Marketing & Media trends
Industry trends
Sponsors
#BizTrends 2021: Achieving developmental goals through construction
The catalytic role of construction in South Africa's economic reconstruction and recovery plan is well defined and enjoys strong support across a wide spectrum in society. It is quite clear that investment in infrastructure will be critical to the success of the national efforts to stimulate investment and growth, and create sustainable jobs.
Cyril Vuyani Gamede, CEO of the Construction Industry Development Board |
This is also an opportunity for the construction industry to do a thorough assessment of its contribution to the transformation of the sector and the steps it can still take to develop skills and support the growth of emerging enterprises.
Analysing trends, identifying opportunities
The Construction Industry Development Board (cidb) is in a pivotal position to analyse trends, identify opportunities and mobilise support within the broader construction sector for measures which will achieve the transformation objectives.
One of the signature #BizTrends of 2021 for the construction sector will be the introduction of the Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme which is designed to integrate social development goals into public infrastructure projects.
There is broad acceptance within the construction industry that it must respond to vital social and economic imperatives. The rapid delivery of quality public infrastructure will be critical to the country’s successful emergence in the post-pandemic economy.
#BizTrends2021: The engineering workforce of the future will be digitally inclined
Over time, we have seen that much of the problem-solving, analysis and synthesis and heavy mathematical lifting is now done by computers. Gone are the days where engineers are seen pouring over drawing boards...
Selvan Murugan 6 Jan 2021
Inclusive development
There is also a unique opportunity to rebuild the construction sector in an inclusive way and ensure higher levels of integration of emerging contractors into the major projects that flow from government’s infrastructure investments.
The Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme will be the tool to achieve this. It recognises the fact that infrastructure development has immense potential to boost economic and social development. And it provides a framework for the private sector to ensure that infrastructure contributes meaningfully to the broader national priorities, such as skills and enterprise development, job creation, and a healthier and safer construction industry.
Emerging enterprises are ready to participate fully in this new wave of construction activity. In recent months, the cidb has taken major steps to solve some of the most pressing problems facing this sector, and the Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme will be another spur to accelerate this process.
Fundamental impediments
Some fundamental impediments are still being tackled. The potential of the emerging sector is stifled by its inability to access finance and credit as well as a dearth of opportunities for vocational or management training.
Government as a primary client of the industry has to play a vital role in removing these obstacles through its procurement processes and through the promotion of public sector delivery programmes that are designed to provide support to the broader community.
The Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme is an important step to achieve this and to provide clarity and certainty to the industry on the objectives for transformation and the targets which the industry will be required to meet. It gives national departments, government entities and the implementors of strategic infrastructure projects the mandate to build social development goals – which are pegged to cidb standards – into tenders for infrastructure projects.
The best-practice standards in procurement will be utilised to attain improved industry performance in areas relating to health and safety, productivity and quality, training, employment practice and environmental protection.
'Keep on walking' just took on a new meaning
Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa's walking president, set tongues wagging when he first took office thanks to his habit of taking a brisk morning walk...
Patrick McInerney, Christoph Malan, Catharine Atkins and Malika Walele 9 Oct 2020
Setting standard measurements of reporting
The programme sets prescribed minimum standards and methods for project contributions to social development and introduces standard measurements of reporting and accountability for the public sector clients.
For example, the standard for indirect targeting will require a contractor which was awarded a project larger than R60m to have contract participation goals for emerging enterprises amounting to at least 5% of the contract value.
An important element is the creation of a national fund for social development and the determination of the minimum contributions that must be made towards this fund for each prescribed project.
The Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme will, without a doubt, benefit emerging contractors, learners and graduates seeking opportunities to acquire skills and workplace experience in the construction industry. It also offers a credible scheme for major contractors who are committed to the transformation of the sector.
The cidb is designated as the leading agency for the management and regulation of the programme. It has the legislative mandate to set minimum standards for project contributions to social development in terms of the Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme and to define national priorities. The cidb will collect the individual project contributions to the national fund and be the implementing agency for the development initiatives that will be funded.
The details of the Best Practice Project Assessment Scheme were published in the Government Gazette in September and the scheme will come into effect in April 2021.
About the author
Cyril Vuyani Gamede, CEO of the Construction Industry Development Board
Don't miss BizTrends2021 - 8 keynote speakers forecast trends shaping business in our region! Register now!
Read more: infrastructure development, Construction Industry Development Board, infrastructure investment, construction trends, construction transformation
Construction & Engineering trends
Agriculture trends
Automotive trends
CSI & Sustainability trends
4 trends set to continue or be re-interpreted in the NGO sector
Innocent MasayiraStrengthening NPO skills and processes
Nazeema Mohamed, Feryal Domingo and Soraya JoonasSustainability is key for social investment in 2021
Keri-Leigh Paschal
Education trends
4 trends in employee skills development and training you need to know for 2021
Siphelele Kubheka and Desikan Naidoo
Energy & Mining trends
Digital solutions need small steps to succeed
Xanthe AdamsMining looks ahead to more Covid risk
Ralf HenneckeMining's year ahead will demand deep innovation
Frederick Cawood
Entrepreneurship trends
Finance trends
The 4 themes for the new year
Andrew Duvenage,3 wealth management trends to watch in 2021
Maarten Ackerman4 strategies to rethink investing in SMEs
Kuhle MnisiMicroinsurance ready to reach new heights
Marius BothaFinding alpha in the age of Covid-19
Nema Ramkhelawan-BhanaPurpose or profit. It's not a choice
Mike MiddletonShifting towards a digital - but still human - approach
Henry van Deventer
Healthcare trends
Healthcare innovation in 2021 and beyond
Reynhardt UysAre day hospitals the new trend?
Lee Callakoppen3 emerging medical scheme membership patterns
Nerine BrinkHealthcare innovations to look out for
Moshe Lichtenstein
HR & Management trends
ICT trends
Legal trends
3 wide-ranging issues demanding legal attention this year
Jonathan Veeran, Nozipho Mngomezulu and Burton Phillips
Lifestyle trends
Wine in the wake of corona
Kristen Duff and Gosia Young7 prospects and necessary shifts for the arts
Rucera Seethal
Logistics & Transport trends
Marketing & Media trends
Tech democratisation will set the tone for 2021
Andrew Smit and Johan Walters
Property trends
Auction industry survival depends on going virtual
Joff van ReenenCovid-19 drives new trends in local property market
Marcél du Toit
Retail trends
A bold year for beverages
Alex GlendayThe rise of D2C
Michael SmollanAcceleration of digital payments
Jonathan SmitSafety vs sustainability - the packaging industry's key conundrum
Nthabiseng MotsoenengThe evolving e-tail landscape
Vilo TrskaThe path forward for retail in 2021
Matthew Leighton