Improving the construction industry of South Africa : A strategy

The construction industry of South Africa will be expected to play a key role in the socio-economic development of the country under the new national political dispensation. The industry has an illustrious past and a good regulatory and procedural infrastructure. But the tasks it will face will be different from its past workload in terms of volume, variety and location. This paper is based on discussions which took place at the South African Construction Management Programme (CMP) in June–July 1993. These discussions are supplemented with proceedings from other CMPs, and updated and extended from a literature survey considering mainly recent developments. Present strengths and weaknesses of the construction industry of South Africa are discussed, and the nature of the projects it will be required to undertake examined. A strategic plan for preparing the industry to meet its future tasks is outlined.