KwaZulu-Natal-based construction industry representative organisation Master Builders Association KwaZulu-Natal (MBA-KZN) reports that the move to Alert Level 3 of the national Covid-19 lockdown on June 1, will bring much-needed relief for the construction industry.
The move will result in the reactivation of the construction sector in its entirety.
Since the announcement of a lockdown in March, the association notes that it has been at the forefront of introducing practical interventions to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 on the construction sector.
In this regard, MBA-KZN points out that the Construction Covid-19 Rapid Response Task Team, convened by MBA-KZN, was established with key industry role-players to collectively plan the recovery of the sector post-lockdown and to unblock relief measures to ensure its sustainability.
The task team comprises 33 organisations in the construction industry and has made several proposals and submissions to government Ministers and relevant authorities on the reactivation of the construction sector, as well as the recovery of the industry post-lockdown.
As outlined in the organisation's constitution, maintaining a healthy and safe working conditions for all employees is a key priority and MBA-KZN encourages its members to prepare for the implementation of all necessary health and safety protocols to enable them to return to work swiftly.
MBA-KZN hosted online member forum meetings, circulated regular e-bulletins and created a database of information on its Web portal. Members were provided with a Covid-19 risk plan guideline and supporting documentation to apply to their respective sites and will also have access to a safety induction video on Covid-19 measures.