There is a moment in every long story when you stop and ask: how did we get here?
For KAEFER South Africa, that moment has arrived in the form of a milestone: fifty years. Half a century of showing up, adapting, and growing in a country that has never made anything easy, and has never stopped being worth it.
We sat down with Jayson Cleaver, Managing Director; Rosta Mahlaba, Finance and Admin Director; and Diaan Roode, General Manager Business Development and Strategy. We asked them about the past, the present, and what comes next. Here is what they had to say.
A courageous beginning
There is a youthful exuberance beneath our skin. That is how Jayson Cleaver describes KAEFER South Africa at fifty. Not bad for a company that has been around long enough to have seen it all. “We are always trying to do better, be more professional, live our values. Today we are excited about the future.”
That excitement has roots stretching back to 1976, when KAEFER made the bold decision to establish a presence in South Africa. The move was driven by the team around Ralf Koch, one of KAEFER’s owners and leaders, who had been building KAEFER into a specialist force across heat, cold, sound and fire protection in some of Europe’s most demanding industrial environments. Expanding into South Africa was a collective act of courage.
“Mr Koch and the other founders were no doubt courageous. At the time South Africa was in the midst of its own industrial revolution and there was a need for specialist insulation. KAEFER responded, and what was an isolated opportunity turned into something that I am sure they would have been very proud of and never could have imagined. From a few hands to thousands, from one service to more than four. Ever growing, it’s a great story,” Jayson reflects.
Behind the growth numbers, there are people and communities whose stories are just as much a part of this company as any contract or acquisition.
Adaptation: a key to success
Every company has some defining moments. For KAEFER South Africa, one of them came in the late 1990s.
“The acquisition of Murray and Roberts’ insulation business was a masterstroke,” Jayson says. “It made everything today possible. Like the founding moment, a touch of courage truly put KAEFER South Africa on a path to success.”
Rosta Mahlaba has seen the numbers across many of those years. Her take is less about any single milestone and more about the pattern behind them. “What still impresses me is not one specific number, but how the business managed to grow and remain resilient through very different economic cycles and industry challenges. When I look back, I see a business that continuously adapted, evolved and kept moving forward. And that tells a powerful story.“
The stacking effect
Diaan has spent years thinking about what it actually takes to win work in South Africa. He puts it plainly.
“In most KAEFER markets, the sales question is: can you do the job better than the competition? In South Africa, the sales question is: can you do the job better than the competition, while being transformation-compliant, CIDB-registered, locally structured, community-engaged, financially resilient enough to survive potential payment delays, operationally robust enough to handle infrastructure stress, and trusted enough in a relationship-first culture?”
No single one of those factors would be a dealbreaker on its own. It is the combination that makes this market what it is.
“The stacking effect is what makes South Africa unique. No single challenge is necessarily insurmountable. But facing all of them simultaneously, on every contract, every project, every year. That is what separates this market from virtually anywhere else KAEFER operates in the world.”
For Rosta, working through that environment has sharpened something important.
“It has taught me that resilience is the ability to remain steady, disciplined and solution-driven in an environment of constant change. South Africa sharpens your ability to lead with agility, integrity and long-term perspective under pressure.”
What South Africa gave KAEFER. What KAEFER gave South Africa.
For Jayson, the relationship between KAEFER and South Africa runs deeper than business. “We are as much a part of the South Africa story as it is of ours. Our soft spot remains education. Giving back to the communities that help us every day is our commitment. We make a difference in so many lives. It is a great thing to be a part of.”
When asked to name one thing that South Africa has given KAEFER, and one thing KAEFER has given South Africa, he does not hesitate.
“South Africa has given KAEFER adaptability. KAEFER has given South Africa lasting value, through developing people, transferring skills, creating opportunities and building careers that contribute to the business’s and country’s long-term growth. We are a reasonably large employer, so key in helping move the dial on one of South Africa’s biggest challenges.”
The person who thrives here
So what kind of person actually does well at KAEFER South Africa? Diaan has a clear answer. “The person who thrives here is someone who can hold world-class standards in one hand and South African complexity in the other, without dropping either.”
But it is the people who surprise him that he finds most interesting.
“The people who surprise me most are the ones who do not look like traditional contractors at all. The person who genuinely loves and believes in this diverse and challenging country. The problem solver. The team player. They often turn out to be our most indispensable people.”
For Rosta, culture extends into how finance is perceived within the business. “I always remind my team that finance exists to add value and help the business grow. You cannot achieve that by simply saying no. Our role is to provide clarity, manage risk responsibly and help the business find the right way forward.”
For Jayson the way the people smile confirms what we all know, working at KAEFER is just different.
A first flight, and what it meant
The proudest personal moment question came with a caveat: no corporate answers allowed.
Rosta’s answer has nothing to do with a project or a financial result.
“Honestly, it was flying overseas for the first time through KAEFER to attend a meeting in Germany in 2011. Coming from where I come from, that moment felt bigger than just travel. It represented growth, trust, opportunity and the realisation that hard work can truly change your world.”
The real measure of a company is not just what it builds, but what it makes possible for the people inside it.
Right now
Diaan sees real movement in the market.
“There is a real sense that the market is turning. Energy projects that have been in planning for many years are moving. Mining is reinvesting. Clients who have been deferring maintenance for years are starting to spend again. KAEFER right at the heart of where that demand is building. My job is to make sure we are the name they think of first when it does.”
Rosta puts the financial picture in context.
“We have experienced both significant milestones and challenges over the years, but those experiences have strengthened us. Today, we are more focused, adaptable and forward-looking.”
For Jayson, when asked what will keep him up tonight and get him up tomorrow. “The safety of our people is always front of mind. We work in risky environments and our people’s wellbeing must be our priority. On this other side it’s the opportunity that every day holds that gets me going, every day is a gift to grow the business and oneself.”
The next fifty: mining, people, and a message to the future
So what does the next chapter look like? Diaan has a clear view on where the biggest opportunity lies.
“Mining. It still contributes around six to seven percent of GDP, directly employs nearly half a million people, and still attracts significant investment. Mining is not a legacy sector. It is still the heartbeat of this economy. The energy transition is real and I believe in it, but it is a long play. Mining is the immediate opportunity where KAEFER’s services land directly, and we have a lot of scope to grow.”
For Rosta, the answer comes down to two things working together.
“Strong systems are important, but ultimately it is empowered, adaptable people who drive sustainable growth. The future is about building agile teams, strengthening leadership capability and embracing smarter, technology-driven ways of working.”
And Jayson, asked to write a message to the person who will sit in his chair in twenty-five years, keeps it short.
“Stay grounded. Look after your people. And be steadfast in principle.”
Fifty years. And counting.
KAEFER South Africa at fifty is a business that has earned its place in one of the world’s most complex and rewarding markets, not by avoiding difficulty, but by meeting it with adaptability, integrity, and a team of people who, by all accounts, smile more than most.
The founders who planted a KAEFER flag in South Africa half a century ago could not have imagined what it would become. Fifty years on, the people running this business are not spending much time looking back. There is a future to build.
Note: Written by humans – with a little help from GenAI. This article combines human understanding and intelligent digital tools to bring KAEFER stories to life.