A synonym for boon is blessing – and it is this conscious appreciation of opportunities that resonates through Boon Africa, not only among its staff, but the communities the company services. Offering a niche mix of logistics, tax in Africa, construction (civil and building) as well as B-BBEE consultation, Boon Africa is on an exciting trajectory. We spoke to CEO Muhammadh S Amod to find out about their journey, offerings and bright future.
“Boon is a relatively young company in that we started in 2017; however, the combined experience of the team amounts to 35 years and in two years we have already achieved more than R30-million turnover.
“The nominations for a number of awards in three different categories, ranging from achieving excellence in young executive entrepreneurship to infrastructure and community development, correlates beautifully with our vision of creating a balance between making a profit and giving back to the community.”
“Our sector is missing young, vibrant individuals who are willing to provide an unsurpassed experiential perspective. I grew up in Chatsworth so I have a personal appreciation for the immensely positive impact that infrastructure development provides for community.”
The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) is a national body that was established to oversee the sustainability and growth of construction in South Africa. A CIDB grade is determined by the contractor’s financial and technical capability.
The highest grade possible is 9 (currently only 178 companies have reached this pinnacle) and after only two years Boon has reached grade 7, with every intention of attaining grade 9 avidly and as soon as possible.
BOON AFRICA PROJECTS
• Manenburg upgrade and regeneration in 2017 – exceeding the CPG target by 600% utilising local content (workers and companies)
• Limpopo access road
• Houghton Residential Apartments
• Gugulethu low cost housing project – 200 houses
TRANSFORMATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
“Transformation in our sector has not been robust; unfortunately there are loopholes in the B-BBEE codes of good practice, hence, many technicalities are used to get away with counterproductive fronting, which in turn means the realisation of true transformation is being hampered.
“The five biggest companies in South Africa have a 1-5 rating. But overall the sector is moving – and the trend is certainly positive”.
What message do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
“Identify a niche in your market of choice and prudently service that market with excellence that is unparalleled and with technique that transcends mediocrity”.