Construction industry remains under pressure

This is according to Allen Bodill, immediate past president of the Master Builders Association of the Western Cape (MBAWC). Bodill was speaking at the annual general meeting of the MBAWC and said the South African construction industry remains under severe pressure.

"It's no secret that the consumer continues to be battered by rising costs, with fuel, utilities and food being the obvious areas where we continue to see rampant cost increases. This does not bode particularly well for an industry that is trying to drag itself up from the bottom of a cycle, which has been the most severe since World War II.

High level of unemployment

"In addition, we have unbridled and growing unemployment, which has recently been exposed to the challenge of industrial action in the demand for higher wages. It's not surprising that the Bureau for Economic Research's building survey results for the third quarter of the year still reflect an industry that is struggling to exit recession," Bodill said.

Rob McMahon, who has taken over the reins from Bodill as MBAWC president, said the biggest challenge the industry faces is the lack of construction work. "Uncertainty is the new normal. That is perhaps a frightening prospect but my view is that the real challenge could very well be facing this new reality. I think that as individuals and as businesses we are reasonably well-equipped to deal with the road ahead. I do however feel that membership of our association can only add to our capacity to handle whatever lies ahead."