Addressing the NHBRC Transformation Charter launch, Deputy Minister of Human Settlements Ms Zou Kota-Fredericks, MP said transformation and economic empowerment must be driven aggressively in the home building environment.

“It is critical to note that the radical economic transformation programme is not a stand-alone programme as it has no special budget and should be an integral part of each and every department and all entities of government. It calls on all of us to revisit the Preferential Procurement Act so as to respond adequately to this issue,” said Kota-Fredericks.

The launch was hosted in partnership with the Department of Human Settlements (DHS) as part of the 2017 International Women’s Day celebrations.

NHBRC Acting Chairperson of Council, Ms Julieka Bayat said one of the biggest challenges in achieving an effective transformation programme in the industry is the lack of adequate skills and we will be investing most of this money in the upskilling our most vulnerable groups: Women, Youth, People living with Disabilities and Military Veterans.

“Women are particularly under-represented with respect to ownership, control and the management of companies involved in the housing value chain as well as in terms of technical skills.  Also, the high unemployment rate, especially of our youth has heightened the need for us to aggressively pursue transformation of the sector so as to create self-employment opportunities,” said Bayat.

The NHBRC’s transformation charter seeks to address issues that relate to the advancement of equal economic opportunities in the human settlements value chain in order to optimise meaningful participation of vulnerable groups such as Women, Youth, People living with Disabilities and Military Veterans.

“As the NHBRC we believe that our transformation charter will assist us in unlocking obstacles to and the effective participation by the identified groupings, it further asserts measureable goals for us to achieve on the road to a radically transformed home building industry” she said.

We also wish to demonstrate our support towards government’s efforts of promoting social and economic transformation.