Project Detail
FibreCo embarked on an ambitious project to install approximately 1 000 km of fibre optic infrastructure between Gauteng and the Western Cape within 12 months.
To meet the timelines, it was imperative that all the construction wayleaves were in place on time and the inevitable changes were handled day-to-day by a dedicated engineering team.
ZTE Corporation of China was appointed as the EPC contractor, supported by four main subcontractors and 18 smaller subcontractors. The construction programme and resources were checked in detail, with ongoing risks identified and solved at weekly meetings with the contractor’s management team.
At peak, about 1 700 people were working simultaneously at more than 40 locations. This required special attention to occupational health and safety, quality and environmental controls, production monitoring and reporting.
Over 99% of the physical infrastructure was installed by the completion date of 22 March 2013, with two more months of testing and commissioning. The project won the South African Institution of Civil Engineering award for Project Management and Construction in 2013.
