The Civil Engineering Contractor January 2018 | Page 10

INFRASTRUCTURE AFRICA

NORTHERN AFRICA

EGYPT

Egypt to build Africa ’ s tallest skyscraper

Egypt will construct Africa ’ s tallest skyscraper as part of the new administrative capital project . The new building will be worth a whopping USD3-billion . State-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation ( CSCEC ) will develop the 345m-high skyscraper and , once complete , it will replace South Africa ’ s 223-metre-tall Carlton Centre . The development will also comprise 12 business complexes , five residential buildings and two hotels over half a square kilometre . In total , the new capital will cover an area of 50km . The Chinese ambassador to Cairo , Song Aiguo , explained that the project will symbolise Egypt and China ’ s mutual cooperation for future generations . It will also enhance their bilateral relationship . China Construction is well known globally for undertaking super highrise , grand scale , cutting-edge and novel projects . They have built many landmark projects in China and around the world including Africa . Earlier , Egypt sought to develop the project with a Dubai real estate company before reaching a deal with the Chinese developer . The project is estimated to be completed over the next four years . Source : Egypt Independent

Egypt ’ s new capital city will host Africa ’ s tallest skyscraper .

Egypt Independent

Vox

South Africa is set for another nuclear plant .

SOUTHERN AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

Nuclear site license set for June 2018

South Africa ’ s National Nuclear Regulator has announced that an installation site licence could be expected in June 2018 for the construction of a nuclear power plant . Reuters reported in October , that the Environmental Affairs Department has granted authorisation to state-owned power utility Eskom to build a new 4 000MW nuclear power plant in the Western Cape province . According to the media agency , ‘ Construction at Duynefontein , close to South Africa ’ s only existing nuclear site Koeberg , will only go ahead once the regulator has granted an installation site license .’ Speaking at an international nuclear conference in Abu Dhabi , CEO of the National Nuclear Regulator , Bismark Tyobeka , says , “ We have progressed in earnest the work of licensing the site and we will be issuing hopefully the siting licence by June 2018 .” However , South African finance minister , Malusi Gigaba , stated in an exclusive interview with City Press that the country ’ s new nuclear build programme is not affordable and unnecessary . Gigaba explains , “ There was a time when it was felt that nuclear is necessary and it must be implemented , and programmes were started . But it became clear , as the economy took a serious dip , that we were not going to afford nuclear , that the country couldn ’ t afford it and the budget couldn ’ t afford it .” He adds , “ It is quite clear that , at present , we can meet our electricity needs and we can even meet them into the future , given the excess electricity that we have . High uptake of electricity from intensive users , when we can see that we are reaching the stage where existing capacity is being fully utilised , and the demand and supply margin is very narrow ,” is when the need for added nuclear capacity will arise , according to Gigaba . Source : www . esi-africa . com

8 - CEC January 2018