Breaking Ground
Case Study 1: Operational Design & Partner Alignment
A multinational renewable energy firm, entering the South African market for the first time, faced significant challenges in aligning its
Breaking Ground
We provide the strategic, operational, and compliance frameworks that ensure large-scale projects in South Africa move from planning to execution seamlessly aligning partners, mitigating risks, and managing non-construction activities for long-term success.
Strategic Support forSeamless Project Execution
Breaking Ground is a specialised advisory service designed for projects transitioning from planning to development or construction—particularly those involving new partnerships, multinational stakeholders, or teams unfamiliar with the South African landscape. We provide the strategic, operational, and compliance frameworks needed to ensure projects are set up for success, efficiency, and long-term impact from day one.
By offering comprehensive strategic support, Breaking Ground enables seamless collaboration between partners, mitigates risks, and ensures that all non-construction activities during the construction period are efficiently managed.
Key ChallengesAddressed andSolutions
1) Bridging Gaps Between New Project Partners & Operationalising Teams for Success
Many large-scale projects involve partners that have not worked together before, creating misalignments in processes, expectations, and operational frameworks. When multinational firms enter South Africa, they face local regulatory, compliance, and cultural complexities that can delay project progress.
How Breaking Ground Solves This:
- Operational Design & Partner Alignment – Establishing collaborative governance structures, workflows, and decision-making protocols to align project stakeholders.
- Regulatory & Compliance Integration – Ensuring seamless adherence to South Africa’s complex environmental, labour, and economic development regulations.
- Project Execution Readiness Support – Preparing teams for on-the-ground operational realities, ensuring they are equipped to navigate local business environments.
2) Ensuring Projects Are Designed for Compliance from the Outset
Many projects encounter significant delays due to compliance oversights, particularly in areas such as B-BBEE, ESG, environmental regulations, labour requirements, and community obligations. Failure to integrate compliance into project design can result in expensive retrofits, reputational risks, and legal penalties.
How Breaking Ground Solves This:
- Compliance-Driven Project Structuring – Embedding B-BBEE, ESG, labour, and environmental compliance into project workflows from inception.
- Risk & Readiness Assessments – Identifying potential compliance risks before they escalate, ensuring smooth project approvals.
- Regulatory Advisory & Stakeholder Engagement – Aligning projects with government, community, and labour stakeholders to avoid regulatory roadblocks.
3) Managing Non-Construction Activities During the Construction Period
While technical teams focus on building the physical infrastructure, projects often struggle with overseeing essential non-construction activities, such as community engagement, compliance reporting, workforce planning, and subcontractor coordination. These aspects, if neglected, can lead to operational inefficiencies, stakeholder backlash, and project disruptions.
How Breaking Ground Solves This:
- Oversight of Support Services & Non-Construction Activities – Providing strategic management of stakeholder engagement, local workforce integration, and compliance tracking.
- Supplier & Workforce Development Programs – Ensuring that local hiring and procurement targets are met effectively.
- Community Engagement & Communication Strategies – Managing relationships with host communities to prevent disputes and enhance project acceptance.
CoreService Offerings
Operational Design & Execution Readiness
Designing the governance, workflows, and execution strategies to align new project partners and ensure seamless project rollout.
Compliance-Integrated Project Structuring
Embedding B-BBEE, ESG, labour, and environmental requirements into project operations.
Regulatory Oversight & Risk Management
Providing hands-on advisory to navigate South Africa’s complex project regulatory environment.
Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment
Establishing communication frameworks for effective interaction with government, communities, and labour groups.
Support Services Oversight During Construction
Managing non-construction activities, including socio-economic compliance, workforce development, and local procurement processes.
Strategic Risk Mitigation
Identifying and proactively addressing potential project challenges before they escalate.
- Operational Design & Execution Readiness – Designing the governance, workflows, and execution strategies to align new project partners and ensure seamless project rollout.
- Compliance-Integrated Project Structuring – Embedding B-BBEE, ESG, labour, and environmental requirements into project operations.
- Regulatory Oversight & Risk Management – Providing hands-on advisory to navigate South Africa’s complex project regulatory environment.
- Stakeholder Engagement & Alignment – Establishing communication frameworks for effective interaction with government, communities, and labour groups.
- Support Services Oversight During Construction – Managing non-construction activities, including socio-economic compliance, workforce development, and local procurement processes.
- Strategic Risk Mitigation – Identifying and proactively addressing potential project challenges before they escalate.
How Breaking GroundAdds Strategic Value
Aligns new project partners and multinational teams for smooth collaboration
Ensures regulatory compliance is embedded from the outset, preventing costly delays
Provides strategic oversight of non-construction activities, from workforce planning to stakeholder engagement
Reduces risk and prepares projects for seamless execution in South Africa
How Breaking GroundAdds Strategic Value
- Aligns new project partners and multinational teams for smooth collaboration.
- Ensures regulatory compliance is embedded from the outset, preventing costly delays.
- Provides strategic oversight of non-construction activities, from workforce planning to stakeholder engagement.
- Reduces risk and prepares projects for seamless execution in South Africa.
Read OurCase Studies
Breaking Ground
Case Study 2: Regulatory & Compliance Integration
A large-scale infrastructure project in South Africa encountered regulatory roadblocks that delayed construction by six months. The delays stemmed from
Breaking Ground
Case Study 3: Project Execution Readiness Support
An international engineering firm, newly awarded an EPC contract in South Africa, faced operational inefficiencies due to a lack of
Breaking Ground
Case Study 4: Structuring Governance for a Multinational Project Partnership
A European renewable energy developer partnered with a South African infrastructure firm to construct a renewable energy facility.
Breaking Ground
Case Study 5: Integrating Compliance in Project Planning to Prevent Costly Delays
A major infrastructure developer faced regulatory setbacks while constructing a logistics hub. The project was halted due to non-compliance with
Breaking Ground
Case Study 6: Preparing Teams for On-the-Ground Execution Challenges
An international engineering firm won a contract to construct a highway in a remote part of South Africa. Despite having
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