Site clearing and earthworks for the R1-billion Dunnottar train manufacturing facility, in Ekurhuleni, which is being developed by the Alstom-led (61%) Gibela consortium,
is moving ahead, following the award of a contract to Trencon Construction, of Edenvale.
The other members of the Gibela consortium are Ubumbano Rail (30%) and New Africa Rail (9%).
The site is being leased from the Ekurhuleni municipality and is also in relatively close proximity to the 80 000- m2 Commuter Transport & Locomotive Engineering complex, in Nigel, in which Alstom is purchasing a 51% stake.
The manufacturing facility will be used to build 580 of the 600 trains to be supplied to the State-owned Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) as part of a R51-billion multiyear contract awarded in early 2014.
The work package awarded to Trencon is for the preparation of the site ahead of the actual construction of the building facilities.
Trencon, which is a level 2 broad-based black economic empowerment company, plans to employ various empowered subcontractors to prepare the site, including Xihungaso Construction Services, a black women-owned construction service provider.
Gibela CEO Marc Granger says the factory will be a “catalyst for transformation in South Africa”.
