MASTER BUILDERS KWAZULU-NATAL
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal has a proud history dating back to 1 February 1901, when a group of building contractors met at the Victoria Café in Durban and unanimously agreed to form an association. This marked the birth of the Durban Builders Association, which later became the Durban Master Builders Association. In 1980, it amalgamated with the Pietermaritzburg and Lower South Coast Associations to form the Natal Master Builders Association. In 1995, it became the KwaZulu-Natal Master Builders Association and today operates under the brand Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal.
OVERVIEW
The Association was established in response to the changing and often challenging conditions faced by the building industry in the early 20th century. Minutes from the Victoria Café meeting recorded concerns about the “unsatisfactory state of affairs” relating to tendering, where members of the trade were working against one another, creating a cut throat environment rather than one built on understanding, organisation and collective purpose.
Over the years, several outstanding individuals have helped shape the Association’s legacy. These include James Reid, the first president; William Ralph Poynton, the second president and founding president of the national body that later became Master Builders South Africa and four generations of the Midgley family; Thomas, Arnold, Ken and Barry who all served as presidents. Bert Swinburne served as secretary for 30 years from 1919 to 1949, while Archie Smith served as Director for 30 years from 1945 to 1975. Mark Lipshitz, Walter and Peter Ridl, Royce Kincaid, Andrew Stewart and, more recently, Pieter Rautenbach and Brandon Abdinor also made significant contributions to the growth and development of the Association.
Today, in a rapidly changing South African landscape, Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal continues to support its members with a wide range of professional services. These include occupational health and safety advice, education and training, contractual and legal support, B-BBEE and Labour Relations, as well as an expanding range of commercial products and services.
The launch of the Association’s Building Awards of Excellence in 2003 was a major milestone. The awards were introduced to recognise member enterprises and individuals who had made meaningful contributions to the industry, while also helping to promote the Association and its services. The first awards were presented jointly to the Hall family of A G Hall in Pietermaritzburg and the Ross family of J T Ross in Durban, both of which celebrated 100 years of uninterrupted trading in 2002. Remarkably, descendants of the founders remain involved in these businesses.
In 2004, entries were invited across six award categories, with 24 members submitting projects for consideration through written motivations and site visits by adjudicators Peter Ridl, Andrew Stewart and retired architect Carl Mouton. The overall winner was Dicks Construction for Thonga Beach Lodge on the Zululand North Coast. In 2005, the awards attracted strong interest from members, with the overall award presented to the Sibaya Casino and Entertainment Kingdom project, built by the WBHO-MEG Joint Venture. Howard Schwegmann, formerly of Group Five and later of Stefanutti & Bressan Building Pty Ltd., received the BIFSA Presidential Award of Excellence in 2001 for the strong leadership he demonstrated during the construction of the major Gateway project on Umhlanga Ridge.
Roger Pickles, a Past President of the Association who also served as Membership Services Manager, later received this prestigious award in recognition of his major contribution to contractual and legal matters within the industry.
Pieter Rautenbach, who served as Executive Director of the Association for 30 years, received the MBSA President’s Award of Excellence at the Federation’s Congress in 2006 for his service to the building industry in South Africa and particularly to Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal. During his tenure, he worked with 21 Association Presidents and 31 presidents of BIFSA/MBSA.
Brandon Abdinor served as Executive Director from 2007, followed by the appointment of Vikashnee Harbhajan in 2012.
This was a milestone appointment, as she was both the first Black person and the first woman to be appointed Executive Director. Ms Harbhajan assumed the role with a strong focus on advancing the Association through continued progress, service excellence and support for members, while strongly advocating for industry transformation.
The Association continues to evolve by reviewing its operations and introducing innovative services that help members strengthen their businesses, adapt to industry demands and contribute to the ongoing development of the built environment in KwaZulu-Natal.
