Modern Quarrying Q2 2023

delivering true value for the construction industry.” Considerable overcapacity was still evident in the non residential building sector, especially commercial office and retail space. The value of non-residential building plans passed averaged just about R1b in value compared to R3b in 2016. The brief recovery in the residential building sector – as homeowners renovated for home offices – had tailed off. Cement demand suffered negative growth in 2022, and was expected to improve only marginally over the next few years, he said. AfriSam SA Budget Breakdown event About this annual event itself, Tomes remarked that AfriSam’s purpose is to make valuable information available to the various stakeholders that interact

even though it makes up just 2,6% of GDP. “Implementing government’s infrastructure projects would spark massive job creation, and the economy would grow by 5-6% a year,” he said. As it was, business confidence among building contractors continued to deteriorate, although last year this deterioration had slowed. Commenting on Dr Jammine’s presentation, Richard Tomes, Sales and Marketing Executive at AfriSam said: “Although the operating environment remains challenging, one of the positive elements AfriSam has noted is the increase in the infrastructure spend budget allocation, and we remain hopeful that the implementation of the infrastructure projects will gain momentum and start

with its business. “With many of us operating in the same industry, material matters such as the external environment we operate within not only relate to AfriSam but also to our stakeholders’ businesses. We hope that the information being shared at an event like this will not only provide them with insight about some of the decisions that AfriSam takes but will also provide them with valuable insights to enable decision making in their own businesses or organisations to ensure their future success and sustainability. l

Although the operating environment remains challenging, one of the positive elements AfriSam has noted is the increase in the infrastructure

spend budget allocation, and we remain hopeful that the

implementation of the infrastructure projects will gain momentum and start delivering true value for the construction industry.

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 2 | 2023