Construction workers killed weekly in SA

Johannesburg - Two construction workers are killed a week in South Africa, Public Works Minister Thulas Nxesi said on Thursday.

"The safety of employees must be an absolute priority. It is unacceptable that, on average, two South African construction workers die every week," he said at a construction conference in Midrand.

"[W]e expect every employer, in partnership with labour, to ensure that health and safety regulations are implemented and enforced."

Among the delegates was Economic Development Minister Ebrahim Patel and Ghana's Public Works Minister Abraham Byandala.

Nxesi said the construction sector needed to deal with procurement, over-pricing, fraud and corruption.

"We will fail if we don't get on top of this challenge."

He called on professionals within the sector to promote ethical practices.

It was important for the country to get more construction management professionals. Nxesi said programmes needed to be taken to schools to provide support for promising pupils.

"We need to expedite the training and mentoring of graduates so that they attain full professional status in a shorter timeframe."

Nxesi said more black people were needed in the sector.

"It cannot be right that after nearly 20 years of democracy, still only approximately 25% of built environment professionals are black," he said.