WBHO concerns 'premature': Sanral

The South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) notes the concerns raised by construction company, WBHO, following the announcement of its draft transformation policy last week. The agency pointed out that the policy is just that - a draft that sets out the agency's position on transformation.

Vusi Mona, spokesperson for the agency, added that as there are hundreds of construction companies in South Africa, it is disappointing to find that WBHO believes the draft policy breaches the settlement agreement signed with government to speed up transformation in the industry, also known as the Voluntary Rebuilding Programme (VRP).

This agreement is only with seven JSE-listed construction and engineering entities implicated by the Competition Commission in collusive tendering practices between 2006 and 2011.

"It therefore cannot be said that the VRP amounts to an industry-wide agreement - it is not," emphasised Mona.

The construction sector is a significant contributor to employment and economic growth in South Africa. According to Stats SA, the South African construction sector employs more than 1.4 million people.

"We look forward to engaging with WBHO regarding their concerns during our country-wide consultations on the draft, which start soon," says Mona.