The Department of Trade and Industry on Thursday received the Construction Industry Charter, with full endorsement from Public Works Minister Thoko Didiza, the Construction Transformation Charter group said.

This was the culmination of a four-year process, and a “big step big step forward on the road to transformation of the construction industry” co-chair of the group that crafted the charter, co-chairperson of the integrated management committee, Mike Wylie, said in an emailed statement.

“However, we believe this is only the end of the beginning of a journey into the future that will see our industry delivering the infrastructure to South Africa and transforming into an entity of which all of us, our government and South Africa, can be proud,” he added.

Wylie had said in April that the charter gave companies the ability to measure their progress in transformation. "It's important that government and clients alike support and use it because it's all we have," he stated at the time.

The construction charter was based on seven pillars, including ownership, management control, employment equity, training and skills development, procurement, enterprise developments and corporate social investment.

To subscribe to Engineering News's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.