airport to Sandton, is October 2010, says Bombela Concession Company CEO Jerome Govender. Engineering News reports that Govender’s comment follows Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane’s remark earlier this month that the first phase of the project would only be completed in October, and not June, and that accelerating the rapid rail project for completion in time for the 2010 World Cup kickoff in early June would cost the taxpayer an additional R1,3-billion. However, the original contracted completion of phase one was at the end of June 2010. Why then October?
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Full Engineering News report
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| Joburg road on right track – 17/11/2009 |
Johannesburg’s road infrastructure will be ready for the 2010 World Cup, said the city’s Roads Agency (JRA). ’We want to make it a point that people who come here will leave having had a world class city experience. Our first priority is to get the city ready for 2010,’ JRA spokesman Thulani Makhubela told a press briefing in Johannesburg. He reassured residents the prioritisation of the World Cup would not affect service delivery, notes a report on the IoL site. The JRA had set aside more that R30-million for refurbishing infrastructure for next year’s spectacle.
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Full report on the IoL site
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| Gautrain section to be completed by 2010 – 17/11/2009 |
A section of the Gautrain route between OR Tambo Airport and Sandton can be completed by the kick-off of the 2010 World Cup, Bombela Concession Company said on Tuesday. ’Bombela has stated its willingness to commission a modified ... rail service between OR Tambo International Airport and Sandton station, including intermediate commuter stations, in time for the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup,’ the company said in a statement.This plan will be contingent on approval by Gauteng province.
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Full Mail & Guardian report
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| Gautrain to miss 2010 WC deadline – 06/11/2009 |
The completion date for phase one of the R25,4-billion Gautrain project, running from the OR Tambo International Airport to Sandton, is October 2010, Bombela Concession Company CEO Jerome Govender confirmed. Engineering News reports that Govender’s comments follow Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane saying that the first phase of the project will only be completed in October, and not June, and that accelerating the rapid rail project for completion in time for the 2010 World Cup kickoff in early June will cost the taxpayer an additional R1,3-billion, which can rather be spent elsewhere.
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Full Engineering News report
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| Peter Mokaba stadium 96% complete - 27/10/2009 |
The Peter Mokaba stadium in Limpopo is 96% complete and will be officially opened in January. The 2010 provincial technical committee announced its satisfaction with the stadium’s progress at a monthly meeting recently. ’It is not surprising that FIFA and the LOC in their recent visit were satisfied with our preparations for this world-class event coming to African soil for the first time. We are working as a team of winners,’ said provincial 2010 co-ordinator, Seipati Tlaka. The Peter Mokaba Stadium merely needs some paint work and final touches to the lawn before it is finalised.
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Full BuaNews report
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| Soccer City reconstruction complete - 17/10/2009 |
Reconstruction of the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg has been completed and it will soon be handed over to FIFA. The newly-reconstructed Soccer City Stadium will host the inaugural match of the 2010 World Cup. The stadium has been constructed in Johannesburg’s southwest and is only a short distance from one of the country’s football-crazy townships, Soweto, notes a Geo TV report. About 40 per cent of Johannesburg’s population live in Soweto and this proximity is bound to make the stadium a hub of activity throughout the 2010 finals. The ground’s design is inspired by the iconic African pot known as the calabash, and its aesthetic appeal will be heightened when the stadium is lit at night.
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Full Geo TV report
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| La Mercy to be operational early 2010 – 14/10/2009 |
The construction of an International Airport in La Mercy, north of Durban, will be completed early next year to boost 2010 World Cup transport infrastructure. The R7bn international airport is anticipated to be completed in early 2010 and fully operational in March next year. ’While this airport will come into operation in March 2010, owing to the FIFA World Cup, we will keep the two Durban airports operational to cater for the expected influx of passengers during that period,’ said Transport Minister, Sibusiso Ndebele. This means KwaZulu-Natal will for some time next year have two international airports operating at the same time.
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Full BuaNews report
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| Facelift for train stations ahead of 2010 - 08/10/2009 |
A number of train stations in Ekurhuleni are being revamped ahead of the 2010 World Cup to provide spectators a first class service. According to the city the stations are also being improved in terms of lighting, ablution facilities, platform resurfacing and sustained energy power supply, among other things.’Commuters will enjoy a first class service as the trains will be allocated a client services supervisor and personnel as well as 12 protection and security personnel per train. The security personnel will also be equipped with first aid kits and communication tools,’ said municipal spokesperson, Zweli Dlamini.
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Full BuaNews report
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| Road works to come to a halt during WC - 07/10/2009 |
Road construction taking place on Gauteng’s major roads will come to a halt during the 2010 World Cup, says CE of the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL), Nazir Alli. Alli told BuaNews during Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele’s first tour of the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP), that in addition, all barricades would be removed from revamped roads. ’We anticipate that there will be no major construction as work will be stopped to allow unimpeded traffic flow during the 2010 World Cup. There will be full use of three lanes on most roads.’ Alli said work if any, might only continue on bridges.
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Full SA Info report
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| Revamped Bloem terminal reopens - 04/10/2009 |
SA Transport Minister Sibusiso Ndebele officially opened the revamped Bloemfontein airport terminal last week, in preparation for next year’s 2010 World Cup. The airport has been revamped under the department’s R46m Terminal Reconfiguration Project to cope with the anticipated influx of passengers during the world sporting spectacle. Ndebele, who took a tour of the airport, said the development was an indication of how ready South Africa was to provide efficient transport for fans. ’This is an assurance to the world that we are ready to provide the facilities,’ he said.
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Full BuaNews report
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| Finishing touches for 2010 stadia – 29/09/2009 |
Four of the country’s five new World Cup stadiums under construction are expected to be completed next month, while Green Point stadium - the last of the lot - will be ready by December, says the 2010 LOC. The Cape Argus reports that the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth was completed in April, months before schedule, while the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, the Mataffin Stadium in Nelspruit, the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane and Soccer City in Joburg will be finished by the middle of next month.
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Full Cape Argus report
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| Basil Read aims to rival construction’s big five – 28/09/2009 |
Construction group Basil Read is on a mission to shed its image as a smaller cousin of the big five construction companies in SA and is well on its way to grow its turnover to R10bn by 2013. CEO Marius Heyns told Business Day the strategy was for the group to become a turnkey company capable of completing big projects locally and in the rest of Africa like the other big construction companies. Basil Read was still benefiting from the public spending on infrastructure, such as ports, electricity, 2010 Soccer World Cup projects and roads.
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Full JSE Fin report
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| Maputo stadium won’t be ready for WC – 22/09/2009 |
Construction of Mozambique’s $60 million soccer stadium, earmarked for use as a training ground during the 2010 World Cup in neighboring South Africa, is behind schedule and may only be completed five months after the event. The stadium is now expected to be completed in December 2010, notes a Bloomberg report. The delay in the project, which is being financed by a loan from China, is because of a late start in construction and cost overruns. The Mozambican government was hoping that Portuguese- speaking teams playing in the world cup, including Brazil, would use the Maputo stadium for practices between games.
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Full Bloomberg report
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| Early opening for new terminal - 21/09/2009 |
Terminal 2010, the multimillion-rand central terminal building under construction at Cape Town International Airport, is to be opened on November 7 - months before schedule, the Airports Company of South Africa (Acsa) says. The Cape Argus reports that construction of the R1,5-billion, five-storey terminal is more than 90% complete. The terminal has 120 check-in counters, 20 self-service check-in machines, eight air bridges, 11 bus gates, and an automated baggage sorting system. Acsa said the baggage sorting system would be tested well before the launch to avoid any possible hitches. Adele Klingenberg, Acsa Cape Town’s infrastructure and planning manager, said Cape Town was basically getting a brand-new airport. ’Everything will be new and advanced,’ she said.
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Full Cape Argus report
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| Sandton City expansion on track - 19/09/2009 |
The R1,8-billion first phase of the Sandton City Shopping Centre repositioning is’ ’progressing well’, says Liberty Properties CEO Samuel Ogbu. ’We are on schedule and on budget. There have been some changes as it happens in any project of this nature, but overall, we had a slight delay to the start of the project because of the difficulty in obtaining an Eskom approval, but we are on schedule to complete the work we want to do before the 2010 World Cup,’ Ogbu told Engineering News. He said that work would stop inside the shopping centre during the soccer tournament. The project will be completed in 2011.
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Full Engineering News report
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