Geopolitical tensions and trade tariff-induced supply chain issues are causing uneasiness across all economic sectors, worldwide. Despite these concerns, the future of the construction industry in South Africa is not all doom and gloom.
The industry is showing real recovery and growth. This is being fuelled by significant investment in new construction projects by the state and private developers.
The landscape may have shifted, but construction businesses of all sizes continue to survive, thrive and innovate. Some are among the country’s largest companies.
In this article, we profile eight of the biggest construction contractors in South Africa, along with some of their most prestigious projects.
Concor
Concor (formerly Murray & Roberts Construction) operates in the construction, infrastructure and mining industries. It has been in operation since the early 1900s and has completed around 2,000 projects in South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.
The company currently employs more than 1,600 workers, many of whom are based on project sites.
Among its impressive accomplishments are the Huguenot Tunnel, the Gautrain and the Bloukrans Bridge. It also constructed the Carlton Centre, ABSA Towers, Melrose Arch and Menlyn Shopping Centre.
A flagship project currently under construction is the cable-stayed Msikaba River Bridge, located near Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape.
Raubex
The Raubex Group was established in 1974 and has become one of South Africa’s most prominent infrastructure development companies.
The group has a workforce of 7,000 employees. It is recognised as a leader in road and civil engineering contracting, mining services and materials supply.
Projects span Southern Africa and Western Australia, including expansions of hospitals, refurbishing hotels, new road and dam construction.
In 2024, the JSE-listed company was ranked eighth in the Sunday Times Top 100 companies. At the time, its market cap was R8,95 billion.
WBHO Construction
WBHO Construction does projects in building construction, civil engineering, road construction and earthworks.
It has offices in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha, as well as Botswana, Ghana and Mozambique.
Iconic construction projects include the Mall of Africa, Cape Town Stadium, King Shaka International Airport and the Berg River Dam.
More recently, the multiple-award-winning company has become a major player in the renewable energy sector, completing four solar and two wind power projects.
Stefanutti Stocks (Pty) Ltd
Stefanutti Stocks is a multidisciplinary construction group that works in a wide range of sectors within the industry.
Its offerings include building, civils, renewables, roads, earthworks, oil and gas, electrical, mechanical, and mining services.
It has completed construction projects all over Southern Africa, including the Durban Passenger Cruise Terminal, Park Square in Umhlanga and the VBC Energy Towers in Maputo.
Many of its builds, such as the Nelson Mandela Cruise Terminal, Bridge City Shopping Centre in KwaMashu and Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya, Livingstone Resort in Zambia, have won prestigious awards.
Motheo Construction Group
The Motheo Construction Group was established by the late Dr Thandi Ndlovu in 1997, becoming South Africa’s leading, predominantly black female-owned and managed construction company.
Today, 61,7% of the company’s shares are owned by black shareholders, seven women and six men. The CEO and two of its board members are black women.
Motheo is a key provider of social housing, schools and colleges in the country, and offers general building and civil construction. It has an academy for professional skills development.
Hillary Construction (Pty) Ltd
Hillary Construction Group was founded in 1959 in South Africa and now operates locally and in Namibia, Zambia and Botswana.
Its services include the construction of roads, dams, bridges, mining infrastructure, airfields and water treatment plants.
Recent projects include new road construction in Lesotho, road reconstruction for sections of the N1 and rehabilitation of the N3 Toll Road.
The group is 31% black owned, and holds 9 CE (civil engineering) and 9 SB (asphalt works) accreditation from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).
CSV Construction
CSV Construction is a Western Cape-based construction company that operates in South Africa and Namibia.
It was started in 1994 and has become one of the biggest diversified civil engineering companies in the Western Cape.
Among its construction projects are bulk supply pipelines, hospitals, substations, wind farms and shopping malls.
Group Five
Group Five is a diversified construction and infrastructure group that has operated in Southern Africa for many years but went into business rescue in 2019. Its projects include the Nedbank Building in Sandton and Akyem Gold Mine in Ghana.
A division of the company, Group Five Pipe Saudi, has now signed a US$1.2 billion contract with Aramco in Saudi Arabia.
Major infrastructure projects currently under construction include the Hawiyah-Uthmaniyah Gas Pipeline and Jubail-Riyadh Water Transmission System.
Cost-effective heavy equipment for local contractors
Local businesses need the right heavy equipment, at cost-effective prices, to compete in the South African construction industry.
At KH Plant, we specialise in rebuilding Caterpillar 140G, 140H and 140K motor graders to as-new condition, giving them a full second life. This makes it possible to get a grader that looks, performs and lasts just like a new machine, at a fraction of the new cost.
Contact us online or call us on +27 11 568 9788 for more information or to discuss your motor grader needs.
