Premier: only compliant subcontractors will be hired

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – Local subcontractors with different Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) grading levels have expressed their readiness and eagerness to participate in the road improvement project launched by the provincial government to repair some of the roads in Qwaqwa.

The CIDB is a regulatory body that classifies, and grades contractors based on their capabilities and past performance. This helps ensure that projects are awarded to contractors with the appropriate skills and resources to complete the work successfully.

Companies are graded on a scale, with grades ranging from 1 (the smallest) to 9 (the largest), depending on the size and scope of the work they are qualified to handle.One of the local subcontractors, Nontombi Peleha from Ward 29 enthused that her construction company holds a CIDB 4 CE grading level and has extensive experience in road maintenance.

“I am fully prepared for this project and eager to begin working. I have experience patching roads, laying ash bricks, and repairing potholes. From 2008 to 2016, I worked on the road to Reitz as part of the Department of Police Roads and Transport’s CDP projects,” Peleha explained.

Similarly, Dineo Moabi, whose company holds a CIDB 3 CE grading level, expressed her excitement.”I have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time, and I am thankful to the premier for making it possible. As a 70-year-old woman in construction, my company is compliant and ready to start patching the roads.

“According to Phomolo Makappa, the Chief Engineer from the Department of Community Safety, Roads, and Transport, a meeting with the subcontractors will take place next Wednesday, October 16.

“Subcontractors will be contacted by a representative from the department to confirm their appointments. The meeting will start with companies graded at CIDB 1 C, followed by CIDB 2s, and then companies with CIDB 3 and 4 levels. We had to reassess the scope for the higher-grade contractors.

“The anticipated project start date is November 1st, and the main contractor, Diphatse Trading and Projects, will issue appointment letters to the hired companies. These letters will outline the compliance requirements. We have taken extra steps to ensure that all companies appointed are local to Qwaqwa,” Makappa stated.

70-year-old woman in construction Dineo Moabi at the Phuthaditjhaba Multipurpose hall during the engagement session between beneficiaries of the road fixing project and FS premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae.

Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae emphasized that only contractors with the necessary skills will be involved in this project.

“No one should try to manage a project they are not equipped to handle. We will closely monitor each step to ensure that the construction companies remain compliant. We want skilled workers, and those who lack certain skills should use this opportunity to gain experience from the more experienced contractors,” Letsoha-Mathae added.

This project aligns with the national commitment to include more women in construction. The 40 percent rule, which mandates that at least 40 percent of the workers on government construction projects must be women, is a key policy in ensuring gender equity in the sector. Women like Peleha and Moabi, who have proven their capabilities, are at the forefront of this movement, showcasing that women can play a vital role in the industry.