20.08.2025
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Women in Construction call on Govt for recognition, upliftment

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  • Attendees at South African Women in Construction annual event held in Mbombela, 19 August 2025.

The South African Women in Construction and Built Environment Organisation has called on the Mpumalanga government to recognise and uplift women in the construction industry.

The organisation held its annual event in Mbombela, where the members discussed measures to increase women’s participation in the sector, calling for an inclusive and equitable environment to allow women to thrive and contribute to the development of the economy.

Gathered under one roof to discuss bread and butter issues, the women do not want handouts, but equal opportunities to prove themselves.

They shared their experiences and challenges in the traditionally male-dominated construction sector.

One of the contractors, Gabisile Shivuri says the challenges they are facing as women in construction is not knowing which door to knock, stating that it is quite difficult to approach departments as there are many elements they need to know.

“It is not only the work, but you also need to know how to market your company, how to manage a community as well. Let’s also talk about construction mafias, they exist everywhere, as a woman, you get scared to deal with such. When you get to work, it gets scary as you will be approached by different people, and you don’t know how to deal with them. We need the department to assist,” says Shivuri.

Related video | Spotlight on women in construction:

Late payment

Another contractor, Nokulunga Khumalo says late payment is a huge problem, saying there are always delays and that causes a lot of problems.

“The money we use for the project is loans. I really wish they could sort that out. For example, with me, I had a project to renovate a library, which was a three-month project, but I was done in three weeks, and they haven’t paid some of my money since last year,” adds Khumalo.

The provincial public works department has acknowledged the concerns raised.

Mpumalanga Roads and Public Works MEC, Thulasizwe Thomo, says they have made a diagnosis and are looking at programmes that will aid women in taking ownership of the construction sector.

Women seek accuracy and transparency, especially when other people benefit in their name.

Thembeka Mnisi of South African Women in Construction and the Built Environment reveals that, when examining the statistics on women’s participation in the province, it becomes clear that Mpumalanga has met the participation threshold.

However, the province does not have any members who demonstrate that they have been empowered by the government.

“We believe that some men still front, still use women companies because they know that they are yet to benefit from those and go and bid for projects. Then statistics show as if women are empowered, which is actually not what is happening on the ground,” adds Mnisi.

Calls are increasing for the tender system to be abolished.

Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu explains that they are not at a point where they can confidently say that they are getting rid of the tendering processes.

“I hear people commenting and complaining about that, but in the province, we must note that we don’t promote the tendering system. But if we don’t have a skill within, because we said that we must build a capacity to implement our own projects, but we are not yet there to build these big roads. So, we cannot stop inviting those private companies,” Ndlovu elaborates.

Women in rural provinces, including Mpumalanga, are still the most vulnerable group subjected to abject poverty, lack of opportunities and limited economic opportunities.

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