19 July 2010, 12:00 p.m.

Seven African projects on KPMG’s 100 Global Construction list 

Seven African construction projects have been cited by global auditing firm, KPMG for as part of a Top 100 global list citing the best in construction innovation worldwide. Criteria such as scale, complexity, innovation and impact on society were used to judge the projects.

 

Gautrain

In South Africa the Gautrain Rapid Rail link in Johannesburg is acknowledged for the contribution made to the infrastructure sector and recognized as a leader in the field on par with the Canada Line Rapid Transit, Gotthard Base Tunnel, London Crossrail and Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Link. It was also recognized as the largest Public-Private-Partnership in the world. 

Mthombo 

PetroSA’s Mthombo crude oil refinery, which government hopes to build in the Coega industrial development zone in the Eastern Cape was also named as one of the most influential infrastructure projects worldwide and the best in its oil and gas category globally – specifically because of the proposed socioeconomic in one of the country’s poorest provinces and an estimated 50 000 jobs it will create. 

KenGen Geothermal Project

Kenya’s ambitious KENGEN 280 MW Geothermal Project in Olkaria in the Rift Valley also made the list. would be used to implement a 280-MW geothermal power project in Olkaria, in the Rift Valley. The project will entail the installation of four 70-MW power generating machines, steam gathering systems, substations, transmission lines and other infrastructure to be completed by 2013. 

Neotel

South Africa’s newest telecommunications provider, Neotel, received a mention for their roll-out of fibre optic broadband. 

Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital

The construction of the R800m Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital at Wits University, which will open in 2012 also made the list. 

New Cairo Waste Water Project

In Egypt the new Cairo Waste Water Project received a mention as Egypt's first public-private partnership (PPP) in the wastewater sector. 

Senegal Wind Farm

Senegal’s highly ambitious wind farm power generation project, Parc Eolien Taiba Ndiaye, was also highly commended by KPMG. The will shortly be seeing the light of day at the Taïba Ndiaye site in Senegal. The station will produce 125 Megawatts (MW), 15 percent of the electricity consumed in Senegal, with the cost of the project estimated at 200 million Euros.