History

Through quantum leaps in technology, major advances in construction techniques and more than 50 years of outstanding service; one thing has remained unchanged: our relentless pursuit of quality.

It all began back in 1948 when founder Jan van der Sluys, his wife, Ria and four children emigrated from The Netherlands to South Africa on board the Sibajak in search of new opportunities and a brighter future for their family. Jan van der Sluys was determined to succeed first as carpenter and later as building contractor. He bought a bicycle and cycled from Paarl as far afield as Helshoogte and Franschhoek to find work. Jan turned his innate skill and passion to what he knew best and in a few short years had laid the foundation of a thriving building business. From the outset, Jan was driven by a single purpose: to set the highest standards of craftsmanship and service within the industry. The business flourished and in 1960 Jan formed a limited company, J van der Sluys (Pty) Ltd.

Jan van der Sluys’ oldest son, Hans, joined the company in January 1963. In 1972 the company bought premises in Paarl’s new industrial node in Dal Josaphat, and by 1976, the company officially moved its offices and yard from the Ben Bernard Estate to its present–day premises in Dal Josaphat.

Jan van der Sluys was an astute businessman with a passion for serving the building industry. He was one of the founding members of the MBA Boland in 1949. He served as the organisation's president from 1979 to 1981, and again from 1987 to 1988. He had an enduring passion for training and the development of skills within his company and the building industry as a whole. He was also a member of the Industrial Council for the Building Industry. Jan van der Sluys retired in 1978. His conservative approach to business and cautious approach to risk taking lay the foundation for a dynamic construction company. Jan van der Sluys passed away in 1992, at the age of 83.

When Jan van der Sluys retired, he left his sons Hans, Alex and Rinus in charge of the company, with his eldest son Hans as chairman of the board of directors. Alex had joined in 1973 and Rinus two years later. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, J van der Sluys (Pty) Ltd remained what was essentially a family business. J van der Sluys (Pty) Ltd's investment in training and safety began to pay dividends and in the 1980s the company began to receive the first of many safety awards.

In 1985, the company appointed AAT Reyneke as the company’s financial manager. Until the 1990’s the Van der Sluys brothers were then the only shareholders in the company, but began to realise that they would have to expand and to include other shareholders. AAT Reyneke was appointed as an additional director and shareholder in 1993; followed by Human Naudé, Jacques Wilken and Weyers Willemse in 1997; and Jandré Arangies in 2002. Also in the 1990s, the company embarked on a profit sharing and participative management scheme to build trust and commitment within the company’s structure. In 1993 the company approached Dave Pullen of Interdependence and Transformation in South Africa (ITISA) to facilitate the implementation of a profit sharing and worker representation scheme. This lead to the election of our first ITISA committee in August 1993 and in 1995 to the implementing of a broad–based profit sharing scheme. J van der Sluys (Pty) Ltd was one of the first building companies to implement such a profit sharing scheme for all its employees. Today the profit sharing scheme, ITISA, and the implementation of a participative management scheme has helped to create a company culture where all employees feel that they have a common goal and a stake in the company’s future. The company’s investment in its people, and focus on teamwork and quality workmanship started to pay off and J van der Sluys (Pty) Ltd was voted in both 2003 and 2004 as one of the top 300 companies in South Africa.

By 2003, a separate property development company, Van der Sluys Projects, was founded by Alex van der Sluys, who resigned from the construction company to devote his time to the new company. He was followed by Hans van der Sluys and AAT Reyneke when they both retired in 2004.

During the next six years the company was under the leadership of Rinus as Managing Director with the support of the other directors: Weyers as Procurement Director, Jandré and Jacques as Contract Directors and Human as the Commercial Director. During Rinus’ term of leadership, the company embarked on the "Itisa" programme of participative management, developed the company’s core value system and forged our motto "Isipani – Teamwork builds quality". The company further expanded during these boom years in the construction industry.

Rinus retired in 2010 leaving the responsibility of managing the construction company to the four remaining directors. For us, Jan van der Sluys, the company's founder, and his sons, Hans, Alex and Rinus, have left us a legacy to which most companies can only aspire. We as a company and its individuals owe much to their vision and business leadership.

In the spirit of Isipani our people have erected buildings in the heat of the Boland summers and through the wettest of the Cape winters. They have toiled in mud, in dust, in water and even in snow; tirelessly in order to achieve deadlines and to provide our clients with excellent service. Our people are our greatest asset.

Following the retirement of Rinus, the use of the Van der Sluys name for the company came to an end. After much consideration, we realised that our company’s strength has always been its value system and its culture of teamwork. It then seemed fit to change the name to Isipani Construction (Pty) Ltd.

With these changes come a new era in the leadership of the company, new Directors were appointed to strengthen the future prospect of the company. Grant Robertson, Wynand Smit and Gerrit van Niekerk joined the team from May 2011.

Today, a far cry from its humble beginnings, the company endures as a beacon of quality and excellence and a testament to the drive and passion of a single man: Jan van der Sluys.

Testimonials

Behind every successful project is a client with an exacting vision and high standards of quality. It has been a privilege to work with the many distinguished clients that have consistently sought our services over the years.

"I bear witness to the fact that doing business with this company means doing business with peace of mind. The signed contract is a formality – what counts is the preceding handshake and knowing that you will not be let down."
Ig de Villers Pr Eng

"As a people driven company, this company radiates professionalism, thoroughness, confidence and reliability."
Johann Krige, Kanonkop

"The quality of people they employ is very high. It seems that they only put people in positions that are trustworthy, positive and reliable. And if ever an architect requires work of a higher standard than the industry requires, they are prepared to put in extra attention. Because they are proud of their name, they will come back to fix things if needed."
Architect, Tom Robertson

"I prefer to work with them. The commitment of the directors is confidence – inspiring. And if there are come–backs, which are unavoidable in this industry, they don't ask questions. They just fix them. Even two to three years after completion of the project."
Architect, Sakkie Rust

"Professional and enthusiastic. They have that rare quality of being able to see a project through."
Architect, Johan Wessels

Quoting his French De Rothschild partners: "They’re not builders. They’re artists."
L’ Ormarins chairman, the late Anthonij Rupert

"They make dreams a reality, and very efficiently so. That’s why they share the honours on a plaque specially made for the opening of our gravity–fed cellar."
Haute Cabriere Wine Estate, Achim von Arnim

"Two words: professional and reliable. It is a pleasure conducting business with them."
Park Royal, Dorchester, Ascot Terraces and Vision House, Mr Walter Scholtz

"Ek is baie bevoorreg dat ek J van der Sluys (Edms) Bpk as kontrakteurs van my eiendomsbelegging gehad het. Ek spreek my opregte dank uit vir uitstekende diens gelewer en die ongelooflik hulpvaardige, bedagsame en vriendelike personeel."
Oude Hoek, Stellenbosch (Property Investor), Ms Juliette Combrink