Construction World March 2020

INVESTIGATION AGAINST CETA LAUNCHED

especially where a shortage of public funds might mean the deferral of important projects. “There is certainly more buy-in to the PPP concept from certain parts of government,” he says. “The past success of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme is testament to the country’s ability to conduct these SURFHVVHV ZHOO DQG JDLQ WKH EHQHͤWV ̹ Indeed, Concor has been one of the most active players in the wind farm projects facilitated by the REIPPP programme. Buoyed by its extensive experience since the inception of the REIPPP, it continues to be seen as a preferred partner by important players in wind farm development and as such remains a participant in a number of proposed ventures for Round 5 of the programme. Tseki highlights that there is considerable appetite in the market for a more collaborative approach to developing and funding infrastructure projects. There are outside sources of funding which can be engaged on the basis of sovereign risk, long-term investment and acceptable interest rates. He notes that a well-designed PPP also has the advantage of aligning the interests of all stakeholders toward the effective delivery and maintenance of the infrastructure developed by the project. Sustainability is key “Now more than ever – as a country and an industry – we need to prioritise sustainability and continuity in infrastructure projects,” he says, “as this is vital to both service delivery and cost-effectiveness.” Concor – with its heritage through Murray & Roberts Construction and Concor Construction going back almost 120 years – has the expertise and experience to manage these large and complex projects, he argues. It prides itself in delivering excellence in all aspects of a project. “It is an unfortunate truth that the extended slump in construction industry has strained many relationships between project stakeholders,” he says. “We see the result in the number of claims being pursued between clients and contractors. It need not be this way. “What is required now is a concerted effort to rebuild trust among the players, which is a vital element of managing project quality and risk. Where the outcome of an investment becomes unpredictable, banks and lenders become nervous about their risk exposure, for instance,” he continues. “Part of the value that Concor brings to our projects is world- class processes, and the ability to communicate and collaborate closely with clients,” he says. Industry must mature This makes for the creation of a more mature industry, where challenges are addressed openly and are resolved. After an extremely challenging 2019, Concor looks forward to a better 2020 with a number of exciting projects already lined up. Among the most recent is a large contract recently awarded by Eskom to extend the ash disposal facility at Majuba power station. This project includes the construction of lined ash platforms and various water rehabilitation dams together with associated elements such as subsoil drainage systems, surface drainage, intakes and spillways. 2I SDUWLFXODU HQYLURQPHQWDO VLJQLͤFDQFH ZLOO EH WKH OLQHU V\VWHPV for these facilities, which will include 300 mm of clay as primary impermeable layer and a 1,5 mm HDPE geomembrane liner as barrier. The liner system in the ash facility will have a 300 mm screened coarse ash ballast layer for protection, while the liner systems for the dams will be ballasted with a 300 mm cement-stabilised sand OD\HU WRSSHG ZLWK $UPRUͥH[ EORFNV “This is certainly an exciting time for Concor, and I am looking forward to the opportunity to listen, learn and lead,” says Tseki. ƒ

T he country’s body of construction contractors Master Builders South Africa (MBSA), has called for an urgent meeting with the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology. The meeting is meant to provide clarity on the standing of thousands of learners who are in training programmes supported by the CETA. The Construction

MBSA President, John Matthews.

Education and Training Authority was placed under administration by Minister Nzimande on the 29 January WR IDFLOLWDWH DQ LQYHVWLJDWLRQ LQWR DOOHJDWLRQV RI ͤQDQFLDO mismanagement and maladministration. “We have thousands of learners placed with building contractors on learnerships, apprenticeships and candidacy programmes and the immediate concern is to ensure that the placing of the CETA under administration does not result in unintended consequences for these programmes and for skills development in the construction sector,” said MBSA President, John Matthews. 0DWWKHZV FRQͤUPHG WKDW 0%6$ ZDV DZDUH RI RQJRLQJ FKDOOHQJHV DW WKH &(7$ ZKLFK ZHUH FDXVLQJ VLJQLͤFDQW GHOD\V LQ payments of training grants, bursaries and stipends to employers and learners. At just below 10% of the total labour force of the country, the construction industry remains one of the largest employers in the FRXQWU\ +RZHYHU WKH ODFN RI TXDOLͤHG DQG H[SHULHQFHG ZRUNHUV KDV been cited as one of the biggest threats facing the industry. To improve delivery of skills programmes in the country, Minister Nzimande made an undertaking to implement a Contract 0DQDJHPHQW 6\VWHP WR NHHS WUDFN RI WKH ͥRZ RI IXQGV VR WKDW ͤQDQFLDO PDQDJHPHQW EHFRPHV PRUH WUDQVSDUHQW ZLWKLQ WKH Department. He also indicated that there would be consequences for individuals who fail to comply. “As an industry body, maintaining a steady supply of the required building skills for the country is at the core of what we do for our members, and we remain committed to working with the Minister to ensure that the CETA is more effective and delivers the skills needs of the industry. We also support any action aimed at entrenching good corporate governance and better performance, but we are concerned that this development may jeopardise current skills programmes and those that are planned for the near future.” said Matthews. Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) is a Federation of registered employer Associations representing contractors and employers in the construction industry, and is regulated in terms of Section 107 of the Labour Relations Act 66 of 1995. The Federation’s nine Master Builders Associations, and three $ͦOLDWH $VVRFLDWLRQV UHSUHVHQW PRUH WKDQ FRQWUDFWRUV DQG employers in the industry. ƒ

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CONSTRUCTION WORLD MARCH 2020