Global Construction Management (Pty) Ltd (GLOBAL)was approached to look into the condition of the tower and bell structure at the above church. After thorough inspection and engineer visits, it was determined that the structure was unsafe and that the tower and the inside structure supporting the tower had to be replaced. Our team started the costing and research process and after careful consideration, GLOBAL was selected to remove the old tower and structure and replace it with a new smaller tower and cross, with the bell to be preserved and placed back inside the new structure. The process started with the manufacturing of the new tower, the cross and the louvres straight after that. Insurance was secured and a 50 ton, as well as a 20 ton crane was secured as part of the operation.
Day1:
At 6 o clock on 26/06/2017 the historical process started, 58 years after the tower was built. The 50 ton crane was utilised to hold the old tower in place while it was cut into three pieces by the GLOBAL crew. The 20 ton crane was utilised to move the crew around the tower in a cradle. The first two pieces was the smaller ones and brought down first. The third and last piece of the tower, which also contained the bell was brought down last and very gently placed on the ground for the bell to be removed. The bell was removed and cleaned by our crew and placed into the new tower structure, which was then lifted as a unit and fixed on top of the church roof.
Day 2 and 3:
The galvanized louvres was lifted one by one and fixed on the new tower, which was already secured to the roof. The last louvre had the trapdoor for access to the bell and inside of the tower. Once all four louvres was secured, the galvanized and luminescent painted cross of three meters tall, was placed on top of the new structure! Day three was used to fix the motor and finalize all electrical connections to the bell. At three o’clock on day three the bell was in full working order and was once again dutifully announcing the start of services again, Wednesday, 28/06/2017, well done to the GLOBAL crew for a rigorous and complicated task, successfully executed in three days!