Civil Engineering December 2022 | Vol 30 No 11

Civil Engineering December 2022 45 MBSA (Master Builders South Africa) Master Builders South Africa is a federation of registered employer as- sociations representing contractors and employers in the construction industry, and is regulated in terms of Section 107 of the Labour Relations Act (No. 66 of 1995). The Federation’s eight Master Builders Associations, and three Affiliate Associations represent more than 4 000 contractors and employers in the industry. Education and training Master Builders offers training pro- grammes for learners at all levels, which are informed by industry requirements, and aligned to the Construction Education and Training Authority’s Sector Skills Plan. Training programmes are designed to: Q Q Ensure that employees possess the necessary technical qualifications, knowledge and practical experience. Q Q Impart skills that will create opportu- nities for sustainable employment. Q Q Assist employees to achieve personal growth and develop a positive work ethic. Construction occupational health and safety Master Builders has programmes to promote a positive OH&S culture, which contributes to the reduction and elimination of occupational injury, disease and loss, and the prevention of damage to the environment. Compliance with the law and the wellbeing of both employer and employee is the Association’s foremost concern. To this end, the Association administers the National Construction Occupational Health and Safety Competition, the industry’s flagship competition that culminates in an annual awards dinner hosted at the Association’s Congress every year. The Association has also developed a construction industry occupational health and safety manual, which is available in print and CD formats, for use by members. Training programmes are conducted on a regular basis and are designed to: Q Q Inform members of new OH&S legislation. Q Q Improve members’ OH&S pro- grammes and procedures. Q Q Assist members with incident investi- gations and reports. Contractual and legal matters Master Builders offers its members and the general public useful construction-related contracts for use in a variety of situations. These include construction contract templates for house building and small contracts, domestic subcontracting, la- bour-only subcontracting, and agreements for renovation and refurbishment work to existing premises, among others. Promoting transformation Members of Master Builders have declared their support for and commitment to sus- tainable and meaningful socio-economic transformation of the construction sector in particular, and the country in general. This is to broaden economic participation, drive growth, job creation, skills develop- ment and transfer, poverty alleviation and capacity building for social cohesion and nation-building. The Association has developed the Small Builders Manual , a step-by-step guide that covers all aspects of running a small- to medium-sized con- tracting business, meant to assist emerging contractors with information on how to professionalise and grow their businesses. Please visit the Master Builders website, for your region, for details on the above services provided to members, as well as for information on upcoming training and networking events in your region. MBSA PO Box 1619, Halfway House, 1685 T: +27 11 205 9000 , F: +27 11 315 1644 E: info@masterbuilders.org.za W: www.masterbuilders.org.za No 1, Second Road, Randjespark, Midrand SABTACO (South African Black Technical and Allied Careers Organisation) SABTACO was founded in 1990 and has grown into a body currently representing thousands of members (students, graduates, practitioners, technicians) country-wide in the built environment, engineering and science disciplines. SABTACO’s vision is to be a leader in advocating and ensuring the advance- ment of black professionals in the built environment and allied fields, and the optimal realisation of the skills potential in South Africa. It is therefore the mission of SABTACO to: Q Q Lead the transformation of the built environment and related technical fields in such a manner as to reflect the commitments of the relevant charters and the B-BBEE codes. Q Q Facilitate the creation of an environ- ment that is conducive to the develop- ment of science and engineering skills in the historically disadvantaged communities. Q Q Increase the level of participation of black professionals and service pro- viders in the mainstream economy. SABTACO PO Box 30960, Braamfontein, 2017 T: +27 11 403 2165 / 2938 / 3727 F: +27 86 672 6735 E: sabtaco1@iafrica.com, W: www.sabtaco.co.za 2nd Floor, Block D, 676 Gallagher Avenue, Midrand CMA (Concrete Manufacturers Association) The CMA is the primary representative of the precast concrete industry in South Africa. Now in its 50th year, the CMA promotes the use of precast concrete and encourages product quality and consist- ency through the implementation of quality management systems. The CMA represents its members and the industry on SABS Standards Division workgroups, actively pursuing the upkeep and revisions of the South African Standard Specification related to precast concrete. The CMA’s promotional activities target architects, engineers, developers, contractors and property owners, and the pooled knowledge and expertise of its members foster an environment that en- courages the development of innovative, environmentally and community friendly products. This is achieved through the Association’s innovative digital marketing strategies and effective social media network. Members are encouraged to hold ac- credited product certification, applicable to the relevant SANS standard, or to manufacture to specifications deemed to satisfy the guidance of the SANS speci- fications. In cases where problems arise, the CMA offers advocacy to its members in the form of site visits and independent reviews. One of the Association’s focuses is on ensuring that its members’ products are applied correctly. Through the years the CMA has published numerous manuals, brochures and audio visuals on the practical ap- plication of precast concrete, and this material is available free of charge to its members and at a nominal charge to the built environment.