The role of quantity surveying in the rehabilitation of South Africa's asbestos mines

By mahlokoane percy ngwato

Global programme management and construction consultancy Turner & Townsend is providing quantity surveying expertise as part of a government programme to close and rehabilitate 660 abandoned asbestos mines and shafts in South Africa.

The rehabilitation programme falls under the Department of Mineral Resources, which appointed Mintek - a global leader in minerals processing and metallurgical engineering products and services, to provide the professional project management.

SRK Consulting has taken the engineering design lead on these projects over the past three years, as a sub-contractor to Mintek, delivering the conceptual design, final design, quality control and project management. Chosen for its international track record and world-leading expertise, Turner & Townsend has been selected by SRK as one of the teams supporting the on-going government programme.

So far, Turner & Townsend has provided quantity surveying services  for nine abandoned asbestos mines across the region with three of them now closed, and is involved with further six sites, and more potential projects are in the pipeline.

Gordon Bulmer, Senior Quantity Surveyor for Turner & Townsend, said: “It is a privilege to work on projects of this nature and scale, which will make a difference to the health and safety of communities and the environments surrounding the mines. Apart from the well-researched health issues of asbestosis, a chronic lung disease, some of the mines are located next to water courses which pose further environmental and health risks.”

“The projects vary in complexity, therefore a key requirement of being awarded the bid for the asbestos mines was our ability to provide the highest standard of quantity surveying expertise in a flexible and agile way.  SRK Consulting’s confidence in our professionalism is testimony of our global reputation in this field.

“While each mine site is different, the quantity surveyor in this particular government rehabilitation programme plays a key role– both in terms of advance planning as well as control or containment of costs throughout the projects.”

Stay Connected! Follow @AfricaBizReview and @MrNLon on Twitter. Like our Facebook Page.

Read the December Issue of African Business Review. 

Share

Featured Articles

Top 10 most innovative telecom operators in the Middle East

With Dubai-based Telecoms World Middle East in full swing, we chart the most innovative telcos from the region – and look at how they are transforming

Top 10 fastest-growing Indian companies in the UK

Business Chief takes a look at the top 10 fastest-growing Indian companies in the UK, according to the India Meets Britain Tracker from Grant Thornton

Top 10 workplaces prioritising people and planet in the UAE

Sustainable, flexible, collaborative, tech-driven, and amenities-rich, the office of the future considers both people and planet – here are 10 in the UAE

Top 10 female HR execs leading Saudi’s workplace transition

Leadership & Strategy

Top 10 largest asset managers by AUM operating in the UAE

Corporate Finance

Top 10 female CEOs leading Africa’s biggest businesses

Leadership & Strategy