Excavator hire in Witbank and surrounds
8 t, 20 t and 30 t excavators with trained operators, for bulk earthworks, trenching, loading trucks and work on the mine or quarry face.
- With an operator, or dry hire
- Delivered and collected
- By the day, week or month
What the excavator gets hired for
Jobs like these, on building sites, farms, mines and plants around Witbank and the towns near it.
Bulk earthworks and cut and fill
Cuts banks down and builds platforms up, for building sites, roads, yards and laydown areas.
Loading haul trucks and tippers
Fills a truck in a few swings from the cut or the stockpile, so the haul keeps moving.
Tipper truck hireDeep trenching and pipelines
Trenches deeper than a TLB can reach, for bulk water, sewer and stormwater pipelines.
TLB hireWork on a quarry or mine face
Works the benches and the face on the mines and quarries of the coalfields around eMalahleni.
Load and haulStockpile handling
Builds, turns and reclaims stockpiles of coal, ore, aggregate and topsoil.
Load and haulDemolition and site clearing
Brings old structures down and loads the rubble out, leaving a clear site behind.
Rubble removal
The excavator sizes we hire
8 t class
0.28 m³ bucket, 4.2 m dig depth
20 t class
1.0 m³ bucket, 6.5 m dig depth
30 t class
1.6 m³ bucket, 7.4 m dig depth
How hiring works
Tell us the job
Phone, or send the form below: what the job is, where the site is and how long you need the machine.
Get a price
We tell you which machine suits the job, whether it is free and what it costs, delivery included.
It arrives on site
We deliver the machine, with its operator if you want one, and collect it when the job is done.
Our excavator sizes, in numbers
Typical figures for the class. The exact numbers depend on the machine that goes out, so ask when you book if your job is close to a limit.
| Figure | 8 t | 20 t | 30 t |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digs down to | about 4.2 m | about 6.5 m | about 7.4 m |
| Bucket | 0.28 m³ | 1.0 m³ | 1.6 m³ |
| Width | about 2.3 m | about 3.0 m | about 3.2 m |
| Best for | Trenches and tight sites | Earthworks and loading tippers | Bulk work and loading haul trucks |
What excavator hire costs
We do not publish a rate card, because no two jobs cost the same. Tell us these five things and we come back with a price for yours.
Get a price for your job- The machine and its size
- A 30 t excavator costs more to run and to move than an 8 t one. Tell us the job and we will tell you which size does it without paying for more machine than you need.
- With or without an operator
- Wet hire includes a trained, ticketed operator. Dry hire is the machine alone, for crews who have their own.
- How long you need it
- A day, a week, a month or an ongoing contract. Longer hires carry a lower daily rate.
- Where the site is
- Delivery and collection depend on the distance from our yard in eMalahleni, and on the transport the machine needs.
- Hours and conditions
- Single or double shifts, standby time, and ground or site conditions that wear a machine harder.
TLB, Bobcat or excavator?
Which machine suits which job. Still not sure? Phone and describe the job, and we will tell you which one to hire.
Digs at the back, loads at the front and drives on tyres. The all-rounder for a stand, a farm or a few small sites.
Best for
- Trenches for water, sewer, power and fibre
- Foundations and footings
- Loading tippers
- Clearing and levelling stands
Pick another for
Long, deep trenches, hard rock, or a yard too tight to turn in.
Small, on tracks, turns on the spot and fits through a gate.
Best for
- Clean-up and rubble
- Levelling and paving preparation
- Moving material in tight spaces
- Spillage on plants and conveyors
Pick another for
Digging: it scrapes and loads, but trenches and foundations are TLB work.
Excavator
This pageDigs deepest, with the biggest bucket, and turns all the way round without moving.
Best for
- Bulk earthworks and cut and fill
- Deep trenches and pipelines
- Loading trucks all day
- Demolition
Pick another for
Small jobs spread over a stand: it comes on a truck and is slow to move around.
Something to cart away? Add a tipper truck or see rubble removal.
Before the excavator arrives
Have these sorted and the machine works from the first hour.
A way in
Tell us how wide the gate is, and where a truck can stop to offload the excavator.
What runs underground
Find out where water, sewer, power, gas and fibre lines run, and mark them. A cut cable or burst pipe costs more than the day's hire.
Permission to dig
Digging in a sidewalk or road reserve usually needs a wayleave from the municipality first. On a mine, power station or plant, the site's own permit and induction come first.
Pegs and depths
Peg out where to dig and know how deep and how wide it must go, so the operator starts on the first hour.
Where the soil goes
Decide where the dug-out soil goes: a heap beside the trench for backfill, or a tipper to cart it away.
Working around Witbank
The ground
Around eMalahleni the ground is mostly clay over sandstone and shale, and some sites hit rock not far down. Tell us if earlier digging on your site hit rock, and we will send a machine that can handle it.
The rain
The Highveld gets its rain in summer, mostly as afternoon storms from about October to March. Wet clay slows a machine and fills trenches, so we plan digging for the mornings and backfill soon after. Dams are best built in the dry winter months.
Mines, power stations and plants
Sites at the mines and the power stations around Witbank, like Duvha, Kendal, Kriel and Kusile, need the induction and paperwork done before a machine goes through the gate. Tell us what your site asks for when you enquire.
Questions we get asked
Something else? Phone 013 692 8599.
Which excavator size do I need?
An 8 t machine suits tight sites, trenching and services. A 20 t is the general earthworks machine. A 30 t is for loading trucks at volume and heavy digging. Tell us the job and we will match the size.
How deep can an excavator dig?
About 4.2 m for an 8 t machine, 6.5 m for a 20 t and 7.4 m for a 30 t. The reach out from the machine is more than the depth, so a 20 t can also load a tipper standing beside the trench.
Do you hire excavators with an operator?
Yes. Our excavators go out with trained operators by default, and dry hire is available for contractors with their own.
What are your excavator hire rates?
Rates depend on the size, the length of hire, the operator and the distance to site. Send us the job and we will quote it.
Can you supply an excavator for a mine or plant?
Yes. Mining and industrial sites are a large part of our work. Tell us what your site requires at the gate when you enquire.
Do you supply excavators to mines and plants around Kendal, Kriel and Ogies?
Yes. The coalfields around eMalahleni, from Ogies and Kendal to Kriel and Hendrina, are where much of our work is. Tell us the site and what it needs at the gate, and we plan the delivery around it.
Delivered from our yard in eMalahleni
We deliver and collect across Witbank and the towns around it. Distances are straight line from the middle of eMalahleni; the road is a little longer.
In eMalahleni itself we work all over town, from Del Judor, Reyno Ridge, Ben Fleur, Tasbet Park, Duvha Park, Model Park, Die Heuwel and Witbank Central, and in the industrial areas of Ferrobank, Klipfontein and Marelden.
Get a quote for excavator hire
Tell us the job and where it is. We come back with what is free and a price.
Ask for a quote
Leave your number and we call you back. The Vanalls team works out the price for your job.
Or call 013 692 8599, Mon–Fri