Pretoria - The Eastern Cape Department of Human Settlements will be hosting a conference which aims to focus on problems encountered by emerging contractors on housing projects.
The two-day conference, which kicks off on Monday in East London, is part of the department's efforts of providing technical and financial support to emerging housing contractors.
The gathering is expected to help end the housing rectification programme, which is costing the department R369 million to rectify 20 000 defective houses built in the province.
Human Settlements MEC Nombulelo Mabandla said the department has already awarded construction work of government houses worth R24 million to 17 emerging contractors, who recently graduated from a construction management training course.
"These emerging contractors are currently building 430 housing units in Mt Pleasant Project in Fort Beaufort and Transit Camp Project, this represents an average of 25 housing units per emerging contractor," Mabandla said.
More than 200 emerging construction companies registered with National Home Builders Registration Council and South Africa's Construction Industry Development Board grading councils are expected to attend the conference.
The public financial institutions and material suppliers from across the province who will be participating in the conference will provide input on providing assistance to emerging contractors.
