Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa February 2014 | Page 38

STRATEGIES

BY ANGIE REDMOND

Breaking Buildings
Are collapses imminent in SA?

B

uilding collapses such as those seen in
Bangladesh and Nigeria recently may
happen in South Africa unless more
careful attention is paid to the specification of
appropriate materials to meet each building’s
design criteria.
This year in particular there have been a number
of reports of buildings collapses, which claimed the
lives of numerous people and scarred surrounding
communities. In the wake of these tragedies
investigations have almost exclusively revealed
that inappropriate design and unsuitable building
material were to blame for the structure’s failure.
With the Tongaat Mall collapse in November,
there has been a lot of scrutiny of the construction
industry, especially after the bid-rigging debacle.
So who is to blame for the collapse? Was it
faulty material or was Mother Nature the
deciding factor? While the matter is still under
investigation, one thing is clear, the company
developing the mall did not follow the correct
procedures under the law. No building plans
were filed and even after a stop-work notice was
issued, it continued with the construction. With
the collapse of the structure the developers now
face contempt of court orders, which may result
in jail time, and the building will almost certainly
be demolished. The contracting company owned
by the developer has in the past been accused of
slip shoddy work, with an auditor’s report citing
sub-standard work on previous projects.
Nico Pienaar of the Aggregate and Sand
Producer’s Association (Aspasa) and the
Southern A frica Ready mi x Association
(Sarma), says that incorrectly specified materials
may lead to failures immediately or in years
36

February 2014 SA Real Estate Investor

to come as a result of increased loads or (more
dangerously), due to corrosion of foundations
from surrounding soil conditions.

Technical expertise
“Even the size of the aggregates used in
concrete, or the composition of sand used, can
play a role in the future strength of a structure.
For example, acidic soil may corrode certain
types of stone and can eventually lead to pitting
and tunnelling of foundations, which can make
it spongy and unsuitable in years to come.
“The role of the engineer is therefore critical
in establishing soil conditions and geological
conditions for a building. Also, in setting the
specification of suitable stones and sands to mix
with the cement (sometimes admixtures are
required) is therefore critical and the construction
contractor should adhere to these.
“Unfortunately the entry of unlicensed,
unscrupulous quarry and mine operators into the
sand and aggregate supply industry in South Africa
is leading to some confusion. These operators may
claim to be mining a certain type of aggregate at
a certain location, when in fact they do not have
a mining licence and are illegally obtaining it
elsewhere. At surface level the aggregates may look
the same – but they may have completely different
chemical compositions when examined under the
microscope,” says Pienaar.

Prevention is better
Certain precautions can be taken by the
industry to ensure correct concrete mixes are
obtained. Aggregates, for example, must be
obtained from an accredited and registered
Aspasa member. Where readymix concrete is
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being used, design engineers should follow a paper
trail and also ensure that the materials are being
properly procured from Aspasa members and that
readymix suppliers are registered and approved by
the Southern Africa Readymix Association.
It is also advisable when mixing concrete onsite
to have the project manager oversee material
usage and ensure that mixtures are right and that
ratios are as specified. Failure to do so may have
catastrophic consequences.
“If we are to prevent similar tragedies as
those in Bangladesh, Dares Salaam and Lagos
in which thousands of people died, then it
is critical that South African professionals
take responsibility for the composition of the
concrete that they use. They should only ever
use Aspasa registered and accredited suppliers
and avoid having blood on their hands in
future,” Pienaar concludes.
But if prevention doesn’t work maybe its time for
an ombudsman in the industry, an independent
body to regulate the industry. “The size and
the complexity of these projects are such that
the construction industry is often exposed to
corruptible practices,” said Ithumeleng Dlamini
from Masters Builders’ Association.
“These projects are often undertaken through
various stages, such as project planning
through the design phase through tendering
the prequalification to the actual construction
work.” But the question still remains what is
the best way forward to ensure that no more of
South Africa’s buildings collapse.

RESOURCES

ASPASA

www.reimag.co.za