Published: 21-Jul-2026
Modular buildings provided as mine goes underground
Optimal onsite accommodation Waco Modular completed a project for a South African platinum group metals and chrome producer’s Marikana operation in February 2026
In February this year, building solutions company Waco Modular completed a modular building solutions project for a South African platinum group metals and chrome concentrate producer’s opencast operation in Marikana, north-west of Gauteng.
Having provided buildings for the mine in the past, Waco Modular was tasked with the supply of new solutions to accommodate the mine’s transition to underground operations, highlights Rustenburg branch manager Bongani Ngwane.
“With the underground expansion, the [mine] will require additional infrastructure to accommodate about 45 people . . . they required office space for the project teams and engineers, as well as ablution facilities to support the growing workforce,” he says.
The project entailed delivering eight 9 m2 guardhouses, with a worktop and ablution facilities inside, an 84 m2 building for additional office space, five 18 m2 modular buildings and several modular ablution facility buildings.
Before supplying and installing any modular units or office trailers, Waco Modular conducts thorough site inspections to analyse the scope for the client to ensure that the most suitable solution and the best location to install the buildings is selected. These factors are aligned to a client’s respective mining operation. Thereafter, proposals and quotations are supplied.
Once a purchase order is received, Waco Modular issues a safety file to the client to facilitate alignment with any mining health and safety standards.
The company’s modular building solutions meet various safety standard requirements, including ISO 9001:2015 for quality management, and ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018 for health and safety.
Manufacturing and delivery timelines are then communicated to a client.
Innovative Office Trailers
Waco Modular also offers office trailers as mobile workspaces.
While a standard modular building needs to be hoisted onto a truck before it can be relocated, Ngwane says the trailer office solution simply requires connecting the trailer to a bakkie and driving the small office to its next location.
“This innovation will work perfectly for mining operations, blasting sites, drilling sites and anything mining related, where mobility is a priority,” he notes.
Waco Modular also offers product customisation, aftermarket services and maintenance solutions.
“Waco Modular is a true ‘one-stop shop’. What sets us apart is the ability to deliver fully integrated solutions, so clients can rely on us as a single point of contact for all modular structure needs, whether it’s additional equipment or customisation,” he concludes.