About Umhlaba
Testing the ground our region is built on
Umhlaba is the isiXhosa word for land, the earth beneath our feet. It is also what we work with every day.
Umhlaba Laboratory & Geotechnical is a materials testing and geotechnical laboratory based in Mthatha. We test soils, gravels, concrete and aggregates in our own laboratory, and we send technicians to site to check compaction, take samples and investigate ground conditions.
Roads, houses, schools and water schemes all depend on what lies underneath them. Our work gives contractors, engineers and project owners the test results they need to accept a layer, approve a material or design a foundation with confidence.
Being based in the Eastern Cape means we can be on site quickly, we know the local materials and conditions, and samples don't have to travel far before they are tested.
What we stand for
How we work
Accurate
Calibrated equipment, set methods and checked calculations, test after test.
Independent
We report what the material does, whoever is paying for the test.
Responsive
Construction doesn't wait. We plan our site visits and lab time around your programme.
Safe
Our technicians follow site safety rules and the radiation safety procedures for nuclear gauges.
Where we work
Mthatha and beyond
Our laboratory is in Vulindlela Heights, Mthatha. From here our technicians cover projects across the OR Tambo district and further afield in the Eastern Cape. Ask us about your site, wherever it is.
Mthatha
Eastern Cape, South Africa
Layer ready for testing?
Tell us where and when. We'll get a technician to site.