Skills development and employment creation through small public buildings in South Africa

Abstract

Poverty and unemployment are extremely high in South Africa, especially in rural areas where there are low levels of infrastructure. The government has begun to address this in the field of civil engineering; however this has not extended into the field of building, which is assumed to be inherently employment-intensive. This thesis challenges the perception that expenditure on building will automatically generate substantial employment. Because labour ratios are not known, targets are merely guesswork. The research question is therefore posed: What are the parameters within which a significant increase in employment can be generated through the design and construction of small public buildings? The focus is on small public buildings because government should serve as exemplar to the private sector; absorb the risk of innovation; is instigator and end user of public buildings; and can adopt a programme approach. Training, small business development and environmental best practice can be integrated. Schools are specifically considered, as they require skills that participants can use in subsequent projects. Employment-intensive principles are derived from civil engineering. Examples of schools that use different methods and materials are analysed to answer the question: ‘How labour-intensive is building?’ This shows the range of labourintensity of different activities and defines the components that would lead to a significant increase in employment. The structural-spatial envelope of the building is the subject of a technical study of thin shell vaults of stabilized earth tiles manufactured on site to achieve a high proportion of the project cost within the target community without compromising cost or performance. iv Supply Chain management is explored as a way of ensuring productivity where low levels of formal skills and education prevail. This is proposed for nurturing small contractors, manufacturers and suppliers, themselves creators of jobs for the less skilled. The most significant conclusion is that there is considerable potential for building to create employment, providing it is based on comprehensive data relating to all activities. The proposed framework for the integration of management; design, detailing and specification; construction and manufacturing processes forms the basis for future research to broaden the field of application