Concor and its Safety Champions Shine at MBA Awards

Concor’s safety culture was in the spotlight at the recent Master Builders Association (MBA) North regional safety competition, with the company winning five coveted awards.

Margaret Dube, Concor’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager, was crowned the Construction HSE Manager of the Year, while the company’s Safety Representative, Mduduzi Mamba received the award for the Construction HSE Representative of the Year. Concor’s projects were also honoured in the ceremony: it earned first place in category F (projects valued at R100 to R250 million) for its Fourways Mall New Roof and Solar Project; second place in category G (R250 to R450 million) for the Oxford Parks Block 2A Phase 1 Project and third place in category E (R40 to R100 million) for its Ga-Rankuwa City Centre Project.

Concor Contracts Manager Martin Muller highlights the significance of this recognition in a sector where fast tracking of building projects has become the norm. The considerable deadline pressure on such projects has the potential to compromise safe working practices.

“This is why safety needs to remain at the centre of our working culture every day, and why we prioritise the training and support that is given to our safety officers and representatives, our on-site team and our subcontractors,” Muller says. “It is a real honour to see our safety team being recognised for their contribution – as their approach and commitment is critical to the success of our projects.”

Dube says her award has been a boost not only to her personal motivation as a safety manager, but a collective achievement for Concor’s entire safety team.

“An award like this really motivates everyone and reinforces our commitment towards further improving our safety and project execution,” she says. “It also affirms the valuable contribution we are making to the construction sector as a whole.”

She emphasises that safety is not just about policies, systems and discipline – but equally about a shared culture of safety among colleagues who are concerned for each other’s well-being. While acknowledging that a safety officer needs to have a strong character to perform their duties, Dube says their role is to empower and educate the team.

Mamba concurs, saying that he joined the Concor safety team in 2016 to help build an approach to safety where site safety personnel are not just viewed as ‘traffic officers’ to be feared and obeyed. He notes that one of his main areas of focus is to ensure that colleagues do not confuse work experience with safety awareness.

“Even though a person has many years of experience on a construction site, they can still make mistakes if they do not embrace our safety culture,” he explains. “Our approach is to encourage everyone in our team to point out potential hazards and to help find and apply solutions.”

Concor HSE Manager Margaret Dube and Safety Officer Givemore Mupondi conducting a safety file audit, demonstrating the company’s commitment to rigorous compliance and continuous improvement.

Safety is a team effort at Concor, with members of the Oxford Parks safety team collaborating daily to maintain the high standards that underpin the company’s award-winning safety performance.

Concor’s safety personnel carry out detailed inspections of formwork and public-interface zones to ensure secure structures and safe access around active construction areas.

A Concor safety officer inspects slab-edge protection to verify that working-at-height safeguards are properly installed and fully compliant with safety protocols.

Kehumile Puwani

Company Secretary & Compliance Manager

Advocate Kehumile Puwani (Jantjies) is a distinguished legal professional specialising in commercial, corporate governance and regulatory law. She obtained her LLB from North-West University and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Compliance Management and various advanced certificates in Board Governance, Anti-Money Laundering Control and Board Leadership. With a proven track record as an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, Kehumile has provided legal counsel on litigation, corporate governance, and compliance matters. Her previous roles include Company Secretary and Legal Counsel for Bell Equipment Sales Limited, Head of Compliance for New National Assurance Limited, and Legal Executive for Abacus Life and Abacus Insurance Limited. She is also a certified Professional Director (PD SA) from the Directors Association of South Africa and an active member of the Institute of Directors South Africa.

Thirosha Govender

Group Legal Manager

Thirosha Govender is an admitted attorney of the High Court of South Africa and has been specializing in construction law for more than a decade. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Media Communication), Bachelor of Laws and a Master’s in Maritime Law, along with several professional development courses, including the Public Finance Management Act, Insurance&Risk Management, & Intellectual Property Law. She is a member of the Institute of Directors South Africa & Women in Mining Business SA. Thirosha’s diverse skill set & expertise are: stakeholder management, legal drafting and review of contracts, legal research, corporate governance, compliance training & dispute resolution. Notable achievements in her career include her appointment as an Executive Member of the South African Women Lawyers Association (SAWLA,CT,2007); selection for Brightest Young Minds (BYM) which recognized her as one of the top 100 students in the country. She received an Academic & Leadership Scholarship from British American Tobacco. Thirosha is committed towards educating people and created a Know Your Rights Campaign at Concor.

Marius Koen

Divisional Managing Director: Concor Infrastructure & Mining Services

Marius Koen is a civil engineer with 28 years of experience in construction and infrastructure development. He holds a B.Eng (Civil) degree from the University of Stellenbosch. Marius has extensive expertise in Dam, Roads, Bridges, Harbor, Rail and Mining Infrastructure construction, having served in various roles including Engineer, Site Agent, Contracts Manager, and Contracts Director. He was appointed as Divisional Managing Director for Concor Infrastructure in 2024, after serving as Contracts Director since 2011. His career highlights include appointments at Group Five, Concor Roads & Earthworks and Murray & Roberts Infrastructure, overseeing projects valued between R300 million and R2 billion. His professional portfolio with Concor include the Ngqura Container Terminal Phase 2, Ngqura Port Rail Link, Coega-Colchester Roads and Bridge, and SWEP Rail Deviation, among others. High levels of proficiency and expertise in construction management, estimating, business development and client engagement distinguish Marius as a leader in his field.

Chirsto Schoeman

Divisional Managing Director: Concor Building

Christo Schoeman is a seasoned civil engineer with over three decades of experience, registered as a Professional Engineer with the South African Institution of Civil Engineering (SAICE) since 1993. He also served on the council of the South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) from 2011 to 2020. Christo has held influential positions in leading construction firms, including his recent roles as Director and Operations Executive at Concor from 2020 to 2024, and Senior Executive for Strategic Projects from 2017 to 2020. His notable achievements include serving as Operational Director for the Medupi Power Station Joint Venture from 2012 to 2024, as well as holding the position of Managing Director at Aveng Grinaker-LTA Civil Engineering (2011-2012) and General Manager at Karrena Africa (2000-2011). Christo’s expertise encompasses strategic, financial, and operational leadership, business and project development, stakeholder engagement, and a comprehensive understanding of engineering processes, ranging from intern Engineer to Contracts Director.

Ian Simpson

Group Executive: Commercial & Risk

Ian Simpson is a highly skilled Commercial Executive with over 20 years’ experience in commercial, legal and risk management roles within the construction and mining sectors. He is an Admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa (non-practising) and a member of the Association of Arbitrators (Southern Africa), having completed specialist certifications in both Arbitration and Construction Law.  Ian combines strong legal and commercial insights with practical industry and on-site project experience, offering a comprehensive understanding of contractual strategy, dispute resolution and commercial risk management. His key competencies include strategy development, contract negotiation and administration, commercial claims and disputes, litigation, project controls and leading teams in complex and high-pressure environments. He has held senior positions at major industry players, including Senior Commercial Manager at Murray & Roberts Buildings (2010–2016), Group Legal & Risk Executive at Concor (2016–2020) and Commercial Executive at Moolmans Mining Contractors (2021–2023).  Ian holds an LLB and an Advanced Diploma in Labour Law from the University of Johannesburg and has completed leadership and industry-focused programmes through GIBS and the University of Cape Town. 

Jethro Masike

Group Executive: HR & HSE

Jethro Masike is a skilled IR and HR professional with a National Diploma obtained in 1999. He began his career as a Payroll Administrator and HR Officer from 1999 to 2003, before transitioning to industrial relations at Peter Mellor (Pty) Ltd in 2004. In 2009, he joined Concor Civils as an IR Officer. With extensive expertise in policy implementation, workforce planning, recruitment, industrial relations, dispute resolution and operations, Jethro has held various executive positions, including HR Executive and HR Director for Concor Opencast Mining and subsequently, Group Director HR & HSE. Jethro is responsible for formulating and executing the Group HR strategy, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, fostering a positive work environment and managing employee relations. He serves as an advisor to the CEO, focused on reputation and stakeholder management, organizational culture, workplace health and safety and leveraging related metrics to support the achievement of business objectives.

Unathi Magwentshu

Chief Financial Officer

Unathi Magwentshu has over 20 years of experience across Corporate and Investment Banking, Development Finance, Energy, and the Petroleum sectors. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce Honours from the University of Natal and qualified as a CA in 2004. She is highly regarded for her expertise in strategy development, financial planning, risk management, optimizing financial performance, investor relations, managing complex transactions, and providing mentorship to staff. Unathi began her career at Deloitte, honing her skills for five years before advancing into senior roles at two of South Africa’s top five banks. She later served as CFO of circa R11 billion petroleum business, before moving to successfully lead a debt restructuring assignment in the Telecoms Infrastructure sector. She has also served as a board member and Audit & Risk committee member on the boards of various companies.

Jerome Govender

Chief Executive Officer

Jerome Govender has more than 30 years’ experience in the construction, infrastructure development, and mining services sectors. A commercially astute and results-driven business leader, Jerome has proven himself in managing mergers and acquisitions, executing turnaround strategies, and leading business transformation initiatives in both South Africa and abroad. He has held key leadership positions, including as Chief Executive of Bombela Concessions Company-Gautrain (2007 to 2012), Murray & Roberts Construction African & Middle East (2012 to 2017), Cross Yara Partnership Melbourne Metro (2018 to 2019) and Moolmans Mining Contractors (2019 to 2023), before joining Concor in September 2023. Notable achievements include transforming Murray & Roberts Construction and Moolmans Mining from loss leaders to profit makers during his tenure as CEO. Additionally, he successfully managed the delivery of the USD 3.2 billion Gautrain Rapid Rail project during the crucial 5-year development period.

Lwazi Koyana

Independent Non-executive Director

Lwazi Koyana is a qualified chartered accountant with over 20 years of experience in investment management and corporate finance. He is also the founder and managing director of Nations Capital Advisors (Pty) Ltd. He currently serves as an Independent Non-executive Director for the Spar Group Ltd, is a member on the Rhodes University Council and holds the position of Chairperson at Steve Biko Academic Hospital. Previously, Lwazi served as an Independent Chairperson of the Audit & Risk Committee for the South African Qualifications Authority, an Independent Non-executive Director for AFGRI Ltd, SecureData, Mineworkers Investment Company (Pty) LTD and the W&RSETA. Lwazi is a member of Concor’s Audit & Risk Committee as well as the Remuneration Committee.

Tebogo Maoto

Non-executive Director

Tebogo Maoto is a finance and business restructuring professional holding a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Finance from the North West University, PGDip Project Management from Stellenbosch Business School, a Certified Rescue Analyst Certificate from the University of Pretoria, and also a Business Rescue Law Certificate from the University of South Africa. He is a licensed Senior Business Rescue Practitioner with the CIPC. Additionally, he is a member of the South African Restructuring & Insolvency Practitioners Association (SARIPA) and the International Association of Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy Professionals (INSOL). The SARIPA awarded Tebogo the designation Business Restructuring Professional. Tebogo is a member of Concor’s Audit & Risk and Social & Ethics Committees and holds other directorships.

Phahlani Mkhombo

Non-executive Director

Phahlani Mkhombo is the Founder and Managing Director of Genesis Corporate Solutions. He is an admitted attorney and is a seasoned transaction advisor. Phahlani has over 20 years of experience in business restructuring, mergers and acquisitions, business rescue, corporate finance, project finance, public-private partnerships (PPPs), deal structuring, corporate governance, legal and insolvency in both the private and public sectors. He is a registered Senior Business Rescue Practitioner (BRP) with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) and is licensed to take on business rescue appointments. He is actively involved in advising clients and lenders on assignments for distressed businesses. Phahlani is a member of Concor’s Remuneration Committee.

Thulani Sithole

Non-executive Director

A seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in engineering and business management, Thulani Sithole began his career at Sasol and has since held positions in various companies across multiple industries. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA) and currently serves as the Executive Director of MANI Industries. Additionally, Thulani has contributed to several boards, including City Power and Freedom Park. Thulani serves as the Chair of Concor’s Audit & Risk Committee and is also a member of the Social & Ethics Committee.

Jerome Govender

Executive Director (Group CEO)

Jerome Govender has more than 30 years’ experience in the construction, infrastructure development, and mining services sectors. A commercially astute and results-driven business leader, Jerome has proven himself in managing mergers and acquisitions, executing turnaround strategies, and leading business transformation initiatives in both South Africa and abroad. He has held key leadership positions, including as Chief Executive of Bombela Concessions Company-Gautrain (2007 to 2012), Murray & Roberts Construction African & Middle East (2012 to 2017), Cross Yara Partnership Melbourne Metro (2018 to 2019) and Moolmans Mining Contractors (2019 to 2023), before joining Concor in September 2023. Notable achievements include transforming Murray & Roberts Construction and Moolmans Mining from loss leaders to profit makers during his tenure as CEO. Additionally, he successfully managed the delivery of the USD 3.2 billion Gautrain Rapid Rail project during the crucial 5-year development period.

Nazir Alli

Board Chairperson

Nazir Alli possesses over 45 years of experience as a distinguished civil engineer in the public and private sectors. As the founding CEO of the South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) in post-apartheid South Africa, he is a globally recognized leader in public-private partnerships (PPPs), change management, and institutional transformation. His continued service on numerous private and public sector boards, including as the President of the World Road Association (PIARC), is a testament to his enduring impact and influence.

Notice for public interest

Fraudulent tender notices & purchase orders

Concor is aware of fraudulent tender notices and purchase orders being circulated in the Company’s name. The templates and stationery being used, which includes our branding, are very similar to our official templates thus making them look credible. We urge legitimate suppliers and potential contractors to be cautious and to contact Concor directly on 011 590 5500 to verify all suspicious tender notices and purchase order. You can also report suspicious tenders, purchase orders or recruitment notices via the Concor Tip-offs Anonymous line on 0800 733 734.