S Sigcau: National Construction Week Gala Dinner

16 February 2006

Master of ceremonies,
Deputy Minister of Public Works, Mr Ntopile Kganyago
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee, Mr Fezile Bhengu
Chairperson of the Construction Industry Development Board, Mr Pepi
Selinga
Government Advisors
Chairpersons of the Construction Transformation Charter Group, Mr Mike Wylie
and Mr James Ngobeni
Acting Director-General, Dr Sean Phillips
Leaders of the construction sector, built environment and tertiary
institutions
Senior government officials
Honourable guests
Ladies and gentlemen

It seems only appropriate to be addressing the captains’ of industry,
tertiary institutions and built environment professionals in a building like
the Cape Town Convention Centre. This building truly represents the remarkable
changes we have experienced in the industry thanks to advanced design and
technology. It was only 40 years ago that modems, faxes, e-mails, cellphones
and computer aided drawings evolved.

It is incredible to think how fast technology can advance within a short
period of time, but how difficult it is to attract young people into an
industry that is abuzz with such creativity and innovation.

While recently watching an advert on television to promote the African Cup
of Nations, my thoughts raced back to the days when the stone masons built the
Pyramids in Egypt. These artisans were filled with pride as their central idea
was one of building a better society, with their tools providing them with a
multiplicity of emblems to illustrate the principles they were putting
forward.

The stone masons operated a secret society with employers appreciating
outstanding pieces of craftsmanship, but their creators generally remaining
anonymous. Yet their masterpieces still stand centuries later and they have
left behind a legacy that will be witnessed by generations to come. The pride
held by artisans and the fact that products outlive their creators is the kind
of key messages that need to be conveyed to our youth to highlight the positive
aspects of working in our industry. After all, our industry builds South
Africa!

I wonder if the builders of the past would ever have imagined that their
descendants would be sitting pondering the future of the industry. They would
have assumed that the skills they had acquired, and which it was their task to
ensure that others acquired, would remain essential to build their country. And
they would have been right. South Africa needs professionals and artisans, but
in particular young men and women today, just as urgently as they did then.
They would have seen a great deal of common sense in what we are trying to
achieve today and how we are going to go about it through an awareness campaign
during the National Construction Week.

In his State of the Nation Address on 3 February, President Thabo Mbeki
stated that: “Everything we have said so far, concerning the Accelerated and
Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (Asgisa) points to the inescapable
conclusion that to meet our objectives we will have to pay particular attention
to the issue of scarce skills that will negatively affect the capacity of both
the public and the private sectors to meet the goals set by Asgisa. In this
regard, I would therefore like to assure the honourable members and the country
as a whole that together with our social partners we have agreed to a vigorous
and wide ranging skills development and acquisition programme to meet any
shortfalls we may experience.”

Women are prioritised in the first instance because they are
underrepresented in the construction sector. There is therefore an urgent need
to fast track women’s acquisition of project management skills so that they can
effectively participate and benefit from the infrastructure rollout.

In fact studies have shown that the average project manager is male, white
and over 50 years, hence making the skilling of a diversified group of people a
necessity in order for the country to achieve its 6 percent growth rate target.
The construction charter has identified this as one of the risks facing the
industry especially when the existing experts retire.

Apart from the identified need to transform the industry, there is no
question that we need to bring in new entrants in the short term so that they
can benefit from working along side experienced experts before they exit active
employment. The second phase of skills development will have to look at youth
and black people in general.

It is clear. The President has spoken. It is now time for the industry to
join hands in addressing the major challenge we face regarding the shortage of
skills.

Infrastructure spending by government departments, municipalities and state
owned enterprises is set to grow strongly with spending expected to be around
R350 billion in the next five years as part of Asgisa.

Government will be focussing on a massive five year investment plan for
state-owned enterprises in infrastructure, energy and transport by attracting
foreign investment and boosting economic growth. Projects such as the
completion of the port of Ngqura in the Eastern Cape, the construction of
stadiums for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, the inner city revitalisation project
in Tshwane referred to as “Re Kgabisa Tshwane”, the construction of the
Gautrain, the Berg River Water Scheme and the expansion of a number of ports
capacity signals the beginning of a construction boom for the next few years.
In order for us to achieve this, there needs to be an urgent and vigorous drive
to attract the youth into our sector.

National Construction Week will make a significant contribution to the
objectives of Asgisa by promoting the image and profile of the construction
sector, so as to give young learners the opportunity to experience a wide range
of exciting opportunities available in today’s built environment and
construction sector.

The campaign’s objectives have been set out very clearly in the presentation
shown a little earlier this evening and I think you will agree with me in
saying that our television, radio and media campaign is likely to arouse
widespread public interest.

I battled to get my mind around the question of “How do you actually go
about making the construction industry appealing to the youth?” After all it’s
about cement, bricks, mortar steel and glass. The campaign however focuses more
on the people working in the industry. What we are really trying to convey is
the message that the industry is overflowing with innovation, creativity and
excitement and there are endless opportunities for the youth to get involved in
the construction industry.

The true success of National Construction Week will be determined by the
participation and involvement of the industry as a whole. I would therefore
like to make an urgent call to all stakeholders in the industry to get together
and commit your organisations to actively participate in National Construction
Week. This is the perfect platform for government departments, construction
companies and built environment professional companies to arrange and host
visits to construction sites and offices to create awareness about the various
aspects of construction and the built environment disciplines and perform the
task of ambassadors to schools in their areas. The Department has established a
website and call centre for you to find out everything you need to know and how
to go about hosting your event.

I would also like to call on the industry to assist the Department in
confounding certain aspects of the National Construction Week programme as part
of its commitment. The Department has developed a sponsorship proposal which
you will find on your tables.

Let us therefore use National Construction Week to really show this
commitment to the South African public and in particular the youth in an effort
to elevate the industry to new heights.

Let us all show that we are truly committed to building a positive profile
and image of our industry as this industry is vital to the South African
economy.

Together we can make it a world class industry. The road we are travelling
together is rocky. But the stones on the path will become the masonry of the
future. We have weathered the storms together and we have emerged stronger as
an industry.

Let us be true pioneers and leaders sent on through the wilderness of
untried things to break a new path in the sector that is ours. Our youth is our
strength; in our inexperience our wisdom. The future is out there waiting to
build your dreams.

We need to focus our minds on what can be achieved during the Construction
Week in July.

Thank you!

Issued by: Department of Public Works
16 February 2006
Source: Department of Public Works (http://www.publicworks.gov.za)