Construction 2013: A review of South Africa's construction sector

The myriad construction projects undertaken in South Africa, in preparation for the country’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, cushioned the local construction industry against the 2008 global building slump. The increased activity in the sector in the run-up to the event represented somewhat of a construction boom in South Africa. However, following the completion of World Cup-related projects, activity in the local construction sector began to wane and companies faced adverse trading conditions. After a bruising few years, some industry participants expected market conditions to improve in 2012, but as the year unfolded, participants in the industry continued to report a slow flow of contracts. However, there is some optimism that the recovery in the construction sector may soon gain traction. A key factor that will affect the pace of recovery is the rate at which the South African government rolls out its planned R827-billion infrastructure expenditure, as turnover in the construction industry is highly sensitive to government spending, as government is the industry’s largest client. To date, tenders relating to government’s infrastructure plans have been slow in coming to market. This report reviews the current business environment in South Africa, the key participants; local demand; geographic diversification; corporate activity, black economic empowerment and competition activity in the sector, as well as issues relating to skills and the environment.