The impact of remote working post COVID-19 in the construction industry of South Africa

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of COVID-19 on the South African construction industry, focusing on remote working. It was identified that the COVID-19 pandemic crisis was an ideal case study for this study since it has wide-ranging impacts and implications for the construction industry of South Africa. This thesis examines the impact of remote working on the construction industry. Construction differs greatly from other industries in that most project participants must be on site. In light of this unforeseen situation, understanding how the construction industry handles it is crucial (Gamil, 2020). Coronavirus Disease, COVID-19 had a catastrophic and long lasting economic impact on many industries in South Africa and the world at large (Ogunnusi et al., 2020). A global calamity, COVID-19, left all economic sectors paralysed, including construction. COVID- 19, declared a pandemic in March 2020, has devastated world economies. The prevalence of the disease has grown exponentially since the first case was reported in January 2020. The first death occurred on 29th February 2020, leading to dramatic actions on the part of individuals and governments (Angelucci et al.,2020). During this time, stores and restaurants were closed, as were schools and non-essential businesses. The pandemic brought the world to a complete halt, with impacts extending to sectors such as construction (Alsharef et al., 2021). One of South Africa's most crucial industries for economic development is construction. Although this sector is mostly unorganized and human-driven, many people work here. In 2017, Statistics South Africa reported that the construction industry contributed about 4% to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and provided more than 1.4 million jobs (Statistics South Africa, 2017). The construction industry faced multiple challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, most construction sites were closed due to Coronavirus infection. (Dlamini,2012) points out that the construction industry contributes to economic growth in direct and indirect ways. Every country benefits from the construction sector's power to empower its economy and development