OPINION: How can we lift the South African construction Industry to be a global leader?

Prince Lufu weighs in on the question Are Construction & Built Environment Professionals ready to lift the local industry to be leader globally? 

I think we need to first benchmark ourselves locally and demand standards of excellence from grass roots level. We also need to look at out through put from the education system too as that is a direct feeder for the entire industry.

I think it is dangerous to do what is currently being done where the focus is only on the candidates in academic tertiary institutions. The ones who don't make it to the academic tertiary institutions should be direct feedstock for artisanry programmes. Government particularly basic education has a major role to play in creating that feedstock in a tiered system. 

I say this because our industrial base must be broad based with technical and admin efficiency. Let me cite the example of Germany where I am advised that leadership in all technical fields in the country demand experience in some form of artisanal program. In this way graduates from these artisan programs as they profess up the chain naturally knowing the basics of production, the other frilly bits and pieces are eventually added on to give the complete picture 

Work ethic of the Chinese is another key element. We really need to give our thinking in that respect a major paradigm shift. Their culture is like that of industrious worker ants coming out from the colony and acting as one functional body of many moving parts moving in symbiosis for a singular common purpose.. 

We also need to look at establishing strategic partnerships within the region and across the continent with the formation of MOUs with private sector bodies. The idea is to work together forming bilateral arrangements to develop the industry in other nations. 

It takes government enabling and private sector driving the process in order to develop and achieve objectives.

 

Also read: Does the insolvency of a Construction company constitute a breach of contract?

The idea is to establish the backbone for major public works programmes which in turn will nurture industrial growth and thus demand for skills leading to training and sustainable growth.  

This leads to greater consumption and growth of the private sector as allied industries will also grow. 

A culture of maintenance should also be calculated as the life cycle of infrastructure needs to be planned and managed accordingly.

To recieve email alerts when hardhatOPINION  articles are published submit your details here