As we come to the end of Women’s Month, I am delighted to announce that before the end of 2021, the Western Cape Department of Human Settlements (WCDoHS) will open a contractors framework that will be geared towards attracting construction companies that have a women ownership of 51% and more.

This new Framework will serve as an invitation to these female owned build-environment professionals, suppliers and service providers to register with the Department for projects and work that will be allocated during the 2022/23 financial year and beyond.

Generally, our Frameworks include services such as: unblocking of houses; daily emergency and non-emergency work on properties; cleaning and clearing of vacant land owned by the Department; maintenance, electrical works, plumbing, painting, civil engineering; and construction of housing units.

Further to this, certain future tenders that will be issued will specifically target female owned companies. This will encourage private developers to engage and support women sub-contractors.

In due course, this framework will also provide further clarity around the specific criteria and the scope of work. It will be critical for all those who’d want to apply to get onto the database, to meet all the relevant criteria. The primary aim is to create tangible and sustainable opportunities for our women within this sector.

We’ve already engaged the South African Women in Construction (SAWIC) and other stakeholders about this initiative, where positive responses were received.

I’d like to encourage all women, and not only those who are interested in this industry, to use the opportunity to apply once the framework opens. Our goal is to have a minimum of 30% women contractors represented on our projects, but this can only be achieved if the female-owned entities have all their administrative processes and gradings in place. I’d like to therefore encourage our women to engage the relevant bodies and entities in the sector about what is required, and what criteria should be met. There is a great need for more women-owned companies in this sector.

The Western Cape Government remains committed to empowering women in the Western Cape, so that we can provide opportunities for all residents in the province.

Source: Government of South Africa