At a Glance
- Mukona Group expands geotechnical services with Mega Pile acquisition across Southern Africa.
- Deal boosts infrastructure capacity amid rising demand for transport, energy and urban development projects.
- Mega Pile retains leadership as combined group strengthens regional engineering footprint and B-BBEE rating.
Mukona Group has acquired Mega Pile, a South African company known for geotechnical investigations, piling and lateral support, in a move aimed at building a full-service geotechnical provider for Southern Africa.
The deal brings together two firms that have worked across the region and gives clients a single point of access for site investigations, drilling, lab testing, design and foundation work.
Solly Phalanndwa, Mukona’s managing director and founder, said the combination broadens what the two companies can offer at a time when governments and private developers are stepping up spending on transport links, energy projects and urban developments.
“By joining our teams and equipment, we can provide sound, cost-effective foundation solutions for projects such as bridges, basements, renewable energy sites and commercial builds,” he said.
Growing regional footprint
Mukona and Mega Pile already operate across South Africa and are expanding into Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Wayne van Houten, Mukona’s financial director, said demand for reliable ground engineering has risen steadily, particularly as regional infrastructure plans move from concept to construction.
“Clients will see consistent service, backed by shared resources and technical depth,” he said, noting the group’s four business units: Mukona Consulting Engineers, Mukona Geotechnics, Mukona In-Situ and Mega Pile.
Mega Pile will keep its name and leadership structure, with John Oliver staying on as chief operating officer to ensure day-to-day continuity.
Oliver said the partnership strengthens Mega Pile’s market position while giving it access to broader technical support.
He added that the merger has lifted Mega Pile to Level 1 on South Africa’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment scale.
“We remain committed to the quality and client support that built our business and look forward to exploring new opportunities together,” he said.
Future plans and leadership
Both firms will continue operating independently while collaborating more closely on design, testing and project execution.
Phalanndwa said the group is considering an in-house laboratory for soil and material testing to improve turnaround times and accuracy.
“This acquisition allows us to deliver integrated, trusted solutions across Southern Africa as the infrastructure market grows,” he said.
Mukona Group specializes in geotechnical and tailings engineering, offering full project support from early-stage investigations to completion.
Phalanndwa, with 27 years in civil engineering, has built the company around practical field experience and a focus on reliability — qualities that continue to shape the group’s expansion.
