Construction Industry News and Views - December 2019
Construction Industry News and Views Edition 177 02 December 2019
Dear Members and Readers
Reflecting on 2019, it was yet another challenging year for our Industry. Rising material costs, onerous clauses in contracts, site interruptions, reduced contract periods, increased competition and shrinking profit margins are among the many challenges our members have encountered.
There have been several engagements to try to mitigate these industry challenges. Members can rest assured that the Association remains committed to driving and influencing a positive and sustainable future for our industry. We will be spearheading a number of initiatives in 2020 in an attempt to unify the industry and pursue sustainable construction models to benefit the industry at large.
The Master Builders KZN App is gaining momentum in promoting our members for relevant projects and needs of the public and others. Please join us by ensuring that you spread the App throughout your networks. The App may be downloaded from the Apple iStore and Google Play Store.
In this edition, we welcome new members to the Association and provide feedback on membership activity across the province. We also pay tribute to two outstanding member companies AG Hall CC and Smith & Winfield for demonstrating loyalty and exceeding 100 years of membership.
Members are urged to take cognisance of the impact of the fourth industrial revolution on health and safety for your future business planning in order to stay ahead of the game. It is also pleasing to note that members are benefitting from our Training Academy to obtain their SACPCMP registration.
Please click here for our marketing opportunities which are designed to help you brand your company and market your services and products. Don’t miss out on the fantastic opportunities available to you in 2020.
The Association will be closed from Monday, 23 December 2019 and will reopen on Monday, 6 January 2020. In the event of an emergency during this period, please contact Ernest Roper on 083 704 0441 or Shelly Kupferman on 082 990 6888.
We would like to wish all our readers a fantastic and enjoyable festive season. We look forward to being of service to you in 2020 and may the year be filled with success and prosperity.
Be safe and enjoy!
Vikashnee Harbhajan | Executive Director
Membership News
Throughout November 2019, the Association held several member meetings across the province where the hot topic on the agenda was “Business Rescue – Know Your Rights”. The topic was aimed at informing members who are creditors to companies that go into Business Rescue as to what their rights are.
With the builder’s shutdown for the year end only a few weeks away, contractors must plan for this period as the industry cannot survive any further losses sustained because of any oversights during this period. The most important factor is to secure the site and safeguard all assets on the site.
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Bursary Fund Application 2020
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal as the leading voice of the KwaZulu-Natal construction industry recognises the need to support aspiring construction industry leaders of the future. To this end, the Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Bursary Fund opens opportunities to South Africans residing in KwaZulu-Natal and studying a construction related qualification.
At the 2019 Annual awards event, Smith & Winfield and A.G. Hall CC each received the Association’s Platinum Loyalty Award for having celebrated over 100 years of membership.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution and its impact on health and safety
The objective of the “The Role of Industry 4.0 in Construction Health and Safety (H&S)” summit was to provide a forum for industry role players to address construction health and safety related matters with specific emphasis on topical issues, the development of knowledge and skills areas, and to debate challenging issues.
Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal are the administrators of the KwaZulu-Natal Retirement and Provident Funds. The benefits contained in the Funds administered were recently enhanced at no additional cost to the member.
As a result, a significant portion of member contributions are allocated to retirement fund savings which earn investment returns to benefit the member.
Assisting members to meet SACPCMP registration requirements
Following his application for professional registration with SACPCMP as a Professional Construction Manager, a member and client of the Association was informed that he required courses in Management of Project Risk and Quality Management.
It was with great excitement that he wrote to the Association on 22 November 2019 to express his gratitude that the courses offered had assisted him in attaining registration as a Professional Construction Manager.
Enhanced Employee Benefit Offerings
