‘Huge challenges, but we’ll survive’
The building industry has been hit hard by the Covid-19 lockdown.
During level five of the lockdown, no building was permitted to take place.
The Mossel Bay Advertiser interviewed people in construction to find out how they were coping.
An architect, Zack Wessels, said: "During the lockdown the process of meetings and communication changed with our clients."
Wessels said it showed what it was possible to do without face to face contact, but on the other hand the human interaction was missing.
"Level five lockdown placed a strain on the industry. We could still continue with projects via an online portal with Mossel Bay Municipality. They were effective with those processes."
However, the lockdown caused a bottleneck with projects which were approved and had to lie dormant because no building work could commence, Wessels said.
"Everyone was anxious to get on site and start building again, specifically with estates or retirement villages." He said there would be a string of projects with plans made by respective buyers and plans had to be altered.
"This had a snowball effect on clients, the builder and developer, as well as financial implications.
"With Covid-19 and the financial situation, there is less money going into development as a whole. We may not feel the ripple effect now, but at a later stage in Mossel Bay. People won't want to spend money on a holiday home. They will be more cautious with their finances."
Quantity surveyor
Andries Grobler, a quantity surveyor, said: "We are continuing with work we started before the lockdown. Quite a few projects have been put on hold, not cancelled, and new projects have started. Certainly, a number of government projects were put on hold. "There is uncertainty among employers, who don't want to commit to building holiday homes. If you're not spending money on immediate accommodation, you can postpone until the economy has stabilised.
"There is a wait and see attitude.
We are in limbo until we can get to back to a 'normal situation' and developers can be more certain."
Architect Lodewyk Coetzee said this uncertainty was causing delays. A lack of availability of materials and price increases were prohibitive.
"The high exchange rate has an effect on imported materials, such as tiles. Also, products are being held up at harbours. We don't know when they will be delivered.
"They closed cement factories during the lockdown. Now, for example, a bag of a certain cement has hiked from R90 to R140 in price." Coetzee said a further challenge was that the new minimum wage had been instituted just before
the lockdown.
'No longer afford dream house'
Contractor Steyn Maree, whose company has been building in Mossel Bay for the past 15 years, said: "There are many new challenges and we are trying to survive, day by day. Construction has been badly impacted. People can no longer afford to build their dream house or improve their current home."
Maree said the industry was suffering with the Deeds Offices having been shut, property sales held up and municipal offices that are closed from time to time because of the pandemic. Also, people could not travel to this area with an eye to invest in property.
"The past three months had a huge impact on building employees, who have been in a battle trying to claim from the UIF." Maree also noted the problem of price increases of materials.
His company suffered theft at its building premises during the three months of lockdown - "something we simply had to bear", Maree said. "Everyone's mood was low - employers and employees. This month, when the construction sector reopened after lockdown, on our building sites I could see the joy in all the employees and employers, although the sword of Covid-19 still hung over one's head.
"We're positive about the future. As long as Deeds Offices, municipal offices and the property market can come into full function, we believe the construction industry can reinvigorate totally.
"We trust in good health and a good future. We're blessed with a beautiful environment and an operational municipality with which everyone enjoys interacting."