De Beers has received approaches from potential investors interested in purchasing Namaqualand Mines and Finsch Mine in the Northern Cape.

De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited invite expressions of interest from experienced, qualified and reputable service providers, or consortiums.

Two entire towns on a remote stretch of South African coast littered with shipwrecks, diamonds and mine dumps are up for sale.

Botswana's diamond industry touched another milestone as SA’s two largest diamond manufacturers presented a unique theme-park plan for the country’s diamond industry.

Saiia has called on both the government and business to do more to increase two-way trade with opportunity-rich Angola

Debswana of Botswana welcomed a report yesterday from the environmental impact assessment agency giving the go-ahead for a five star hotel

TURNER and Townsend, a global player in construction and management consulting with a strong presence in South Africa, has won Britain's Queen's Award for Enterprise in its international division.

The award recognises exceptional high standards of service in every country in which it has a presence. Group chairman Tim Wray said:

"This award recognises the skills and dedication of all our staff worldwide. It is a wonderful achievement and everybody at Turner and Townsend can take pride in it.

"The foundations we have laid within the group as a whole have given us the skills and confidence to take on new challenges and new markets all over the world."

For Wray, the Queen's Award was especially significant, since he was instrumental in starting the group's international operations 21 years ago with the first office in South Africa.

Other branches followed, in Europe and Asia-Pacific. Now with 36 offices, the majority outside the traditional UK base, the overseas staff numbers have risen from 191 to 367, while turnover figures have soared by more than 100%, doubling the international division's turnover and profit.

Southern Africa remains the group's biggest base outside the UK. The company tackles projects on any scale from domestic housing up to large-scale developments, such as the domestic terminal at Johannesburg International Airport.

Other large projects carried out is the Cape Town Convention Centre, which was secured against stiff international competition, as was the case for the De Beers head office in Johannesburg, due to be opened next month.

The Sonnenberg Hoffman and Galombik House office development on the Foreshore is due for completion in October 2004, and is the biggest office development undertaken in the CBD in many years. Ian Donaldson, Partner in Turner and Townsend Africa, said:

"The company has invested in its staff over a long period and has built up a strong skills base, with expertise that enables the African operation to compete strongly in the global market and provides the capability to undertake projects internationally.

Our South African business continues to grow steadily on the back of a diversified approach, with an ever-increasing number of blue-chip clients."

Sales revenue from Botswana's diamond mines declined last year despite an increase in production, and analysts say this indicates that De Beers cut prices paid for Botswana diamonds by about 18%. 

The family-owned Barrow Construction this year celebrates its 106th anniversary.

The catchphrase "Barrow-built" still counts, and the fifth generation of Barrows - John, Colin, Donald and Paul - are at the helm of the company.

Barrow's contracting order book has been healthy of late, including the head offices for Assore and Roche, a motor showroom for Edge Properties in Bryanston, and premises for the SA Blood Transfusion Service in Constantia Kloof.

John Barrow says the company is well positioned for on-going growth with focus on medium- to large-scale commercial and residential developments, either independently or as joint ventures.

Barrow Construction offers a full spectrum of services: land acquisition, assembly and rezoning, site development, construction and management, as well as project management and provision of a range of property, financial and commercial expertise.

Barrow Properties owns and manages office buildings on a long-term basis and various property development companies within the group undertake speculative property developments that are either sold or leased.

Barrow Properties had a good 2002, continuing with the R100-million Pinewood office park and Pinewood Square sectional title office development in Woodmead, the R150-million Thornhill office Park in Midrand and the upmarket Parc Nicol development in William Nicol Drive.

Barrow Flooring secured contracts for Nedcor, De Beers and Ericsson, while another subsidiary, Gauteng Piling, secured business in Angola and Botswana, begging the question whether Barrow intends expanding beyond its traditional Gauteng base.

"We have no aspirations to move outside Gauteng with contracting and property development operations, though the flooring and piling operations must necessarily go further afield," John Barrow said.

Barrow expects to build on the strength of its integrated offering this year. New contracts, refurbishments and securitisation of spec developments will mark major trends.