Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and a warm welcome to our Results webinar for the year ended February 28, 2025. My name is Felicia Msiza, I am the Chief Executive Officer of the Raubex Group. With me in the room is Dirk Lourens, our COO; Samuel Odendaal, our FD; and Grace Chemaly, our company secretary and legal advisor. I have the pleasure of welcoming you to the webinar today. The structure of our presentation today is as follows: I will take you through the first part of our presentation, which will look at the year in review. I will then hand over to Samuel Odendaal, who will provide insights into the financial overview; then Dirk Lourens, who will delve into operational aspects. I will then come back to share the company's outlook and strategy.
Raubex remains one of South Africa's leading infrastructure development and construction materials supply groups, operating for over 50 years. Let's look at the year in review. We are proud to present the results for the year ended 28 February 2025. Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions across the globe and the many local challenges we are all so familiar with, Raubex prevailed to deliver another robust set of results.
The group's diversification strategy has undoubtedly been a cornerstone in propelling the group's exceptional performance over the past five decades. The performance for the financial year 2025 shows a solid set of results across three out of our four divisions, with ZAR 2.5 billion generated from operations, marked by an improvement in the headline earnings per share. We continued to focus on operational efficiencies in all divisions. Operations in Western Australia continue to thrive with their consistent performance.
The construction materials division had a stellar performance and enhanced its performance during the year. This was cemented by a strong balance sheet, a healthy cash balance throughout the year, and a solid order book of ZAR 28.18 billion compared to ZAR 25.5 billion in the previous reporting period. The order book increased by a pleasing 10.3%. Tender activities remained stable throughout the group, which has allowed us to be selective on opportunities. We have experienced awards in all divisions. On that note, I will now hand over to Sam Odendaal, who will take you through the financial overview. Sam?
Thank you, Felicia. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Just from my side as well, I'm very pleased to present the financial highlights from our group's set of results for the year ending 28 February 2025. When we look at the group financial highlights, revenue increased 21% to ZAR 21 billion. Operating profit increased slightly to ZAR 1.56 billion. Headline earnings per share increased to ZAR 5.998 per share.
We generated good cash from our operations of ZAR 2.51 billion, up 31.8%. Capital expenditure decreased to ZAR 1.35 billion, and our order book is currently at record levels of just over ZAR 28 billion. The group's operating profit margin is down 7.4%. The chrome price impacted this margin quite a bit. We declared a final dividend of ZAR 1.04 per share to bring the total dividend declared for the financial year to ZAR 1.98 per share. Our return on capital employed is 15.4%.
Looking at a summary of the income statement, we did look at revenue, operating profit, and margin. Included in operating profit is a recovery from old Zambia debt of ZAR 68 million. Our net finance cost decreased by 50% to ZAR 32 million. Profit after tax is at similar levels as the previous year. The effective tax rate is up to 29.8%.
The biggest reason for the increase is that the corporate tax rate in other jurisdictions where we operate is higher, and we generated good profits from these jurisdictions. It was mainly from Australia and Namibia, and that impact is almost 1.5%. We also had a cash loss in Roadmac Australia, our new startup, where we did not recognize deferred tax assets. We also paid withholding tax on dividends received from other countries, and the corporate tax rate for last year was also quite low at 27.1%.
A more normalized tax rate going forward will be around 28.5%. There was a loss to non-controlling interest of ZAR 13 million. Last year, it was a profit of ZAR 226 million. The minority interest is mostly impacted by the Australia performance and also Baobab Resources. Although Australia performed well, the loss at Baobab pushed the non-controlling interest negative.
Even though profits before tax are in line with that of the previous year, the non-controlling interest is much less this year, resulting in earnings per share and headline earnings per share to be up over 25%. If we look at the segmental analysis, that's the makeup of the revenue and the operating profit per division as a percentage of total revenue and operating profit for the group. On the revenue side, the bigger wheel is the current reporting period compared to the smaller wheel for the comparative period.
There was a similar contribution in the materials handling and mining division of 23% of the group's turnover. The construction materials division's contribution is slightly lower at 13% compared to the 14% in the previous year. This division did more work for companies in the group, which is eliminated on consolidation. Revenue in the roads and earthworks division is making up 32% of the group's turnover, and the infrastructure division revenue contribution increased slightly to 32% of the group's turnover.
In summary, the contributions by each division were in line with that of last year, with an increase in total revenue from ZAR 17.4 billion- ZAR 21 billion. If we move over to the operating profit distribution, it was an excellent contribution by three of the four divisions. If we start with the construction materials division, the construction materials division's contribution increased significantly from 7%- 18%.
The biggest reason for the increase was because of the improved results from our asphalt operations. We are done with the restructuring process in KZN, and operations are performing well. Volumes also increased in both our asphalt and bitumen operations, resulting in improved margins. Operating profit contribution in the roads and earthworks division also increased from 22- 38%. All the projects in this division are performing well, with a big focus on execution.
The infrastructure division contributed 39% to the group's total operating profit, with the biggest contribution in this division coming from the Australian operations. Looking at the materials handling and mining division, operating profit contribution decreased from 38%- 5%. Except for Baobab, all other operations in the materials handling and mining division performed very well during the year. It was a year of two halves for Baobab.
At Kookfontein Mine, we were in a ramp-up phase during the first six months to achieve targeted production and yields, and at Moeijelijk, we had a change in the underground miner at the beginning of the year and also various other challenges during the year. Both mines were heavily impacted by the drop in the chrome price during the second half of the year. Overall, we're very happy with the performance to keep operating profit in line with that of last year, despite the losses at Baobab. This just, again, shows the importance and the value of our well-diversified portfolio. Moving to the geographical segment analysis, looking at turnover again first, the South African operations contributed 78% to the group's turnover. Revenue in the rest of Africa, again, making up 6% of the group's turnover.
In Australia, revenue increased slightly, but because of the group increased turnover, the revenue contribution is at 16%. If we look at the operating profit contribution, South African operations contributed 62% to the group's operating profit. The rest of Africa contribution increased to 18%. Biggest contributors to the rest of Africa operating profit are the Namdeb project in Namibia and the Bela Bela quarry operations in Botswana.
The Australian operations are contributing a healthy 20% to the group's operating profit. If we look at the group's performance over the last five years, turnover grew from ZAR 8.8 billion in 2021 to the current revenue of ZAR 21 billion, with substantial growth over the last three years. Operating profit was as low as ZAR 364 million in 2021 and grew over the last few years to just over ZAR 1.5 billion rand.
That's a compounded annual growth rate of 26.5% over the last five years. The infrastructure division had a steady profit contribution over the last three to four years, and the roads and earthworks division's operating profit increased drastically since 2021. It is also encouraging to see the increase in the contribution by the construction materials division from 2024- 2025. Together with the roads division, it's replacing a big portion of the reduced contribution by the materials handling and mining division. Despite the loss at Baobab, the materials handling and mining division still ended up contributing positively to the group's operating profit, with the rest of that division performing very well. The group is also generating strong cash from operations, up to ZAR 2.5 billion for this financial year.
If you look at the earnings growth, it's in line with that of operating profit growth, and the group is consistently paying out dividends every year. Management is a big drive to improve on the capital they employ, and the return on capital employed increased from 5.8% in 2021 to 16.5% in 2024 and now slightly down to 15.4%. That's a compounded annual growth rate of almost 15% over the last five years. The chrome price increased substantially since year-end, and that will assist with increasing the return on capital employed again in the 2026 financial year. What is evident looking at our track record is the importance of our diversification strategy. The group keeps on evolving, and through the diversification strategy, we keep on performing consistently. The group still has a strong balance sheet.
The result is that we have enough available facilities in place to participate and to capitalize on new opportunities. This is a summary of the statement of financial position. I'm not going to go into too much detail. Biggest assets are the property, plant, and equipment. It increased 19.1% to ZAR 5.58 billion. The big movements in investment property, rights of use assets, other financial assets, borrowings, and lease liabilities all have to do with a transaction where we reacquired our property portfolio.
All the properties in a BEE transaction and signed a lease agreement to lease the properties back up to 2032. The buyers at the time approached us to buy back the properties, so we did buy back and regain full control of the underlying properties. And this transaction affected all those line items that I've mentioned. Cash and cash equivalents grew to ZAR 2.16 billion.
We will look at the cash flow summary in a later slide. And with the increasing property, plant, and equipment borrowings also increased by 32.2%, our debt-to-equity ratio is still at acceptable levels around 31%. Contract liabilities increased 65% to ZAR 1.36 billion for the year, included in there is a number of advance payments, and the group's net asset value per share is at ZAR 36.69. The group's CapEx spend reached a peak in 2024. A big portion of the spend was on expansion CapEx, mostly spent at Baobab and also our Namdeb project in Namibia. A portion of the 2025 CapEx spend was also for expansion at these two operations and also our new surface dressing operation in Australia. Most of that spend is now complete, and expansion CapEx will reduce substantially in the 2026 financial year.
The benefit of this spend should result in improved profitability going forward. A big focus in the group is now to reduce the CapEx spend, and we believe the downtrend will continue in 2026. The below graph indicates the CapEx spend per division. The majority of the group's CapEx spend is in the materials handling and mining division. The other divisions are not that capital intensive. The roads division was awarded the big SANRAL project on the N2 that will require expansion CapEx. It's mostly concrete paving equipment in order to execute during the 2026 financial year. That's the reason for the increased spend in the roads division for 2026. As mentioned in the balance sheet commentary, the cash increased from ZAR 1.67 billion- ZAR 2.12 billion.
Management is a big focus on cash management and cash generation, and we've done well improving the cash to the current levels. This slide just indicates the major cash inflows and outflows. We've had strong cash generation from operations of ZAR 2.32 billion before working capital movements. Net working capital inflows were ZAR 137 million with outflows in inventory, debtors and contract assets and inflows in payables and contract liabilities.
The group paid tax of ZAR 500 million, and the biggest cash outflow was from investing activities. It was an outflow of ZAR 1.3 billion, and this includes replacement and expansion CapEx requirements of the group. Net borrowings were an inflow of ZAR 351 million, and we also paid dividends of ZAR 433 million, which brings us to the healthy closing cash balance of ZAR 2.12 billion. The group will declare a final dividend of ZAR 1.04 per share.
The interim dividend was a dividend of ZAR 0.94, bringing the total dividend for the year to ZAR 1.98 per share. This is in line with our normal three-times dividend cover policy, and below is just the relevant dates for the dividend payments. I will now hand you over to Dirk Lourens to take you through the operational overview.
Thanks, Felicia and Sam. The operational overview highlights the core activities that drive Raubex's success. This section will provide insights into how the different companies within the group are performing, as well as the impact of these operations on our overall performance. This slide illustrates the comprehensive structure of the divisions within the group. Each division plays a critical role in our overall strategy of being a fully diversified construction group.
The roads and earthworks division provides the full integrated cycle of building a road from the initial earthworks, including the building of bridges, crushing of road materials, to the final road surfacing and road painting. The construction materials division focuses on the manufacture and supply of construction materials like bitumen and asphalt, as well as commercial aggregates for the construction and building industry.
The materials handling and mining division specializes in the mining of several commodities like gypsum, bentonite, chrome, coal, manganese, and iron ore, to name a few. This division also has a strong presence in the commercial contract crushing and screening market. The infrastructure division is involved in housing developments, commercial buildings, stormwater drainage, telecommunications, water infrastructure, and electricity projects, including renewable energy.
Starting with the materials handling and mining division, you will observe a notable revenue increase of 20.1% compared to the previous financial year, despite the significant pressure on chrome prices during the second half of the year. The revenue boost was attributed to the sale of chrome concentrate as opposed to only selling run-of-mine in previous years. The order book is down from ZAR 5 billion- ZAR 3.74 billion. The sharp decline in operating profit by 86.2% to only ZAR 80.7 million highlights the devastating effect of the low chrome price during the second half. If you can recall, at half-year, when the chrome price was still very favorable, this division's operating profit was already at ZAR 222 million, well on track to meet their budget for the year.
On a more positive note, the other businesses in this division performed very well, and we had a significant decrease in our CapEx spend for this year, down to ZAR 682 million from a previous year's spend of ZAR 1.3 billion. The big decline in CapEx spend was that the 2024 financial year included the chrome ore crushing and processing plant at Kookfontein, as well as a big portion of the yellow metal for the Namdeb project.
In addition to the volatile commodity prices, you will notice one theme standing out throughout the presentation, namely the negative impact of the adverse weather conditions that prevailed during January to March 2025. Despite these hurdles, the other operations within this division manage solid to excellent results, offsetting the impact of Baobab's results. B&E International continued to perform above expectations.
The flagship Namdeb contract is progressing exceptionally well and is ahead of schedule. The excessive rain during the fourth quarter did however negatively impact overall production. Additionally, the slowdown in the Hotazel SANRAL-related crushing and screening work during the second half of the year negatively impacted the numbers. However, they managed to successfully replace this work with securing contracts in the iron ore and manganese sectors.
At SPH Kundalila, the cost-cutting and restructuring measures implemented in the first half of the year started to pay dividends in the second half. Despite these positive changes, severe weather conditions and train delays, especially in the port of Saldanha, continue to negatively impact their operations. OMV delivered robust results despite heavy rains affecting the gypsum and bentonite businesses. The outlook for the industrial mineral sector remains positive for the new year. Next up, we look at Baobab Resources.
They experience a positive revenue contributions from the efficient operation of their chrome ore processing plant and selling of chrome ore concentrate. Remember, as I've mentioned in the previous years, we only sold run-of-mine from Kookfontein. The demand for chrome ore remained high throughout the year, but the price decline, together with the currency fluctuations experienced during the second half of the year, has had a devastating effect on their profitability.
The business also faced some operational challenges during the year. At Moeijelijk Mine, in line with our safe mining methodology, we had to appoint a new underground mining contractor with greater experience in bord and pillar mining. The initial startup phase and changeover took longer than expected, resulting in a very low production output when the chrome price was still very favorable.
Just as we managed to reach full production in the second half of the year, both the chrome price and exchange rate turned against us. At Kookfontein Mine, we experienced the same scenario during the first half of the year. While we were still busy ironing out teething problems at the chrome ore processing plant, the price was very favorable, and once we resolved the issues and were running at full production, the tide turned against us.
Luckily, there are some positive outcomes during this second tough half. Although we faced numerous headwinds this past year, we made good progress on reducing and streamlining our cost structures and increasing our productivity, grades, and yields. With the chrome price back to more favorable levels, the outlook for the next financial year is positive. Let's look at the numbers.
Revenue has increased 12% from ZAR 2.33 billion- ZAR 2.61 billion. The total operating loss of ZAR 235.8 million, down 166% from an operating profit of ZAR 356.8 million in the previous financial year. EBITDA decreased to a negative ZAR 78.8 million, down by 115.5% from a positive ZAR 508.4 million in the previous period. The average rand-dollar exchange rate for the year was slightly down from 18.68 to 18.28 rand. The net grade price CIF China varied between a minimum of $202.5-$325 per ton during the year, of which the biggest impact was during the second half of the year. Total production increased by 13% to 1.87 million tons from 1.66 million tons in the previous year.
Total run-of-mine tons sold decreased significantly by 96% down from 967,000 tons to only 40,000 tons, but in relation to this, the total tons concentrate sold increased by 128.3% from 360,000 tons to 823,000 tons. Capital expenditure decreased by 34.4% from ZAR 743 million- ZAR 481 million. As a result of the fact that the two chrome mines are two completely different mining operations, Kookfontein being a hard rock open pit mine opposed to Moeijelijk being an underground operation, we deemed it necessary to show the results for these two mines separately to provide you with better context. First off, we look at Moeijelijk Mine.
Revenue has increased by 4.2% from ZAR 898 million- ZAR 935.7 million. An operating loss of ZAR 245.3 million resulted in a 26.2% net operating loss margin for the year from a break-even in the previous financial year. EBITDA is down by 314.8% to a loss of ZAR 177.2 million from a profit of ZAR 82.5 million in the previous period. Capital expenditure is down by 87% from ZAR 220 million in the previous period to only ZAR 28.7 million.
Total production increased by 35% to 339,000 tons from 251,000 tons in the previous period. Total tons concentrate sold decreased by 28.2% from 312,000 tons- 224,000 tons. Moving to the Kookfontein Mines performance, revenue increased by 16% from ZAR 1.44 billion- ZAR 1.67 billion. Profit decreased from ZAR 354 million to a loss of ZAR 5 million. This resulted in a 0.3% net operating loss margin for the year from an operating profit margin of 24.6% in the previous financial year. EBITDA is down by 81.5% to ZAR 77 million from a previous ZAR 415 million.
Capital expenditure is down by 13.1% from ZAR 514 million in the previous year to ZAR 446.6 million. Total production increased by 8.5% to 1.53 million tons from 1.41 million tons in the previous year. Total run-of-mine tons sold decreased by 95.4% to only 40,000 tons from 868,000 tons in the previous period. Total tons chrome ore concentrate sold increased by 305% from 148,000 tons sold to 600,000 tons sold during this year.
The big difference between the volume sold for run-of-mine and concentrate during the year was the fact that we were producing and selling concentrate through our own processing plant. The small volume of run-of-mine was just part of a previous year's run-of-mine contract that went over year-end. The construction materials division showed promising growth during the year under review with a significant increase in both revenue and operating profit.
This success is largely attributed to a strong order book and effective project execution. The division has also gained good momentum to capitalize on future opportunities. Revenue increased by 10.6% to ZAR 2.678 billion from ZAR 2.421 billion in the previous period. Operating profit increased by 147.1% to ZAR 284.2 million from ZAR 115 million in the previous year. The operating profit margin also increased to a pleasing 10.6% from 4.8% in the prior year. The order book is in line with the previous year at ZAR 1.74 billion. CapEx spend is up from ZAR 130 million in the previous period to ZAR 176.9 million in this period, mainly due to the construction of the newly built sand and processing plant at Rossway Quarry.
Focusing on the aggregates segment within the construction materials division, one of the largest contributors towards the improved numbers was the increase in post-election volumes as well as the positive impact of the Transnet ballast supply contracts. Our Butterworth quarry in the Eastern Cape did exceptionally well backed by major road contracts in the region. However, they experienced the same effect of the heavy rains during January and February 2025 that impacted their operations negatively. Raumix, through all of their operations, produced an average of about 5.7 million tons of aggregates per year. The performance at Bela Bela commercial quarry near Gaborone in Botswana was boosted by the heightened activity driven by this being an election year in Botswana. The asphalt and bitumen segments are performing above expectations with volumes last seen in 2018.
The restructuring and change in the management at both the asphalt and bitumen businesses have been yielding positive results in profitability, efficiency, as well as reducing the operating cost base. The supply of asphalt to the N2 and N3 SANRAL projects in KZN is proceeding smoothly. This is a good example of how National Asphalt benefited from its ability to establish and operate mobile plants nationwide. Asphalt volumes exceeded 1 million tons for the first time since 2018.
All indications are that the bitumen importation market has stabilized with a consistent supply of quality imported bitumen into South Africa. We believe that this might be the year South Africa will become a 100% importer of bitumen. We continue to benefit from the stability created by our own effective procurement processes and the efficient use of our own storage facilities nationwide.
Bitumen sales volumes reached nearly 100,000 tons for the year, the second highest since the 111,000 tons we sold in 2018. Next up, we look at the roads and earthworks division. They have shown impressive growth with significant increase in both revenue and operating profit. The success of this division is attributed to the effective execution of their increased order book.
The division reported strong results with revenue increasing by 20% to ZAR 6.8 billion from ZAR 5.66 billion in the previous period. Management is pleased with the order book increase from ZAR 10.16 billion- ZAR 13.61 billion. Operating profit increased by 77.1% to ZAR 587.2 million from ZAR 331.5 million in the previous period. With the operating profit margin similarly increasing to 8.5% from 5.8% in the previous year. The operating profit margin exceeded management's medium-term target range of between 6% and 7%.
CapEx is up by 24.3% to ZAR 204.3 million from the previous year's total CapEx spend of ZAR 164.4 million, mainly on the back of the increase in revenue. Continue with the roads and earthworks division. The primary reason for this stellar set of results is the emphasis placed by management on the successful execution of the order book. Major projects, particularly the KwaZulu-Natal N2 and N3 corridor upgrade, are performing exceptionally well.
The division is encouraged by increased tender activity in the general construction sector as well as the award of some notable roads contracts. Projects awarded by the Western Cape Provincial Government with a total value of ZAR 1.02 billion received the Bakwena N4 Rustenburg project valued at ZAR 1.3 billion. The TRAC N4 Crocodile River project valued at ZAR 2.2 billion. And the SANRAL N2 Bloemendal to Piet Retief project valued at ZAR 3.2 billion.
The construction of the Senqu River Bridge in Lesotho is also progressing as planned. With a significant number of potential tender awards still outstanding, this division is geared to benefit from the current momentum and continue to explore opportunities. The infrastructure division has demonstrated robust growth with significant increases in revenue and operating profit. However, there was a marginal decrease in the operating profit margin.
Revenue increased by 27.4% to ZAR 6.8 billion from ZAR 5.3 billion in the previous year. This increase is mainly attributable to the award of several renewable energy contracts in South Africa as well as Western Australia. Operating profit increased by 19.6% from ZAR 505.5 million- ZAR 604 million. With the operating profit margin decreasing slightly to 9% from a 9.5%, mainly due to the startup of the renewable energy projects during this year. The order book remained stable around ZAR 9 billion.
We incurred an increase in our CapEx spend from ZAR 177 million- ZAR 288 million due to the project-specific CapEx that was required under renewable energy projects. The financial achievements of the infrastructure division can be attributed to several key factors. Firstly, our performance has been bolstered by new contracts secured within South Africa as well as a solid set of results delivered by our operations in Western Australia.
These contracts have provided a strong foundation for our continued growth and success. The execution of the privately owned renewable energy projects has been performing in line with expectations. One of our flagship projects, the Potsdam Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cape Town, is performing exceptionally well and is on schedule. This project is a prime example of our ability to deliver high-quality and complex infrastructure solutions.
In addition, Raubex Building has recently been awarded a significant tender with ZAR 2.3 billion to repair and upgrade the Parliament Building in Cape Town following the devastating fire in 2022. This project underscores our capability to handle large-scale and high-profile commercial building construction. Our affordable housing projects continue to perform well, particularly in Stellenbosch, where the property market is being stimulated by interest rate cuts as well as a shortage of the specific product offering in the market.
The division's drive for growth is substantiated by a positive outlook towards 2026 with further anticipated awards in the water and renewable energy sectors. We look at the rest of Africa. The financial data for our international operations in the rest of Africa shows promising growth with increases in both revenue and operating profit. Revenue increased by 26.3% to ZAR 1.258 billion from ZAR 996.8 million in the previous year.
This increase is mainly attributable to the good performance of Bela Bela Quarry as well as the Namdeb and Senqu projects. Operating profit increased by 44.8% from ZAR 189.5 million- ZAR 274.4 million with the operating profit margin increasing to a solid 21.8% from 19% in the previous period. The order book has softened to ZAR 2.82 billion from ZAR 3.5 billion in the previous year.
The severe drop in CapEx spend from ZAR 281 million- ZAR 16 million for this year was mainly due because that all required CapEx for the Namdeb project was spent in the previous financial period. As mentioned in the previous slides, the quarry operations in Botswana thrived fueled by the increased spend due to the elections in this reporting period. The continuation of the O&M contract at the Beitbridge Border Post provides an ongoing stable revenue stream.
Progress on the Senqu River Bridge project is encouraging with only the completion of the launching of the bridge deck remaining. The Namdeb project is performing according to expectations and continues to contribute positively to the rest of Africa's profits. All indications are there that we could start operating our crushing operations in Mozambique very soon. Operations in Western Australia have been consistently strong with the revenue stable around the ZAR 3.4 billion mark. Revenue increased 3.4% from ZAR 3.32 billion- ZAR 3.43 billion. Our order book has also increased similarly to ZAR 1.74 billion from ZAR 1.58 billion in the previous period. Operating profit increased by 9.1% from ZAR 278.6 million- ZAR 304 million. Operating profit margin increased to 8.9% from 8.4% in the previous year.
The increase in CapEx spend from ZAR 145.2 million- ZAR 190 million was due to project-specific CapEx for the wind farm projects. Western Australia operations continue to demonstrate a strong performance and strategic growth through its secured order book. Westforce Construction continues to capitalize on their successes in the renewable energy space, having secured two additional wind farm projects in the second half of the year.
Roadmac Surfacing has been successfully resourced and is building a solid order book with long-term clients. Raubex Construction maintains its position as one of the key contractors for mine roads Western Australia. Construction activity in the Pilbara region remains buoyant with all three companies benefiting. The team continuously explores further infrastructure opportunities in the mining, telecommunications, as well as water sectors. In conclusion, the group's operations testify to a period of robust performance and strategic growth. The success of most of our operations is a testament to our collective efforts, innovative strategies, diversification, and unwavering commitment to excellence. Thank you, and I will now hand you back to Felicia to take you through the outlook and strategy.
Thank you, Dirk. I will now take you through our outlook and strategy, and then I will conclude. Looking at our order book, this slide provides a comprehensive overview of our order book, with the private sector remaining the largest contributor at 26.6% versus 34.9% in the previous year, followed by SANRAL at 26%, which remains flat.
Our concessionaire's order book has improved to an impressive 13.4%, which speaks to our strategy of diversifying our client base. The rest of Africa is at 10%, provincial at 8%, other parastatals at 7.7%, then Australia at 6.2%, and then municipalities. At the bottom of the slide there, you'll see that the timing of our order book goes beyond three years, which confirms a continued positive outlook for future work and revenue, reinforcing the importance of maintaining strong relationships with our clients across various sectors.
Order book timeline per customer, as I've just indicated in the previous slide, our order book extends beyond the next three years. The timeline per customer, including secured work for SANRAL, our private clients, international concessionaire, and provincial work, is at comfortable levels and allows us to be selective for the work we are tendering for. Our aim is being able to have a quality order book with improved margins.
Looking at our order book history, you can see the consistent growth of the group over the past seven years. I mean, considering the amount of work we tender on a daily basis. We come from an order book of around ZAR 8 billion in 2019, and we have grown it to above ZAR 28 billion with our client base remaining consistent, including our private clients, SANRAL, provincial, municipal, other parastatals, concessionaire, and Australia, and the rest of Africa.
Notably, the concessionaires' value has been highlighted to show their growth trajectory over the years, particularly the significant increase in recent years. This is in line with our market position and planning future strategies. The order book representing the customers per division, the materials handling and mining division, our client base is mostly private clients and international. Construction materials division is the same. With Roads and Earthworks division, SANRAL remains a key client, while we have grown our concessionaires' work, we still service provinces and municipalities. Then lastly, the infrastructure division, Australia has been a great contribution in this division, in fact, for the group. They are followed by private, other parastatals, municipal, and provincial clients.
When we look at the segmental analysis, you will see that Roads and Earthworks contribute 49% to the order book, followed by the infrastructure division at 32%, materials handling and mining at 13%, and then construction materials division at 6%. Let's now move over to our ESG strategy, starting with the B-BBEE rating in the construction sector. We proudly maintain a level one status, which reflects our commitment to transformation and inclusivity.
Training and development spending has increased by 32% to ZAR 46.8 million versus ZAR 35.3 million in the previous year, emphasizing our focus on employee development. The low lost time injury rate of 0.37 indicates our dedication to workplace safety. Our workforce has grown to 9,239 employees, showcasing our expansion. Notably, our CSI spend has risen significantly to ZAR 30 million, reinforcing our community engagement.
The increase in carbon emissions, electricity, and water consumed remains a key area of focus, and various solutions are being implemented to address these. Lastly, the representation of HDSAs and women in our workforce reflects our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion. Looking at employment, Raubex plays a significant role in the local economies where it operates, providing a substantial number of jobs.
The company not only creates direct employment opportunities but also supports indirect employment through various activities, including subcontracting. The current employment figure stands at 19,219, a notable increase from the previous year's 17,596. This growth reflects Raubex's commitment to expanding its operations and contributing to community development. As we look at these numbers, it's important to highlight how this employment impact fosters economic stability and growth in the regions we serve.
Looking at our 2025 safety performance, as we continue our journey towards excellence, we have included safety as part of our core values. Our commitment is to reaffirm our absolute commitment to ensuring zero fatalities and zero LTIs. These goals are non-negotiable, and every single member of our team plays a critical role in achieving them. Our fatality rate has come down to 0.01 for the current financial year, with 10 months consecutive no fatalities.
Some of our subsidiary companies were LTI-free for the financial year 2025. We are proud of this achievement. We continue with our safety strategy in the new financial year. Looking at our communities, this slide highlights the impactful community initiatives undertaken. We have a lot of these initiatives, but for this presentation today, I will only mention a few.
Firstly, the creation of a stimulating environment for around 300 learners with diverse intellectual disabilities is crucial for their therapeutic and educational development. Secondly, the Koster Feeding Scheme plays a vital role in addressing child nutrition by providing nutritious porridge to 500 children daily, while also empowering local women through employment in the kitchen operations. Lastly, the significant infrastructure work, including the repair of 40,000 potholes and nearly 800 catch pits since 2019, demonstrates a commitment to community improvement with over ZAR 2.2 million allocated in 2025.
This multifaceted approach not only enhances community welfare but also transfers valuable skills to local employees through training and mentoring. Some of our notable achievements during the year include. This, Raubex has achieved significant recognition, being ranked eighth in the 2024 Sunday Times Top 100 Companies. This accolade highlights the company's commitment to operational excellence over its 50 years in business.
Additionally, Raubex Building has been honored with the Green Building Council South Africa Leadership Award for 2024, specifically receiving the Building Green Leadership Award for the Newinbosch Project. This award underscores Raubex's dedication to sustainable building practices and leadership in the green construction sector. These achievements not only reflect the company's strong performance but also its commitment to innovation and sustainability in the industry.
Looking at our core message, it emphasizes the strong performance across our three divisions, highlighting the solid results that have been achieved. This success is underpinned by a robust order book, which positions us well for the future. Our diversified business model is a key strength, allowing us to spread risk while also seizing new opportunities. Notably, we continue to excel in Western Australia, which remains a critical market for us.
It is important to reiterate that our core message has remained consistent, reflecting our commitment to delivering value and maintaining stability in our operations. Our strategy hasn't changed. It remains the same. Our growth is being approached thoughtfully, with a focus on strategic acquisitions that unlock synergies within the group. Additionally, we are committed to expanding our market share in the renewable sector, both locally and internationally.
A key aspect of our strategy is the emphasis on our people as they are our most valuable asset. As I conclude, the group holds a more positive outlook for FY 2026, driven by the encouraging opportunities within each division. The secured order book of ZAR 28.18 billion serves as a strong indicator of the group's future potential. Our growth strategy is underpinned by our diversified business model, committed workforce, strength in leadership, and healthy balance sheet.
Raubex continues to be well-positioned to take advantage of the various opportunities, both organically through acquisitions across the sectors it services to build its positive performance. Also to note, for FY 2026, Western Australia will be reported as a separate division named Australia. Our outlook, starting with the materials handling and mining division, remains optimistic about the FY 2026 and beyond. Baobab Mining and Chemicals is well-positioned to benefit from increased capacity following the commissioning of its PGM plant and the commencement of operations at a Naboom open cast mine, supported by a recovery in chrome prices.
B&E International remains optimistic about commencing operations in Mozambique and is pursuing plant design and construct opportunities. Together with SPH, the companies are targeting contract crushing opportunities. The construction materials division's operations, they continue to expand, with OMV securing an additional gypsum source while increasing bentonite milling capacity at Witbank.
Aggregate sales are supported by the new Rossway Sand Crushing and Washing plant, with a focus remaining on supplying quality asphalt and bitumen to numerous road contracts. The materials and logistics division anticipates a solid performance in FY 2026, supported by recent awards and infrastructure programs announced by the GNU, SANRAL's ongoing road infrastructure upgrade commitments, and concessionaire maintenance obligations.
The division has a good potential pipeline of work. The infrastructure division has a positive outlook, with numerous opportunities emerging in the public-private partnership (PPPs) space, while including the commercial and affordable housing and renewable energy projects. The Australia division is expanding renewable energy projects, including wind farm opportunities. They continue to pursue opportunities with existing mining clients as well as infrastructure projects, considering acquisitions which are in line with our growth strategy in Western Australia and continuing our good relationships with our key clients and also expanding Roadmac Australia.
As we conclude another successful year, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to our employees and management teams. Your dedication, unwavering loyalty, and steadfast commitment to excellence have been extraordinary. Our collective expertise, operational brilliance, and spirit of collaboration have been the bedrock of our success, consistently driving our growth and achievements over five decades. The strength and unity within Raubex remain unmatched, propelling us forward even in the face of challenges and distinguishing us in our markets. Thank you for your attendance. We will now go to questions and answers.
Thank you, Felicia. We've received a whole lot of questions regarding Baobab. To start with, I'm going to hand over to our Financial Director, Sam Odendaal, to give one combined response covering the questions, as there are several duplicate questions. Thank you, Sam.
Thanks, Grace. Yes, if I can start off with an overview for Baobab of the year, it was definitely a year of two halves for us. If we can maybe start with Kookfontein, the first six months was a ramp-up phase where we moved to selling concentrate. And there we, at the first six months, tried to get the yields up to 50% because that's where we wanted to be. It was around the 40% mark for the first six months.
And then in the second six months, we reached the high 40s. Currently, we are looking at 50% yields at this point in time. But then in the second half, the chrome price fell quite substantially. If you recall, I think in the first six months, we sold at over $300 a ton, and it fell to just over $200 a ton, which is not sustainable.
So the big reason for the loss at Kookfontein or giving away the profit we generated in the first six months was purely because of the chrome price. Yields are currently where we wanted to be. It's around the 50% level. And at those levels, a 42%-benchmark chrome price break even is around $230-$240 a ton. Also, you need to remember that in that breakeven, it all depends on the exchange rate and also the production level.
So that is at about 18.30 or so to the rand to the dollar. And then also at full production, which is currently 80,000 tons, which we believe we can maintain and sustain. So the PGM plant is also almost complete. That's going to come online within the next month or two. There was a question on PGMs, and with that, realize any profits for this financial year.
The answer is definitely yes. We will start with that PGM plant in June, July, and we should be at full production later in the year. There will definitely be a good contribution from PGMs at Kookfontein as well. I think with the chrome price dropping in the second half, there was a big focus on cost and cost reduction. I believe at Kookfontein, we've got the cost where we wanted to be now. Luckily, with the chrome price where it is currently, we should make good profits again. Just also remember, it takes time for the chrome price to filter through. It only generally picked up in the second or just after year-end. The first month or two will definitely still be impacted by the lower chrome price, and that's going to be at both mines.
If we move over to Moeijelijk, Moeijelijk, we also had the change in underground miner in the first six months. And then obviously, the chrome price in the second half impacting there as well. There was also some other operational issues getting chrome to surface level and all that. But again, same as at Kookfontein, we looked at their cost structures again. We've passed on risk more to the underground miner now as well. So I think the cost base is quite a bit lower now after year-end at Moeijelijk as well.
But with the new underground miner there as well, it's going to take some time to get to full production, and that should only happen more towards the second half of the year. Baobab or Moeijelijk mine is still currently, even with the lower cost structure, March and April still small losses, but we should turn that around in the second half or actually within the next two to three months. I think that was most of it covered.
Thank you, Sam. And then we've got a question from Lebo Mofokeng from Truffle Asset Management. Lebo asks, "On SANRAL, has your assessment changed now versus when you reported your financial year 2024 results?
Thanks, Grace, for that question. So for us, it's quite encouraging that we have received a major contract from SANRAL, the N2 contract, amounting to about ZAR 3.2 billion. And we are still expecting some more awards from SANRAL in the next coming months. And obviously, for the past six months, there haven't been a lot of activity from SANRAL's side. But now, obviously, with the budget which has been announced, particularly with regards to the South African infrastructure investment, we anticipate activity coming out of SANRAL. And obviously, as the group, we are geared up for that.
Thank you, Felicia. Another question from Lebo is, "In terms of the broad construction activity, we are getting a sense that things have stalled somehow, and any new work will likely be replacement work or see a modest order book growth. Is this your view as well?
Well, as I've said just now, obviously, there has been a period where SANRAL has not released new tenders. But as I said, going forward, we anticipate to see some work coming out, and I believe it will actually help our order book to grow.
Thank you, Felicia. And then the last question from Lebo is, "How big is the concessionaire's network and potential opportunity? How much work have they awarded ahead of the 2027- 2031 handover deadline?
So that work, currently, I would say is quite significant. So as it is currently, we are executing for Bakwena about a ZAR 1.3 billion contract. And we've just recently started on the TRAC recently awarded contract on the N4, which amounts to about ZAR 2.2 billion. And we will be starting with the supply of asphalt on the N3TC. So yes, Lebo, you are correct. Concession work, there's a lot of work that is out as they need to hand over the roads to SANRAL in a specific condition. So we are geared up for that work. And most of the contracts will be coming to an end between 2028 and 2030.
Thank you, Felicia. Our next question is from Chris Reddy from All Weather Capital. "Given the strong cash balance, how are you thinking about buybacks and/or special dividends given the 5% buyback that was approved at the last AGM?
Thanks, Grace. Yes, we do have quite a good cash balance at this point in time. But as you know, working capital requirements in our business is quite high. There is definitely excess cash, but we are not looking at this point at any share buybacks. We believe with all the work currently available, there's a lot of opportunities with small bolt-on acquisitions, looking at acquisitions throughout all divisions. So I think at this point in time, money would be better spent looking at acquisitions where we can get better returns. And we will stick to our three-times dividend cover policy at this point. And if there is excess cash after that, we would rather look at maybe paying back debt.
Thank you, Sam. Our next question is from Anthony Clark from Small Talk Daily. Anthony asks, "Can I ask on your opinion on prospects in Botswana? There is a new government, but economic conditions are deteriorating overnight, and the minister just cut economic growth to 0% due to the weakness in diamond prices and exports. What exposure does Raubex have to Botswana, and what is your current view on your prospects in this country?
Thanks, Grace. Yeah. So with regards to, I think if we can start off with the last part of the question, our exposure to Botswana, currently, our only exposure is through Bela Bela, our quarry operations. And we had a very good year still despite the first part of the question with regards to the cut of the infrastructure spend due to the diamond price. Now, towards the latter part of the year, Botswana government entered into negotiations with De Beers and the diamond mines to assist them in stabilizing the infrastructure spend.
So at this point in time, the outlook for the roads and building space is actually looking much better in Botswana if we look at the current prospects that's been advertised. So in general, we are still very bullish about Botswana at this point in time. We believe that the cut to 0% was a knee-jerk initial reaction, and that has been resolved between business and government. Currently, there are some very good prospects on the table with regards to roads and on the housing and building side.
Thank you, Dirk. Our next question is from Marc Ter Mors from Standard Bank, also relating to SANRAL project awards that slowed down to the market during financial year 2025. Marc asks, "What may be the reasons for this, and has this changed since year-end? And also, what are the competition levels from Chinese players?
We believe the reasons for the slowdown, Marc, to be obviously SANRAL working on their procurement processes. Obviously, there were a lot of tenders which were out, and they were finalizing for award. I believe that is the reason for that delay. Obviously, as I said earlier on, this has subsequently changed. We believe that we're going to see activity from SANRAL. With regards to Chinese, well, we've seen in the past couple of years Chinese obviously entering our industry. For us, they are not a threat because we continue delivering quality to our clients. Obviously, from their pricing point of view, it could be an issue, but we don't see them as a threat.
Thank you, Felicia. Our next question is from Rowan Goemans from Northstar Asset Management. "Could you please unpack the strong margin performance in the roads and earthworks division, and what would need to happen for this level of margin to be maintained?
Thanks, Grace. Yeah. So if you look at the strong margins currently that we experience, and I'm going to combine it with the question with regards to the construction material side. So in order for us to maintain this type of margins going forward, we have to have a solid order book like we've got. And there has to be consistency in the strong order book. So if government continue to make good on their promises with regards to infrastructure spend and SANRAL and the likes of the concessionaires continue with their focus on the spend for the next three to five years, I believe that margins will be easy to maintain. However, it all depends on the stability of the GNU and the ongoing of the current forecast for infrastructure spend.
Thank you, Dirk. Our next question is from Marc Ter Mors from Standard Bank. "With regard to the Senqu bridge project, at what stage is the project and the size of the project, and what do you expect regarding the profit contribution profile for financial years 2026 and 2027?
With regards to Senqu, currently, it's progressing very well. You would see from the pictures we've included, the only outstanding portion of the construction work that needs to be completed is the launching of the two bridge decks from both sides. We're now entering winter period, and we all know it can be difficult to work in Lesotho in wintertime, especially if you're pouring concrete. We believe that still, with that taken into consideration, we should be completed by the end of this financial year with construction.
Definitely, a portion of the profit will flow through in the FY 2026 year. However, we still believe that the bigger portion will still flow through to the FY 2027 financial year once we finally completed with the project. We must remember that that project is in a joint venture with an international partner. Normally, in contracts of this nature and this size, the profit remains in the joint venture up until the end and when the project is fully completed. Only then does the distribution of profits happen.
Thank you, Dirk. We have another question from Marc from Standard Bank. "Following the South African Treasury's budget delays and questions regarding the GNU stability, have businesses noted changes to CapEx commitments and confidence levels by SA clients?
Yes, Marc, this is one of the areas that we're quite excited about. As you would know, the PPP framework has been revised by the National Treasury, and the amendments are effective from the 1st of June 2025. This is going to fast-track, obviously, smaller projects around below ZAR 2 billion, which will be exempt by the National Treasury and then also fast-tracking financial close as well. We understand that there's a PPP advisory unit that has also been established. In fact, there's about 35 PPP projects at various stages of development, and the group is poised to benefit from some of those.
Thank you, Felicia. Our next question is from Karl Gernetzky from News24. "Could you kindly provide an update on the probe now that the investigation is completed? Can Raubex provide any detail on what was alleged and what was investigated? And can Raubex comment, if not already addressed, if it is confident that this matter is now concluded?
Yes, Karl. Obviously, as the board, we have actually implemented internal as well as external investigations. Those investigations concluded that the allegations which were made by the whistleblower were completely unfounded and untrue. We therefore regard this matter as closed. We are confident that all of the work that we have done actually has gotten to this stage.
Thank you, Felicia. Our next question is from Marc. "What type of PPPs are Raubex considering to invest in, and any specific large-scale examples?
Marc, obviously, we spoke about the SA Water Boards. Those are the kind of PPPs that we are looking at and other water infrastructure, including port-related PPPs.
Thank you, Felicia. Our last question regarding SANRAL has already been covered. If there's no further questions, I think that is all for the day.
Thank you, Grace. Thank you, everyone, for attending our presentation. We appreciate it.