Profica digs deep in the quest for excellence

KwaZulu-Natal’s property and construction industry is poised for growth.

Durban’s scheduled hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and future plans to expand the city’s harbour are both milestones on the province’s development calendar that will give rise to ancillary projects. In addition, the need for housing and infrastructure in the province is bound to drive some growth. This is according to Peter Ferraz, a property and construction specialist who heads up Profica’s team in KZN. Profica is one of the country’s leading construction and property solutions companies.
Ferraz is well placed to offer comment. After having worked in the property and construction industry for over 18 years, both locally and abroad, he has witnessed first-hand the ebbs and flows of the industry. He gained experience in both large corporates and smaller companies, where flexibility and personal client relationships are crucial.

Ferraz is currently managing the Dube Trade Port super basement project for Profica, who are the project manager and principal agent of the initiative. Audacious in its undertaking and fraught with the inherent challenges that come with ‘digging down’, the project is not for the feint hearted. Excavation work will always have a number of unknowns, and this project is no exception; issues have been encountered in nearly every element of the bulk earthworks.

In meeting these challenges, Profica’s approach is to tackle issues head-on and to rigorously keep communication flowing between the client, the professional team and the main contractor. Ferraz says, “Profica encourages the team to focus on the big picture and to work towards that. It is imperative to keep everyone on-board so that the project can be successfully completed.”

Another major construction project currently in design phase is the expansion and alteration of Gateway Shopping Centre. Profica are the project managers for this initiative which will include the addition of approximately 22 000 square metres of new GLA, alterations to over 18 000 square metres GLA, and more than 1 200 new parking bays. In addition, Profica is currently managing a number of new development opportunities in Umhlanga.

Ferraz originally began working with Profica as an independent consultant but the company soon recognised that the fit was right, and brought him onboard as a fulltime staff member. Ferraz says, “Working with the Profica team I realised what an excellent company it was and how much I enjoyed working with them. The company is ahead of the curve in terms of project delivery, and this is supported by sophisticated inhouse systems and a willingness to go that extra mile to bring the project to successful conclusion.”