The Minister of Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation, Lindiwe Sisulu has called on emerging black construction companies owned by women, youth, military veterans and people living with disabilities to respond to the Housing Development Agency (HDA) advert inviting them to be part of a panel of companies to be used across the country to build houses using Alternative Building Technology (ABT).

Minister Sisulu called on all empowered infrastructure and construction companies to visit the websites of the Departments of Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation and all agencies under the Ministry to take advantage of the available business opportunities. Photo by DHS
The Minister announced in her Budget speech that in efforts to address the country’s housing backlog and respond to the growing rate of urbanisation facing small and big cities the government will also use ABT and not only rely on bricks and mortar.
“We have realised that utilising ABT we can build faster and are able to develop new skills and open opportunities to learn new trades within our communities, it is for this reason we have to put together a panel of companies to support our work across the country. This panel will also be available to provinces, municipalities and all other Departments”, said Minister Sisulu.
Sisulu added that women, youth, military veterans owned companies must take advantage of the tender.
“We are very clear that we want to empower women, youth, military veterans and people living with disabilities. In both the water and sanitation and human settlements sectors we are committed to supporting more than 50% women empowerment. We also want to see businesses employing members of the communities where they build. Transformation of the construction environment whether its building houses or supplying water infrastructure through skills development and preferential procurement process are non-negotiables” added Sisulu.
Sisulu further called on all empowered infrastructure and construction companies to visit the websites of the Departments of Human Settlements and Water and Sanitation and all agencies under the Ministry to take advantage of the available business opportunities.
The HDA tender can be accessed by visiting the website: www.thehda.co.za.