Rail and infrastructure concrete products manufacturer Colossal Concrete Products pays tribute to rail industry stalwart and former team member, the late Kobus Burger, whose remarkable career, innovative spirit and unwavering passion for rail and infrastructure engineering left an indelible mark on South Africa’s rail and infrastructure sectors.
“Kobus was much more than a technical and strategic consultant: he was an innovative designer, a mentor and a driving force behind many of the products which have shaped modern rail transport in Southern Africa. His pioneering work on the Gautrain project and development of the universal concrete sleeper and InfraBolt, won him the prestigious Fulton Award in 2007 as well as several others. He also helped to develop innovative project factories to service rail projects in far-flung rural areas. These all stand among his most celebrated achievements, transforming the way in which rail systems are built and maintained across the country,” explains Chief Executive Officer Gwen Mahuma-Madida.
Four decades of excellence
With a career spanning more than four decades, Kobus brought together deep technical expertise and visionary thinking. He played a leading role in replacing timber sleepers with modern concrete solutions – improving safety, durability, and efficiency across South Africa’s rail network. From the Infrabolt and transition beams to the low-profile sleeper designed for tunnels, his innovations have helped to lay the foundations for a new era in rail engineering,” adds Chief Operations Officer Mmapitso Kiewiet.
Recognised for his exceptional contributions, Kobus was awarded the Concrete Achiever of the Year by the Concrete Society of South Africa in 2009 for various projects he developed for the Gautrain. Yet, despite his many accolades, he remained a humble and generous professional: someone who led not through title, but through quiet authority, patience, and passion for progress.
“He was more than a colleague,” Kiewiet explains. “His innovative insight and integrity guided our technical excellence, and his mentorship shaped many careers in the rail sector. We will always remember his dedication and his ability to see solutions and turn them into reality.”
An inspirational force
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Kobus will be remembered as a kind, thoughtful and principled man with a steadying presence, who believed in hard work, collaboration and purpose. He also had an excellent sense of humour. His legacy will live on – not only in the infrastructure he helped to build, but also in the hearts of the many people he inspired along the way.
To his family, friends and colleagues, the Colossal Concrete Products team extends heartfelt condolences and gratitude for sharing him with the industry he loved so deeply.
“As South Africa’s rail and infrastructure sector continues to evolve and rebuild, the spirit of Kobus Burger will remain at its core, reminding all who follow in his footsteps that progress begins with curiosity, courage, and a commitment to building something which lasts,” Mahuma-Madida concludes.
Crazy Rox
Patrice Motsepe – After a successful career as a lawyer at Bowman Gilfillan, Motsepe founded ARM (African Rainbow Minerals) in 1997 and turned it into one of the largest mining and mineral groups in the world. He has since diversified into a number of other key sectors. Motsepe is ranked as South Africa’s fifth richest person, with a fortune exceeding R1.3 billion in 2017. In December he invested in a $1-billion fund as part of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, launched by Bill Gates.