Construction Industry News and Views Edition 203 03 May 2022
Dear Members and Readers
KZN is reeling from the devastation of the recent severe floods which saw the loss of homes, businesses, infrastructure and lives. Many were without basic utilities such as water and electricity for extended periods, with several road closures due to the extensive infrastructure damage. It is anticipated that in the wake of urgent repairs and reconstruction, there will be wide-scale emergency procurement processes in place. The Association calls on its members to be instrumental in the process of rebuilding KZN. The Gift of the Givers in collaboration with East Coast Radio hosted a commendable campaign #KZNFloodRelief and in the spirit of building and rebuilding, the Association pledged R70,000 towards this noble campaign.
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal are aware that members are experiencing severe challenges with project escalation values as a direct consequence of exorbitant copper price hikes. The price of copper rose by 67.7% over the last year. In terms of current projects underway, assigned escalation values may not be adequate to address this increase and it is extremely challenging for the contractor to carry the burden alone. In April 2022 the Association sent a letter to KZN Public Works outlining the challenges, with possible solutions for consideration in an attempt to bring some reprieve to our members.
The Construction Industry Recovery Plan provides a multi-stakeholder programme designed to stimulate the construction industry and acknowledges that both the public and private sectors must work together to deliver priority infrastructure projects. The Recovery Plan objectives include implementing a robust and capable infrastructure pipeline, ensuring industry capacity to meet the transformation and industry delivery targets, industry growth and performance improvement, participating in the Green Economy and building public sector capacity.
It is competition time and the race is on to showcase excellence in construction and health and safety. There have been several requests by members to extend the cut-off date for Excellence in Construction entries. The Association has heeded this call and the date has been extended until 10 May 2022. Entries are also open for the 2022 Health and Safety Competition which closes on 13 May 2022. The Association has sent out a call for nominations for special awards which recognises positive and outstanding contribution to the construction industry. Click here for more information on the special awards categories and to access the nomination forms.
This month’s edition covers core elements of the Construction Industry Recovery Plan as proposed by Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to drive the recovery of the construction sector. Taking into consideration the recent floods it is imperative to understand the claim process. To this end, the Association encourages members to read the article titled ‘Lodging an insurance claim for property and contents.’ Advice is provided in the article covering the post-award phase of managing a contract and the Association once again provides members with information to meet their staffing requirements.
Regrettably, the Durban Golf Day has been postponed to 3 June 2022 in order to allow for sufficient recovery of the course due to the recent floods. Members still have an opportunity to make a booking to play or brand a tee.
Amidst the rise in COVID-19 cases, members are once again urged to strengthen their COVID-19 protocols to ensure a safer workplace.
Enjoy the read and stay safe!
Vikashnee Harbhajan | Executive Director
Recovery plan on the horizon
The construction industry has experienced the negative impact of a shrinking economy, Covid-19 and site disruptions. This has exacerbated poverty, inequality, and discontent within the fibre of society. These ingredients have collectively contributed to widespread and various forms of civil unrest and site disruptions.Read more...
Companies should not be satisfied with a low injury rate if they are experiencing repeat type injuries. Repeat injuries should be included when determining a company’s safety performance. A repeat type incident means that certain controls, procedures or actions have failed. Read More...
Managing a construction contract: The post-award phase
This is the third article in a series of articles providing a brief overview of managing a construction contract. The first article covered the basis and overview for this series, and the second article discussed pertinent aspects of the pre-award phase. Read More...
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Training Academy is accredited to offer the National Certificate: Construction Health and Safety. Delegates who complete this qualification will be equipped to work in the construction industry with a broad understanding and knowledge of Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental legislation and controls. Read more...
Lodging an insurance claim for property and contents
Floods and other natural disasters are now becoming more frequent and as one would expect, the increased costs to insure against these elements are indirectly passed on to consumers. It is becoming imperative for individuals as well as corporates to evaluate their insurance requirements and to understand the claim process. Read More...
Recruitment is defined as the process of identifying, attracting, screening, interviewing, selecting and onboarding staff. The recruitment process is time-consuming and onerous as finding the right candidate can be challenging. Recruitment agencies address this challenge by screening and shortlisting suitable candidates. Read More..
The training programmes are intended to provide access to 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.
Email to a Friend
