Construction Industry News and Views - September 2021
Construction Industry News and Views Edition 196 06 September 2021
Dear Members and Readers
The past month has been a busy time as many affected businesses in KZN strategised around an accelerated return to business activity. The Association pledged its CSI funding to the Hands of Hope campaign in its quest to support the rebuild KZN programme.
The adjudication of the Excellence in Construction and Health and Safety competitions were finalised over the past few months. It was pleasing to note that the sites judged were of a high standard and members will be honoured for their excellence at the Annual Awards, which will be hosted at Collisheen Estate in October. This will also mark the 120th year of celebration for the Association. Marketing opportunities are available to members for consideration.
We remind members of the Construction Alliance South Africa (CASA) webinar which will take place on 9 September at 14h00. CASA is an initiative which has united the construction industry under one umbrella body made up of some 36 professional, contractor, supplier, manufacturer and other allied industry bodies – essentially the construction value chain, with Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal as the Convener. The webinar will cover the role of construction in the economic recovery of South Africa with a line-up of outstanding speakers. Members who wish to participate can register for the webinar by clicking here.
The National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) 2050 has been prepared by Infrastructure South Africa and seeks to provide a plan for improved public infrastructure delivery to give effect to the objectives of the National Development Plan (NDP). Infrastructure development plays a significant role in the economy. The NIP has been released for comment and members are urged to provide input on the Plan.
A member promotion campaign is underway and includes several initiatives designed to showcase the members of the Association. These include an advertisement on the SAPOA website homepage, a radio campaign and a social media campaign.
In this month’s edition, a summary on the online panel discussion convened by the Association on the economic impact of the recent unrest in KZN is provided. The panel featured representatives from various business chambers across the province and from the Department of Trade and Industry.
Members are encouraged to read the article on the “Recognition of skills,” which will assess the level of a candidate on trades in the construction sector. A round-up of the findings and recommendations made by the report "The profile of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) South Africa" is discussed in our health and safety feature. Can an unsuccessful tenderer claim damages? Find out more in our contractual article.
Enjoy the read!
Vikashnee Harbhajan | Executive Director
Panel discussion - Impact of the recent unrest in KZN
During the month of August, the Association hosted an online panel discussion on the economic impact of the recent unrest in KZN.The collective forecast was optimistic as the general consensus was that in the wake of one of the darkest moments in our Province’s history, there was reason to be hopeful that a positive outcome could be achieved.
On 30 July 2021, the Department of Employment and Labour launched the report titled: "The profile of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) South Africa." The report is a project commissioned jointly by the International Labour Organization and the Department of Employment and Labour and provides a historical analysis of occupational health and safety in South Africa. The report contains several key themes and insights that came out of the confidential, semi-structured in-depth interviews with 34 purposefully selected participants.
The Supreme Court of Appeal had to recently consider whether an unsuccessful tenderer could claim damages for loss of profits as a result of an Organ of State’s breach of its constitutional duties. The tender concerned the award of a contract to a joint venture in 2010 for the Nsami Water Treatment Works in Guyani.
Many construction workers acquire various skills whilst working. These skills are however not often recognised because no formal assessment has taken place. The many quality structures that have been constructed around us are evidence of the available skills. Following consultation with employers, Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal has made available a mechanism through which the skill set of an individual may be assessed and recognised.
During August 2021, National Treasury gave an overview of the 2021 draft Taxation Laws Amendment Bill proposed changes being considered for South Africa. Changes include amongst others addressing loopholes in the tax system and the taxation of retirement funds.
National Treasury's proposed “two-bucket” system for Retirement Funds
National Treasury issued a statement earlier this month noting that government and other stakeholders are exploring a ‘two-bucket’ system which would allow retirement and provident fund members early access to a portion of their savings in times of a financial emergency. The new proposed system makes provision for members to preserve savings until retirement for longer-term financial security, this means that members must preserve their contributions and the compounded growth invested and not have access to this portion until they retire.
The benefits of having a Performance Management System within the workplace
Organisations utilise Performance Management Systems (PMS) to measure if the goals, mission, vision, aims and objectives of the organisation were achieved by its employees. This bridges the gap of depicting the current situation of the organisation and the intended goal/target. Performance management is an ongoing process of communication between relevant managers/supervisors and employees. This process also gives clarity on job roles and responsibilities, and what is expected from the employee.
Spring Training Promotion - Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Training Academy
Don't miss out on this incredible offer! Book your seat now and obtain CPD points. Members qualify for 1 free course admission for every delegate booked on the same course. Non-members get a 10% discount when you book any of the courses on promotion.
Call the Training Academy on 031 831 3238 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to book
The training programmes are intended to provide access to currently employed candidates, unemployed candidates and school leavers, as well as to facilitate workplace training.
Members who have current contracts that make provision for Contract Price Adjustment are able to download the latest published indices from Statistics South Africa by clicking on the following link.
