Dear Members and Readers

"After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb." (Nelson Mandela)

The end of 2020 saw South Africa back in lockdown under amended Alert Level 3 restrictions. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that drastic measures were needed to curb the rate of infections which were "climbing at an alarming and unprecedented rate." The restrictions were extended until 15 February 2021. The approval of several vaccines has ushered in new hope in 2021 towards the mitigation of the COVID-19 pandemic, with further positive news on the radar that vaccines are being secured by our country.

On the economic front, the Monetary Policy Committee announced that the repo rate would remain unchanged at 3.5% and that South Africa’s gross domestic product is expected to grow by 3.6% in 2021, which is slightly higher than their previous forecast. In contrast hereto, the International Monetary Fund revised its projection downwards to 2.8% in 2021. Factors that would tip the economic recovery hinge on the resolution of the energy crisis, the impact of possible new waves of the COVID-19 virus and the success of the vaccine rollout programme, amongst other matters.

The Construction COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Team was formed in April 2020 and was instrumental in developing responses for the safe reactivation of construction sites during the lockdown restrictions. The Construction COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Team reconstituted itself as Construction Alliance South Africa (CASA) on 21 January 2021. CASA is a historic initiative which has united the construction industry under one umbrella body made up of 29 professional, contractor, supplier and other industry bodies, with Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal as the Convenor.

In the words of John Matthews, Chairperson of CASA: “The need for unity in the sector cannot be over-emphasized. We are not only confronted with the enormous challenge of rebuilding the construction industry out of the rubble of COVID-19, but also to make it more inclusive, transformed, innovative and competitive.” He further added: “It also unifies and amplifies the voice of the industry and broadens the channel of communication with government, particularly at this time when construction is taking the lead in the economic recovery of South Africa. The common vision for the industry that binds us and our commitment to transparent, genuine and co-operative engagement shall be the beacon of our efforts and will continue to direct responsibilities of existing CASA members and those to come.”

In this first issue of 2021, the Membership News article updates members on membership renewals and support services offered to members. In the spirit of engagement, members are encouraged to join the online Member meeting and Member Forum meeting in the month of February. The contractual and legal article provides a basic explanation of Contract Law, the requirements of a valid contract, the JBCC Contract as well as other contractual related matters. We explore trends that will shape workplace health and safety and the delivery of education and training in 2021. We end this edition of the newsletter with an article from the Master Builders KwaZulu-Natal Recruitment Agency exploring characteristics of an ideal employee.

Let me leave you with an extract of the words of President Joe Biden in his inauguration speech, "With unity, we can do great things, important things. We can right wrongs, we can put people to work in good jobs, we can teach our children in safe schools. We can overcome the deadly virus..."

Stay safe!