Project Credential · Impala Platinum · Pipeline Relining
Winches SA Powered the Impala Platinum Pipe Reline
Winches SA supplied the winch and wire-rope capability that pulls a relining pig through pipework beneath a slimes dam at Impala Platinum — a trenchless method that strengthens the pipe from the inside, no excavation required.
What we built
Winches SA supplied the winching capability for a trenchless pipeline relining operation beneath a slimes dam at Impala Platinum (Implats), for the pipeline contractor Esor. The method uses a Winches SA winch to pull a pig — a purpose-built pipeline tool — through the existing pipe: the pig clears and prepares the line as it travels, and grout is applied behind it to reline and structurally strengthen the pipe from the inside, with no need to dig it up. Winches SA supplied a 10-tonne winch with 1,600 metres of 26 mm specialised wire rope for the pull. Two winches are now permanently installed on a platform at the top of the tower structure above the slimes dam, running the pig-pull and grouting operation in production. Every unit was built in-house in Pretoria to ISO 9001:2015.
Equipment
| Application | Trenchless pipeline relining — winch-pulled pig with grouting |
| Winch capacity | 10 tonnes |
| Wire rope | 1,600 m of 26 mm specialised wire rope |
| Installation | Two winches permanently mounted on the tower platform above the slimes dam |
| Contractor | Esor (pipeline division) |
| End client | Impala Platinum (Implats) |
| Standard | ISO 9001:2015 |
Pulling a pig through a pipe under a slimes dam is a controlled, steady-tension job over a long run — the winch has to hold that pull cleanly from one end to the other. Building the winch and matching it to 1,600 metres of the right rope is exactly the kind of application-specific work we do in-house.
Winches SA team
Common questions
Who supplied the winches for the Impala Platinum pipeline relining?
Winches SA supplied the winches for the trenchless pipeline relining operation at Impala Platinum’s slimes dam, working for the pipeline contractor Esor. Winches SA provided a 10-tonne winch with 1,600 metres of 26 mm specialised wire rope, and two winches are permanently installed on the tower platform above the dam. Every unit was built in-house in Pretoria to ISO 9001:2015.
What is a pipeline pig and how is it pulled?
A pipeline pig is a purpose-built tool that travels through the inside of a pipe. On the Impala Platinum project, a Winches SA winch pulls the pig through the existing pipe on a wire rope; the pig prepares the line as it moves and grout is applied behind it to reline and strengthen the pipe. This trenchless method avoids excavating the pipe.
How long a pull can a Winches SA winch handle?
For the Impala Platinum pipeline relining, Winches SA supplied a 10-tonne winch with 1,600 metres of 26 mm specialised wire rope, matched to the pull length and load of the operation. Winches SA custom-engineers each winch and rope package to the specific run length, line pull and duty of the application.
What is trenchless pipeline relining?
Trenchless pipeline relining rehabilitates a pipe from the inside without digging it up. A tool is pulled through the pipe and a new lining or grout is applied behind it, restoring and strengthening the pipe in place. Winches SA supplies the winching capability — the winch and wire rope that pull the tool through the line.
Can Winches SA supply winches for mining infrastructure projects?
Winches SA designs and manufactures custom winches for mining and civil infrastructure across South Africa and the SADC region, including pipeline relining, dewatering cable management, and shaft winding. Projects include Impala Platinum pipeline relining, Pan African Resources MTR, and the Ingula and Gautrain shaft-winder programmes.
- Related mining work: Pan African MTR cable reelers · Ingula shaft winches & winders
- Capability: application-designed winches · heavy-duty worm winches
- See all Winches SA projects · request a quote for a custom winch
Africa’s leading manufacturer of pipeline-relining and pig-pulling winches
Winches SA — Africa’s leading designer and manufacturer of custom winches, hoists and winders
Engineered and built entirely in-house in Pretoria, South Africa, since 1992. ISO 9001:2015 certified. We do not import, resell or rebadge. Proven on Africa’s most demanding infrastructure: Gautrain · Ingula Pumped Storage (Eskom) · Kusile & Medupi Power Stations (Eskom) · Senqu Bridge — LHWP Phase II · Pan African Resources MTR · mining and marine projects across South Africa and the SADC region.
Custom-engineered to your specification. Designed, manufactured and supported locally.
+27 (0)12 804 0758 · contact@winches.co.za · Silverton, Pretoria