The first phase of construction for a new 94 000m² mixed-use project, designed by South African architectural firm Bentel Associates International, has commenced in the Zambian capital of Lusaka

Lonrho had increased its stake in prefabricated buildings manufacturer Kwikbuild to just more than 70% and planned to increase its stake in agricultural processor Rollex SA, CEO Geoffrey White said last week.

Kwikbuild has a major share of the South African market, and has businesses in Mozambique and Zambia, while Rollex is one of SA’s largest agriprocessing companies supplying fresh produce to local and overseas customers.

The investments, being funded by proceeds from a recent private placement that raised £25m, were part of a strategy to own majority stakes in the companies in which it is investing across Africa.

White said the private placement had given Lonrho, listed on London’s AIM market, enough cash to expand in the five areas of infrastructure, transport, hotels, agribusiness and support services in 17 countries, including SA.

Once a sprawling conglomerate which, at its peak in 1995, had about 90 companies, Lonrho has restructured, selling assets to pay debt and return cash to shareholders. It is now an investment holding group targeting selected markets in Africa, where White said there were sustainable returns for the patient investor.

“We have so far raised £25m, the bulk of which we intend to deploy to increase our stake in some of our businesses,” he said.

“Our intention is to have a majority stake of at least more than 51% in key businesses and that is the reason we have increased our shareholding in Kwikbuild from 62% to about 71%. We are also looking at increasing our shareholding in Rollex from 51% to a significant amount.”

Kwikbuild has benefited largely from government tenders in SA, where it has supplied prefabricated clinics and classrooms in rural areas. It plans to expand to countries such as Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as in east Africa.

Rollex is packing and delivering fresh produce and fish to local customers Pick n Pay and Woolworths and, in Europe, to Marks & Spencer, Tesco and Sainsbury’s.

The company, operated as a subsidiary of Lonrho Agriculture, has a large, chilled bonded warehouse at OR Tambo airport.

White said Rollex was growing its export markets. It had begun shipping fish from Namibia to the US and Europe, and had opened new markets in the Middle East and Scandinavia. “There is general demand for African fresh produce and we are sourcing our products not only from SA but elsewhere in Africa.”

There were plans to expand agriprocessing facilities in Angola, Malawi, Mali and Zimbabwe.

White said Lonrho was consolidating and expanding in Zimbabwe through LonZim. He said the country was recovering, and still had “a relatively highly educated labour force with an industrious working culture” as well as good infrastructure.

LonZim’s portfolio covers sectors such as aviation, hotels, IT and pharmaceuticals.

Raubex’s operating profit rise 10,6% to R440m in the six months to August, with the road construction earnings up 10,2% to 159,4c compared to the first half.

Strong government infrastructure spend saw Raubex Group’s operating profit rise 10,6% to R440m in the six months to August, with the road construction group’s headline earnings per share up 10,2% to 159,4c compared to the first half.

In an interim results statement, Raubex Group predicted “a strong performance in the second half” after reporting first-half revenues of R2,27bn, a rise of 1,8% from the corresponding period last year.

Declaring an interim dividend of 35c per share, Raubex reported a “stable” order book of R5,2bn, up from R4,9bn in the first half.

Profit before tax increased 11,4% to R429m from the corresponding period last year, with the group’s operating margin up from 17,8% in the first half to 19,4%.

Francois Diedrechsen, financial and commercial director of Raubex, said: “It’s a pleasing set of results — the world’s been in a fairly difficult period over the last six months, but we’ve still managed to achieve double-digit growth. We primarily operate in road infrastructure, which is government-driven business, so our exposure to the private sector is reasonably small, which has stood us well.”

Raubex’s road rehabilitation division, Roadmac, recorded a 19,9% fall in turnover to R944m from the first half, although it remained the largest contributor to group revenues. The division’s operating profit decreased 9,8% from the first half to R198,2m.

Raubex blamed the decline on “a change in the segmental mix as Roadmac’s resources are being deployed on various contracts in Namibia and Zambia, increased competition resulting in a lower rate of tender successes … as well as the effect of rise and fall clauses as declining input costs were passed on to the clients.”

Diedrechsen said “40% of Roadmac’s costs are oil price- related; a lot of the tenders we reported on were when oil prices were much higher, before the subsequent deflationary period”.

He also cited the appreciation of the rand against the Zambian currency, the kwacha, as affecting the group’s cash flow.

The statement said “in order to secure new work locally, current operating margins in the Roadmac and Raubex divisions will continue to be adjusted to account for the increased competition, particularly in the light road surfacing sector”.

MINERALS explorer African Eagle Resources would focus its efforts and resources on developing its $450mwa Dutwa nickel project  Dutin Tanzania, chairman John Park said on Friday.

Liberty Properties has pledged its confidence in the African continent , announcing it would start work on its first development project outside SA in January.

Liberty Properties and the Zambia National Pension Scheme Authority today launched a development project in Lusaka, Zambia.

Construction group Wilson Bayly Holmes Ovcom (WBHO) on Monday reported 512.1 cents in headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the year ended June compared with 351.7 cents a year ago.

A final dividend of 85 cents per share (2006: 54 cents) has been declared which, together with the interim dividend of 36 cents per share, gives a total dividend of 121 cents for the year - up from 81 cents a year ago.

Revenue rose 40.3% to 8.1 billion rand and operating profit surged 58.6% to 415.8 million rand.

The group's building and civil division, which plays a major role in preparing the country for the 2010 Fifa World Cup, increased turnover by 31% from 4.4 billion rand to 5.7 billion rand in 2007. Operating profit increased by 47% to 222 million rand.

"We are partners in joint ventures which have been awarded contracts for the construction of the King Shaka International Airport, as well as the soccer stadia in Durban, Cape Town and Polokwane. Because of the early stages of these contracts no profits have been recognised in these accounts," the company said.

In addition, the group is engaged in major works at OR Tambo International Airport as well as the construction of shopping centres, office and apartment blocks and hospitals throughout the country.

It has recently been awarded in joint venture the One and Only Hotel in the Cape Town Waterfront.

However, in Australia, turnover has been relatively flat compared to 2006, but Probuild Constructions nevertheless increased profits by 11%, the company noted.

"There are indications that the market is improving in Melbourne and the order book is at a reasonable level," the group said.

Basic Constructions, the group's cvil engineering company in Brisbane, experienced a busy year with turnover increasing by 22%.

"Our activities in Sydney also showed significant growth and we have strengthened our foothold in this large but competitive market," the company said.

The road and earth works division's turnover of 1.9 billion rand was 61% higher than last year. Operating profit increased by 7% from 71 million rand to 76 million rand but with margins declining from 6.1% to 4%.

"Work for the mining sector has increased, providing good opportunities for additional work for the division. The division is also contracting in the DRC, Ghana, Zambia and other SADC countries," the group said.

Looking ahead, the group said its outlook for the construction industry remained positive with prospects for new work more likely to arise in the civil engineering sector than in the building sector.

"We believe we are well placed to benefit from this shift in the industry," the group said.

The company is starting the 2008 financial year with an order book of 10.6 billion rand ? from 6.1 billion rand last year.

"The nature of our order book has changed with a greater number of large contracts spread over longer time periods," the group said.

RMB Properties’ property development division has initiated developments in some of SA’s neighbouring countries.

The president of the United Kingdom based Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Steven Williams visited the country on Monday on a fact-finding mission.

For companies involved in the design and construction of airports, there are planned projects and new investments to upgrade airports in the region