AfriSam has supplied some 7000t of its High Strength R42.5 Cement from its Roodepoort plant near Johannesburg for a new border control post between South Africa and Zimbabwe at Beitbridge.
The cement for the project's 125,000m2 of roads and parking area which is being shipped in from AfriSam’s Roodepoort cement plant. AfriSam will have delivered around 10,000t of bulk cement by the time work is completed – delivered in 34t tankers.
Adele Wentzel, AfriSam's sales manager manufacturing for Gauteng, says the 550km distance from site and the complexities of border crossings have been among the challenges to be overcome.
"The AfriSam team has been working closely to ensure consistent quality and on-time delivery, while complying with the various customs requirements at the border," says Mss Wentzel. "Our close coordination – combined with daily interactions with site – have kept the project proceeding well."
When completed, the facility will provide three new immigration facilities, each custom designed to speed up the flow of traffic, according to project contractor Raubex's construction manager, Herkie Sandenbergh. The first area, dedicated to freight trucks, has already been handed over, and processes approximately 500 trucks a day. Currently underway is the second phase which is focussed on bus transport, which will be complete by May 2022. The third phase will be the facility for light traffic and will be handed over in November this year.
As activity reaches its height, there are about 1160 people on site
