Specialising in demolition, bulk earthworks, geotechnical services, bulk services, roadworks, civil and construction works and contract mining, Phoenecian Group’s leading position as a top-tier contractor in South Africa has been underscored by its latest ratings from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB).

“We are a Group in the sense that we have different divisions catering for different trades of the industry in order for us to diversify,” explains Phoenecian MD Joseph Habib, who started the company from humble beginnings in 2006. It incorporated Wreckers in 2020, which itself was established in 1981. Phoenecian’s most experienced member, Mike Perkin, has been involved with the demolition industry since 1966. The company has since transformed itself into the leading specialist contractor in South Africa, with its latest certifications placing it in the top echelon of the local construction industry.

The Contractor Register as administered by the CIDB has nine grading levels, with nine being the highest. In order to achieve this, contractors must also meet the criteria in terms of financials and track record for Grades 2 to 9. A grade is represented by one digit and two letters, which reflects the maximum level at which such a contractor is permitted to carry out projects, as well as the class of works it is certified to be capable of delivering projects in.

Phoenecian has secured a unique hat trick by being the only company of its kind in South Africa to have three Grade 9 ratings under its belt, with all three of these grades combined. These are for SE (Special Engineering), CE (Civil Engineering) and GB (General Building). “This opens doors for us as it means we can now tender for projects in excess of R200 million,” points out Habib.

“It means we are no longer restricted in the size or scope of work we wish to pursue, as well as giving our clients confidence that our full capabilities have been certified at the highest industry level,” says Habib. It also affords Phoenecian the opportunity to be perceived as a total solutions provider focused on complete construction management in terms of design-and-build contracts in particular.

“Clients can approach us to design a specific solution, which we will not only price, but we even bring the full professional team onboard, from the quantity surveyor to the architect and the engineers. This is a turnkey offering incorporating all of the building trades, meaning a single appointment, a single coordinated programme and one direct point of contact for clients,” highlights Habib. To complete its full basket of services on the geotechnical side, the company is also in the process of registering for CIDB grading for lateral support work, piling and foundations.

Phoenecian is currently establishing a satellite office in KwaZulu-Natal, where it is involved extensively in rebuild work following the unrest and looting spree in July last year. Projects here include the Bridge City Shopping Centre in Durban and Massmart in River Horse Valley. “There are major developments planned for the province, which is why we are keen to get in on the ground there,” says Habib.

Commenting on the current state of the construction industry, Habib says there is a strong need for ‘new blood’ like Phoenecian to galvanise the sector. “In terms of the government’s mooted Infrastructure Fund, delays on this front has delayed the rollout somewhat. However, we are sufficiently diversified to spread our risk throughout the various niche sectors we are involved with.”

While Phoenecian enjoys a good relationship with major property developers such as Zenprop, Fortress Fund, Investec, Redefine, Growthpoint and Attacq, new projects have been muted. “While the private sector is idling in terms of growth, there is definitely a huge increase in the mining and public sector space that we hope to capitalise on going forwarding,” concludes Habib. To capitalise on the former, Phoenecian plans to enter the contract mining sector after being successful in its bid for a NOSA Integrated Five Star System. This integrated system includes occupational health, safety and environmental management incorporating ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 14001:2015 requirements.