Mapulaneng hospital project clinches top industry award for GIC
Where the residents of Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga once faced a long and gruelling journey to access professional healthcare services, there is now a brand-new, state-of-the-art hospital on their doorstep. Closing out the landmark New Mapulaneng Hospital project in style, its outstanding work has earned Gap Infrastructure Corporation the coveted Contractor of the Year title at the Big 5 Construct South Africa Impact Awards.
Big 5 Construct South Africa is the country's largest event for the construction industry, and its Impact Awards receive dozens of entries each year. The announcement was made during its award ceremony at Johannesburg's Gallagher Convention Centre on Friday, 20 June, marking a fitting tribute to GIC's five-year journey in bringing the Phase 3B hospital development to fruition.
'Receiving this award is an immense honour for GIC, serving as important validation for our vision of changing lives through sustainable infrastructure,' says GIC Chief Executive Officer Roelof van den Berg.
'The New Mapulaneng Hospital exemplifies the best of our approach as an organisation. From the very start of the project, our emphasis was building a hospital while simultaneously building better futures for communities through creating jobs, transferring skills, and helping to construct world-class healthcare facilities. Now that the project has closed, this hospital will continue to deliver life-saving healthcare to residents and families, and we're grateful to have played a role in its launch.'
The Phase 3B development was crucial to the hospital's long-term success, involving the construction of emergency medical services facilities, tuberculosis wards, surgical units, and mental health facilities.
'Despite the logistical challenges of building large-scale infrastructure in such a remote location, we successfully hit each milestone set and we're incredibly proud of the result, as well as of our team's complete professionalism and commitment throughout the project.'
Setting industry benchmarks
Evaluated by international peers and industry experts, the judges particularly noted GIC's comprehensive approach to project delivery, in addition to its exemplary safety track record, community development initiatives, and emphasis on sustainability at the New Mapulaneng Hospital.
The project commenced in June 2020 and has achieved several remarkable safety milestones, including 338,759 lost-time injury-free hours as of May 2025, and a Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) of 0.29. This means that there was less than one lost-time injury for every million hours worked. GIC also maintained an impressive compliance rating throughout, with a 99% compliance rating in its latest May 2025 occupational health and safety audit.
It further stimulated critical employment and skills training in an area grappling with a 52.1% unemployment rate. Work opportunities were unlocked for local community members during the construction period through either direct contracts or through subcontractors. Skills transfers took place through 'on-the-job' training, with the majority of work opportunities filled by local residents, who were a crucial factor in the project's success.
Finally, while the initial timeline for the project was adjusted from 36 months to 60 months to accommodate budget planning, GIC's innovative project management approach positioned the development for early completion by as much as a month, demonstrating the company's ability to adapt and the effectiveness of its cutting-edge automated digital project management software.
Celebrating the legacy of infrastructure
However, GIC Chairman Olebogeng Manhe emphasises the project's broader impact. 'Receiving the Contractor of the Year award serves to recognise the importance of holistic impact, and broad thinking in construction,' he says.
'For example, the hospital will have an enormous effect in positively uplifting and benefitting the surrounding communities. But the training and skills transferred in the construction phase will also live on as part of its legacy, opening the door to new opportunities for youth and community members, and empowering them to participate in future developments, supporting economic development.
'This facility reflects the incredible potential we can unlock by merging construction excellence with meaningful social impact, and by working hand in hand with like-minded and dedicated partners in the public sector who want to join us in changing lives. We are grateful to our public partners in this hospital project for their vision, and look forward to partnering in many new ventures to come.'
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