By Nangamso Mabindla
25 August 2006

EAST London played host to a two-day summit aimed at expanding the role of women in the construction industry.

Entitled Women in Construction, the summit wanted to showcase opportunities, share ideas on how to involve women in the construction industry, and challenge policy-makers to develop policies to involve women in the industry. It also presented financial options open to women-owned companies.

The summit was organised by Buffalo City, Transformation Africa and the Coega Industrial Development Zone.

The construction industry was still dominated by men, according to Transformation Africa president Bea Hackula. "For instance, many clients are sceptical of doing business with women-led companies; at times they have unrealistic expectations from these companies."

She urged politicians, businesspeople and other stakeholders "to support women in construction, especially the ones that were previously deprived of the opportunity to be part of the industry".

Information and feedback from such gatherings could also be used as valuable input in the construction strategy, Hackula added.

Opportunities available for women in construction were in the Industrial Development Zones, the upcoming 2010 World Cup soccer showpiece, the housing backlog and the two urban renewals in Mdantsane in Buffalo City and in Motherwell in the Nelson Mandel Metro.

Infrastructural development was also one of the development areas outlined in the Provincial Growth and Development Plan (PGDP).

Pelisa Nzamela from the Coega IDZ supply chain and procurement said systems had been put in place to ensure that women-led construction companies benefited from Coega. "We also have a capacity-building section that assists small women-owned companies with skills development and access to finance; and business mentoring."

The Coega IDZ had spent over R1-billion on infrastructural development and of that women-owned construction had received R167-million, she added.