GIBB will, as it continues to position itself as a world-class provider of technologically excellent and cost effective rail engineering solutions, expand its rail business in South Africa, penetrate the African market further, transfer skills to young engineers and value clients as the reason for their existence.
This is the matter-of-fact-strategy that the recently appointed GIBB Manager: Rail North, Johan van der Westhuizen and his team will actively pursue going forward. The vision to grow the rail business is shared throughout GIBB’s Railway Engineering Sector comprising of three rail offices situated in Durban (Rail East), Cape Town (Rail South) and Johannesburg (Rail North).
Van der Westhuizen is of the view that opportunities to grow the company’s rail business in South Africa and other African countries are vast. “In South Africa, state-owned utility, Transnet, recently unveiled its Market Demand Strategy, which will see the utility spend R300 billion on rail infrastructure over the next seven years. The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has earmarked more than R130 billion for infrastructure improvements and the refurbishment of its rolling stock fleet. Government is also encouraging business to go back to using rail as a means to transport goods, with Eskom leading the way with new projects to get coal to its power stations off the road.”

Remarking on penetrating the African continent, van der Westhuizen reports that GIBB has, amongst others, conducted a feasibility study and design work for a coal mining company in Mozambique. “We are now hoping to be contracted for involvement during the actual execution phase.” The company is also working on rail projects in Nigeria. “The time for rail is now and mining companies operating in Africa are going to be the main demand drivers for rail infrastructure going forward,” says van der Westhuizen.

He adds, “There is a constant demand for commodities, mining companies are rushing to Africa for resources and this means that a huge demand for rail infrastructure will emanate from this sector because ore will have to be transported from mines to customers.”

As far as transferring skills to young engineers is concerned, van der Westhuizen reports that there is an increase in the number of engineers entering the profession. “GIBB is committed to remain a truly South African company that attracts, trains and retains South African skills and I am confident that we have a team of experienced professionals with many years of experience and skills to transfer to our young professionals.”

Since 1972

Van der Westhuizen cut his teeth in engineering some 40 years ago as a railway engineer in what is now called Transnet, previously the South African Transport Services. He has always had a keen interest in the commercial and legal aspects of the business. He subsequently moved to corporate planning, left Transnet after 25 years, and pursued his own business interests. He joined GIBB in 2007 and worked on the Gautrain Project as a Commercial Manager where he led the project’s Variations team for five years.

“The Gautrain project has been one of the highlights of my life. The rate at which things had to happen to achieve the contractual completion date was amazing. There was a time at the height of the construction phase when spending was R3-million an hour.” Being involved in the Gautrain project and working with so many dedicated and talented people will remain an experience of a lifetime for van der Westhuizen.

In his current role, van der Westhuizen has been tasked to manage all rail related projects the Rail North office, in Gauteng is involved in. “My role also entails ensuring that the Rail North office functions well, that projects are sourced and delivered on time and that clients are happy with our performance. He is also involved in Africa rail projects – at a high level. Van der Westhuizen holds a BSc Eng (Civil), BSc Eng (Hons) Construction Management and an MBA.