text:
Home > Protected: News > The Southey Sound – Edition 4 – October 2011
Where does Southey Contracting fit in?
What have we got?
T&N Roofing the BRT Stations
Safety Situation
What is the safety record like?
SOUTHEY HOLDINGS AND SOUTHEY CONTRACTING
We look at how Southey Holdings and Southey Contracting fit with each other
Currently there are 2 separate entities or companies. One is Southey Contracting (Pty) Ltd and the other is Southey Contracting, a Division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
Southey Holdings Offices in Riverhorse Valley, DBN
Southey Contracting (Pty) Ltd was originally formed
to comply with the Broad Based Economic Empowerment requirements and in doing so, a percentage of the company was sold to a Black Empowerment company as well as certain members of management. This enabled the company to bid for and secure work due to its BBBEE status.
A number of contracts were concluded
and remain in force with Southey Contracting (Pty) Ltd and will therefore have to be completed as such. In 2009, R.J.Southey (Pty) Ltd that owned 75% of Southey Contracting (Pty) was effectively sold and Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd came into being. The ownership of Southey Holdings(Pty) Ltd is diverse and includes the Black Empowerment company, a Private Equity Investor, Management and a Workers Trust. The effective Black ownership was in the process raised to 25.7%
In May 2011, Southey Contracting, a division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd was assessed
for its BBBEE status and was granted a Level 4 rating by PKF BBBEE Empowerment Solutions. This was one of the first hurdles that needed to be overcome prior to this company becoming an effective trading organization.
There are a number of others hurdles
and these include (but are not limited to) Construction Industries Development Board (CIDB) registration and grading, as well as the important task of being registered and included on our client's data bases as a vendor. These processes are currently taking place and it is believed that within a relatively short period of time, we will be able to trade as Southey Contracting, a division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd. and Tate & Nicholson, a division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd.
The conversion process will be a slow one
however, it is one that will need to be done and we all need to be aware of what is taking place and at what stage we are. The Southey Sound will keep you informed.
Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd's BEE Certificate
I.T. has become essential to the efficient functioning of companies. We have a substantial IT framework within Southey.
Information Technology (IT) has become critical
to the efficient running of any business and in most cases it has evolved from the use of individual desktop computers of the 1990's to very sophisticated IT networks and systems of today. We at Southey have, very fortunately, kept abreast of these developments and currently have a relatively well established IT infrastructure.
There are a number of core elements to any IT system
and these are the Servers (Hardware that provides the computing power), the Software (to handle the data) and the Connectivity (to link the users to the Servers.
Southey have invested in excellent Financial Software packages
so that Management can monitor the financial performance of the business and currently we use Syspro to do this and we use VIP for the payroll to ensure that all of the staff are paid on time and the necessary statutory payments are made. Obviously we make use of the Microsoft suites of programs for everyday tasks. There are of course many other programs and software packages being used that ensure that the whole system remains stable, efficient and effective.
We have become exceptionally reliant on the IT system
and this becomes very evident when it isn't working. The causes of the system being non-functional can be numerous, however, one of the most common causes is the breakdown of the Connectivity which remains a huge issue for businesses such as ours where the normal infrastructure doesn't exist.
We are trying to increase the use of the IT systems
to such a level that we have a more accurate and effective costing system and this will be greatly dependent on the effectiveness of the connectivity.
Another major hurdle that we need to overcome
is that of the users. Many of our employees had never switched a computer on up until 3 years ago. Fortunately this is changing rapidly however we need to ensure that we provide the necessary training to the "new" users and ensure that they are competent in the use of the tools given to them.
Our main IT servers and infrastructure is based at our head office in Durban
where the IT department is located. They are backed up by local supplier/service providers in the various centers who provide the "desk-top" support to our users. These local suppliers/service providers play an instrumental role in ensuring the users are able to communicate with the Servers and transfer their data and information effectively.
Part of the IT Server Room in the Durban Office
The IT system will continue to evolve
and as new technology becomes available it will be installed and rolled out to the end users as required. You too can help by ensuring that you use you computers within the scope of the Southey Communications and Access Policy
A challenging contract throughout the CBD of Johannesburg was successfully completed by the Roofing Division, Tate & Nicholson.
Tate & Nicholson, the sheeting division of Southey Holdings (Pty) Ltd,
was awarded the roof sheeting sub contract for the initial phase and subsequent phases of the Bus Rapid Transport stations in Johannesburg by the main contactor Group Five Enza Joint Venture.
The euphoria regarding the award of the contract soon wore off
when the realization of the daunting size of the project was uncovered. The extent of the size of the stations, the tight completion schedule plus the wide spread of the locations made for an interesting and comprehensive logistics solution.
It was very clear that this project,
apart from its technical challenges, would make an exceptionally good case history for any project management course.
One of the BRT stations in the Johannesburg CBD
The initial stage
was competently handled by our drafting department who ably managed to differentiate the various station plans, take off the cutting lists and pass this on to the planners to ensure that the correct material arrived at the appropriate station at the right time.
The procurement personnel
were emphatic in their purchasing from the suppliers to guarantee that the appropriate material was delivered as planned. The site orientation did not permit material to be kept over-night due to their inherent value to the informal settlements. This therefore required our transport co-ordinator and drivers to get to know the roads of Central Johannesburg and surrounding areas very well in deed.
As momentum of the project grew,
the competence of the teams undertaking the works increased and this was aided by the comprehensive quality control measures that were in place to ensure that all of the work was undertaken to the highest possible standards. The obvious advantage of this was the exceptionally low amount of rework that was required to be undertaken, thus making sure that stations were delivered on time.
One of the items that was however overlooked by all
was the logistics regarding the refueling of the generators needed to undertake the works as no power was available at the sites. With the number of sites that were done simultaneously, this became a real challenge, but not one that prevented the stations being completed on time and in accordance with the required standards.
A BRT Station near Ellis Park(Coca Cola Park)
Safety is always a concern to any construction company
and the need for strict compliance was identified early in the project. The necessary Safety Data packs, Risk analysis and procedures were put in place to reduce the personnel's exposure to hazards and this, combined with absolute commitment enabled Tate & Nicholson to complete the project with Zero harm to any employee.
The Group 5 Enza JV need to be congratulated
for their exceptional organization of the project, their communication with their sub- contractors and their general efficiency. Once again, the need to have harmonious relations between Contractor and Sub-contractor has made sure that the project was completed in the most effective way.
SAFETY RECORD
The Safety record of a company is a good gauge as to the general health of that company and the attitude it displays to its clients and employees. How do we fare?
Southey Contracting is involved in some reasonably high risk work,
particularly the scaffolding and working at height elements. The Painting and UHP trades are also considered to be high risk trades whilst insulation has a relatively lower risk potential.
Due to these facts, Safety plays an exceptionally important role
in all of the day to day tasks that are performed within the Company and therefore it is not without a lot of planning, emphasis, control systems and effort that we have managed to achieve a good and enviable Safety record. Unlike running a race, there is no end to these efforts and therefore we can not afford to rest on our laurels.
We have to constantly remind both our employees and ourselves
of the need to maintain the highest possible safety practices. We have to be constantly vigilant and observant of our actions, those of our colleagues and of those working in our immediate environment. We rely on them to work safely so that we can go home without any incident as much as they rely on us to work safely so that they can go home without incident.
Safety is the responsibility of every employee
and every employee is responsible for safety. It is a team effort and the need to report unsafe acts, the most important of which are the potential unsafe acts, is critical. Consideration of the work to be performed, the risks associated with the task, the prevention measures and the impact that these activities may have on others is fundamentally important.
To date we have achieved the following safety results (within Gauteng Division):
safety results (within Gauteng Division)
The need to maintain an excellent safety record
can not be emphasized enough. It is one aspect of the business that is not negotiable and needs everybody's constant unrestricted attention. Please assist us in ensuring that we continually review our safety processes and institute the changes that are necessary to prevent an accident from happening.
HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR COMPANY?
Okapi, the agricultural knife producers,
have been exporting their Okapi Pocket Knives to the Middle East for many years. This has been their biggest market.
Southey has opened a branch
in the African country of Ghana.
have been awarded their first significant contract which includes the blasting and coating of tanks.
has substantial Non Destructive Testing (NDT) capacity which is completed on Offshore Oil rigs.
GETTING TO KNOW OUR STAFF
We highlight some of the individuals who make up the staff of the Contracting Division who may not be known to you :
Name : Johan de Villiers
Johan de Villiers
Position : Senior Supervisor Sishen
Date Joined Southey : 1998
Where Born: Parys – Freestate
Married/Single: Married
Wife's Name : Karien
Children : 2 Girls – 24yrs & 18 yrs
Person I would most like to meet : Juanita du Plessis
Things I dislike the most : My house
Best TV Program : Sport channel
Name : Douglas Silubane
Douglas Silubane
Position: Senior Supervisor – Duvha Power Station
Date Joined Southey: 01 July 2007
Where Born: Bushbuckridge Tekamahala
Wife's Name ; Kindnes Evelyn Mabuza
Children: 2, 5months and 3 years old
Person I would most like to meet: Nelson Mandela and CEO of Southey
Things I dislike the most: Crime and lazy people
Best TV Program: Sports Soccer
filed under: BBBEE, Group 5 Enza JV, I.T. at Southey, Know Southey Staff, Okapi, Safety, Scaffolding, Southey Angola, Southey Company Knowledge, Southey Gauteng, Southey Oman, Southey Sound Newsletter Editions, Southey Staff News, Tate & Nicholson, Tate & Nicholson Roofing BRT Stations
Tags: BRT Stations, Douglas Silubane, Group 5 Enza Joint Venture, Johan De Villiers, Know the Staff, Okapi, Projects, Safety, Scaffolding, southey, Southey Angola, Southey Durban, Southey Gauteng, Southey Ghana, southey Oman, Southey Sound Newsletter Edition 4, Staff News, Tate&Nicholson
Protected: News

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: capitalize every word in an acronym (\acl command in the acro-package) I would like to have a command which capitalizes every word when I use an \acl command of the acro-package.
\DeclareAcronym{t}{short={t},long={this is a test}}
\capitalizingcommand{\acl{t}}

My desired output would be:

This Is A Test

as far as i know the acro-package only supports the capitalization of the first word via \Acl{t}.
So far I tried the \ecapitalisewords command from the mfirstuc-package, but the expansion seems not to work and latex tries to capitalise the shortcut which results in an error.
This is my working or rather not working example.
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mfirstuc}
\usepackage{acro}

\DeclareAcronym{t}{short={t},long={this is a test}}
\begin{document}

\acl{t}
%\ecapitalisewords{\acl{t}}

\end{document}

Thanks a lot in advance

A: You can't do this directly. However, you can define a macro which sets long-format to \capitalisewords in a group:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mfirstuc}
\usepackage{acro}

\DeclareAcronym{t}{short={t},long={this is a test}}

\newcommand*\accapitalizelong[1]{%
  \begingroup
    \acsetup{long-format=\capitalisewords}%
    #1%
  \endgroup
}

\begin{document}

\acl{t}

\accapitalizelong{\acl{t}}

\acl{t}

\end{document}

If you instead want to generally change the uppercasing behaviour of all the \Ac...  macros you can set the option uc-cmd:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mfirstuc}
\usepackage{acro}

\DeclareAcronym{t}{short={t},long={this is a test}}

\acsetup{uc-cmd=\capitalisewords}

\begin{document}

\acl{t}

\Acl{t}

\end{document}

Of course you can also define a similar command like in my first suggestion to locally change uppercasing. Or even define a \ACL:
\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{mfirstuc}
\usepackage{acro}

\DeclareAcronym{t}{short={t},long={this is a test}}

\NewDocumentCommand\ACL{sm}{%
  \begingroup
    \acsetup{uc-cmd=\capitalisewords}%
    \IfBooleanTF{#1}{\Acl*{#2}}{\Acl{#2}}%
  \endgroup
}

\begin{document}

\acl{t}

\Acl{t}

\ACL{t}

\end{document}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


The Laserium MedSpa Concept was developed to increase the efficacy of laser hair removal and laser fat-cell reduction, cellulite and body contour. In this process the Laserium medical professional customizes a treatment program for the client that targets each anatomical area of the body being treated during the window of time most effective for the different treatments offered. This set of treatment protocols is unique to Laserium and produces maximum results. We are on of the top laser hair removal company in Plano, Texas area.