Construction & Engineering
Lima’s engineering division provides comprehensive infrastructural development services for a range of initiatives aimed at improving livelihoods and standards of living in urban and rural communities. Lima facilitates engineering planning, costing, design and implementation services for a variety of applications, and our engineering division works in close conjunction with Lima’s other divisions, providing a highly integrated rural development service wherever appropriate. Our construction methodology consists of using local skills, talent and materials for the completion of all projects
Agriculture
In support of the agricultural division, Lima constructs poultry and pig houses, livestock handling facilities, irrigation schemes, fencing and warehouses. Our engineering division designs the facilities in an appropriate manner, with functionality and cost being the main priorities.
Housing
With over 2 500 low-cost housing units valued at R400 million completed, plus two National OR Tambo Awards for best Housing project, Lima has considerable experience in the sector. Given our participatory methodologies and use of local skills we genuinely understand what is meant by people’s housing.
Water and Sanitation
This is an important subsector of the division and does a tremendous amount to improve the quality of life of the users as well as having a large positive impact on health. We have invested a considerable amount into appropriate designs, materials and construction methodologies. We are also moving into the provision of communal ablution facilities at informal settlements with the intention of introducing user pay facilities to cover operation and maintenance costs.
Early Childhood Development Centres
Together with the Department of Social Development we have designed and implemented a cost- effective and appropriate design for ECD centres, in order to fulfil departmental accreditation requirements as well as the national building regulations. Given the specifications and the design requirements we have been able to reduce costs substantially. This new design has been accepted by the authorities as well as the Department of Basic Education. Since these new design specifications were finalised Lima has refurbished and constructed of 300 ECD centres in six provinces, providing improved accommodation for over 25 000 children.
By relying upon community-based labour and exclusive use of local contractors, Lima’s engineering activities also incorporate job creation support wherever possible. Lima’s infrastructural projects leverage labour-intensive implementation in order to improve skills and increase employment opportunities in the communities that we support.
Impact
Over 2950 people benefitted from a range of Lima’s construction and engineering activities, and over 500 emerging contractor teams have been engaged through Lima’s infrastructural interventions during this period. Some 25 co-operative members received enterprise-related infrastructure and equipment, and 500 pre-school learners enjoyed upgrades to their school facilities. In agriculture, 60 small-scale farmers received irrigation and fencing. Through the Community Work Programme, more than 2 000 participants benefitted through technical support to the programme’s job creation activities. In housing, Lima has recently started construction on the first 300 houses out of and total of 2 000 to be built in rural Eastern Cape villages.
Geographic Area
KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West, Gauteng, Free State, Western Cape and Northern Cape