The annual Master Builders South Africa (MBSA) congress will be taking place at the Nasrec Expo Centre from September 16 to 17 this year.

In the 110th year since the establishment of the congress, the speakers are set to address the topic ‘Building Sustainability in Africa’. This will provide an opportunity for national and African representatives to come together and discuss the latest trends, opportunities and challenges faced by the building industry.

This year’s MBSA congress will coincide with the Bauma Conexpo – the international trade fair for construction machinery, building material machines, mining machines and construction vehicles. Over 800 exhibitors from around the world are expected to take part in Africa’s largest trade fair for the construction machinery and mining industry.

Delegates scheduled to be speakers during the congress include Max du Preez, Jabu Mabusa, Simon Gear and Dr Rodney Milford.

Being a journalist and a political analyst, Du Preez will present on building sustainability in Africa from a political point of view. Gear will focus on various environment- and climate-change-related topics.

As a programme manager for construction industry performance at the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), Milford will speak on the CIDB’s Best Practice Contractor Recognition Scheme.

“We are very excited not only to be celebrating our 110th congress but also to hear from these and other exciting speakers about how we as an industry can contribute to building sustainability in the industry, [the] country and [on the] continent,” says MBSA CEO Pierre Fourie.

He notes that all members of the building and construction industry are invited to attend the MBSA congress, highlighting that it is an important event to address key issues for engineers, architects, construction managers, regulators or contractors, both large and small. Construction managers, quantity surveyors and architects attending the congress will gain Continuous Professional Development points.