“Women empowerment is not a favour but a necessity to level the playground” - MEC Maile

The MEC for Human Settlements and Infrastructure Development, Lebogang Maile addressed the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) networking conference for empowerment and recognition of women in construction awards this afternoon. MEC Maile, asserted, “Women empowerment is not a favour but a necessity to level the playground”. ?

MEC Maile discussed industry challenges including cash flow, the cost of registering as a level one contractor with the CIDB, the sluggish economy and the construction mafia. “There has been an increase in women-owned businesses within the built environment sector, however the growth, competitiveness and sustainability of these businesses remains a challenge which we must address, given that most of these businesses are below grade five when it comes to CIDB grading and find it very hard to move up this grading system, with their grading remaining mostly static”.

MEC Maile highlighted progress at the Departments of Infrastructure Development and Human Settlements which utilising Bid Specification Committees, will enforce the inclusion of specific goals as stipulated in the Preferential Procurement Regulation of 2022 on tender projects, to assist in upscaling the expenditure on women and other designated groups. Supply Chain Management will keep a record of the nominated designated groups and provide guidance to the Bid Specification Committee during consideration of the Terms of Reference. The Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has developed an Emerging Contractor Development Programme (ECDP) Framework which seeks to address the developmental challenges facing a number of emerging contractors in the construction industry within the province, with women being on top of the priority list in terms of this ECDP. The ECDP seeks to foster the sustainable development of contractors by identifying a set number of contractors, using criteria that will be open and transparent, and these contractors will undergo a structured development? process so that they can be able to grow, develop and eventually compete within the mainstream of the construction sector.

Despite the progress that has been made in empowering women within the built environment sector, Government is facing very serious challenges in meeting budget spending targets of 40% of procurement spend. When it comes to women empowerment, government has very progressive legislation and policy frameworks as well as incubation programmes to empower women and other designated groups. “One of the measures that we are taking to improve our performance in supporting women-owned entities within the built environment sector as well as unlocking opportunities for them, is the implementation of the contractor development model, with procurement systems that are structured in such a way that it allows some form of preferential treatment (set-asides), with temporary protective barriers that will allow women-owned businesses to build their capacity until they are able to compete significantly in the open market. This contractor development model will be implemented within a clear, supportive ?policy framework which encourages cooperation and empowerment through joint ventures, partnering and sub-contracting,? and which discourages exploitation between contractors and sub-contractors” said MEC Maile.

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