USAID. BUR. FOR AFRICA. REGIONAL HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT OFC. FOR EAST AND SOUTHERN AFRICA
Small building contractors in South Africa
This study is focused on four aspects: the organization of the building industry in South Africa and the role played by small contractors within it; constraints on the performance of small contractors; the training and technical/managerial assistance needs of small contractors as perceived by themselves and those whom they work for; and the sources and nature of training to meet these needs.
Martin, Richard · 1992
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Abstract
The study finds that the owners of small contracting firms are typically poorly educated and some are illiterate. There is a complex regulatory system, and as a result most small firms are (illegally) not registered. Small builders face many constraints: they find it difficult to get credit from building materials suppliers, and to obtain bridging finance to cover their cash flow needs during a contract. A large percentage of contracts are packaged in such a way that they are too large for small contractors to tender for. The main skills deficiencies of small contractors are in cost estimating, materials scheduling, and job programming. A number of training programs exist, but few firms are currently benefiting from training. The report concludes with recommendations. (Author abstract, modified)
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