Ross Stembridge, Building Service Manager participated in the Stakeholder Engagement Forum at the KZN Construction Trade Expo and Conference held in Durban on the 7 – 8 February 2018. Other stakeholders that were invited were the following:

KZN Growth Fund
Durban Chamber of Commerce
National African Federation for the Building Industry
KZN Department of Public Works

Topics discussed were as follows:

The Association was able to place on record our Emerging Contractor Programme that is now in its fourth year and our Vuka Marki programme for Grade 11 & 12 learners. We also informed the audience about the Associations founding of the Building Industry Forum. The most disconcerting fact was that KZN Department of Works stated that the number of building projects handled by the department this year would be in the region of 57, down from 108 a year ago.

The consensus of all stakeholders was that the building industry was going to have a very challenging year ahead however the industry was expected to start growing again in 2019.

Ross Stembridge | Building Services Manager