Exploring industry’s contribution to the labour intensive construction of low order rural community access roads

Abstract

Due to the persistently high unemployment situation in South Africa, the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) was launched by Government in 2004. Its objective is to provide essential services and infrastructure to disadvantaged communities, develop skills among the unemployed and create the much needed employment through the application of labour-intensive work methods. Extensive research has been carried out on the effectiveness of this technology by reputable technical institutions including the major universities and the CSIR. In terms of policy formulation, research, organisational measures and also funding, South Africa has certainly done its homework in terms of preparing for a large-scale labour intensive public works programme. Yet, with all these good intentions, it is generally perceived that levels of labour intensity are low and further efforts should be made to increase the use of labour-intensive work methods’ (Department of Public Works 2012:1).It is estimated that only 12 per cent of the road sector expenditure is used for works classified as truly labour intensive projects (Department of Public Works 2012:1). There seems to have been no substantial changes in the extent to which labour-intensive work methods has been utilised in the road works programme. This paper focuses on the extent to which consultants and contractors in the Civil Engineering Industry are involved in promoting the construction of rural community access roads using labour intensive methods, and to provide an insight into their depth of contribution to the design and construction management, according to the Expanded Public Works Programme guidelines. Recommendations are made on how consultants and contractors could improve the labour intensive component during the construction of rural community access roads.