黑洞社区

What鈥檚 it like?

鈥淟oads of people told me I shouldn鈥檛 go to Johannesburg, so when I went anyway I wasn鈥檛 sure if I was being brave or stupid,鈥� says David Donald (pictured), a project manager with Mott MacDonald. 鈥淏ut in the two years I鈥檝e been here I鈥檝e had no problems. Of course you lock your doors and keep your wits about you but it doesn鈥檛 feel any less safe than London.

鈥淭he climate鈥檚 great 鈥� clear blue skies mostly, and it鈥檚 good for getting to other places in South Africa because it鈥檚 central.

鈥淚鈥檝e now moved to Cape Town. We鈥檙e working as part of a joint venture for Transnet, which focuses on freight-related infrastructure such as ports and railways. We鈥檙e involved several projects, but I鈥檓 now the project manager looking after the expansion of the container terminal in Cape Town.

鈥淚t鈥檚 great to feel you鈥檙e doing something for the good of the country. The projects are of national importance, and you鈥檙e adding value, so you feel good about your work, and yourself as well.鈥�

What鈥檚 happening there?

South Africa is a real boom construction industry at the moment. There are huge projects to get involved with such as a new train route linking Johannesburg to the airport and Pretoria, football stadiums for the World Cup in 2010 and lots of mining projects. There are huge opportunities, and the country is desperate for professionals in the construction industry, especially in project management.