GEORGE NEWS - The challenges of small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in the construction sector were in the spotlight during the launch of a training and mentorship programme conducted in George under the auspices of the International Labour Organisation (Ilo).
The launch was held at the Protea Hotel King George on Friday 3 October, and the training started on the Saturday.
It is a three-month programme conducted with funding from the Decent Work in Construction Project, an initiative of the Ilo and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), through funding from the Swedish Government.
Upon completion of face-to-face training, individual mentorship will be offered to each participant.
Naomy Lintini, manager of the Decent Work in Construction Project, said this training is aimed at establishing safer, fairer and more productive working environments in the country's construction sector.
"It is a journey that has become even more critical here in George, because of the tragic collapse of a building in May 2024. That incident was a stark reminder of the urgent need for collaborative multi-pronged interventions in this area."
Cedric Adams of Cebisile Cedric Labour Solutions in his speech said SMMEs face a myriad of challenges, one of the biggest being compliance with legislation and registrations with various authorities. This is often because they are uninformed.
Cedric Adams of Cebisile Cedric Labour Solutions.
Adams welcomed the training programme, saying: "If SMMEs are not mentored in terms of finance, compliance and of their operations, especially in the construction industry, we will not have decent work in construction. We also need the support of the principal contractor to empower the SMMEs."
Theo Wessels, building division area manager for the construction company Ruwacon, shared his passion for the industry he had entered at a young age.
"I love to help SMMEs to grow their companies and go forward. It's not always easy. Only 2% of SMMEs registering as a grade 1 contractor will eventually reach a grade 2 registration."
Wessels aired his concerns over the minimum requirements - just an ID and R500 - to register as a grade 1 SMME, and said training of these SMMEs in all aspects of the business is critical. Principal contractors are not allowed to subcontract to SMMEs who are not compliant with legislation.
"You need to be smarter and more well equipped than the guy next to you. Productivity is one of the biggest things that hamper SMMEs from growing.
"You have the huge challenge of being the boss, the human resources manager, health and safety officer, quantity surveyor and production manager. That is why this type of training is so important - so that SMMEs can equip themselves with the necessary knowledge," said Wessels
Theo Wessels, building division area manager for Ruwacon.
The programme in George is presented in partnership with the Progressive SMME Initiative (PSI) to support and train 25 small construction enterprises on how to comply with labour and safety standards, while also boosting productivity and competitiveness.
Lintini said a partnership with the Building Construction and Allied Workers Union (BCAWU) has also been established to support education of vulnerable workers on construction sites on rights at their work.
The programme has been presented in other parts of the country.
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