The Sunday Independent reports that top government ministers are coming to the rescue of the embattled construction industry after it shed 140,000 jobs and lost billions of rands in business.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille and Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu plan to meet with the construction industry soon to resolve its crisis. The industry has in the past few years been battling and some of the major players are closing shop, with industry giants Basil Read and Group Five having filed for business rescue. Part of the reason for the decline of the sector is that there has been no business from government and the private sector as well as slow payment of contracts by the government. The state has cut its infrastructure budget by 12%, which has impacted on the industry. President Cyril Ramaphosa has moved the Presidential Infrastructure Co-ordinating Commission to De Lille’s department and she said they were willing to work with the industry. “A fund for infrastructure of R100bn has been established. Infrastructure is going to play a key role in economic growth. The construction industry is in steep decline. Over 140000 jobs have been lost. As the Department of Public Works we will release 300 projects (worth R5bn) to stimulate the industry to create more jobs,” said De Lille. Sisulu also said she would meet with the construction industry on its challenges.
- The full original of the above report by Siyabonga Mkhwanazi appeared on page 9 of The Sunday Independent of 14 July 2019
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