The construction conference that collapsed in a heap

ORGANISERS of the eThekwini Municipality’s annual Infrastructure and Construction Indaba at the Durban Exhibition Centre were left red-faced yesterday as “invited guests” failed to pitch up.

The guests included city mayor James Nxumalo, the ministers of human settlements and public works, Lindiwe Sisulu and Thulas Nxesi, and municipal and private sector figures.

It later turned out that the billed guests were not aware of their invitations.

A media invitation said the event was meant to empower emerging and established contractors.

Explaining the bungle to delegates, programme organiser Skuta Ngcobo tried to shift the blame to “an office” in the city hall.

“All these people had confirmed attendance. They were going to be guest speakers, but unfortunately they are not here. We hope to hear their reasons by the end of the day,” she told the audience of about 150 contractors.

She said: “Nothing stops the event going ahead – provided that you want it to happen.”

Desperate to convince the baffled delegates, she said: “There is protocol in the municipality that is followed. When we need to invite speakers such as ministers or senior officials from the private sector … there’s a mayoral office that does that on our behalf. We just recommend people we see as relevant to the event.”

She said the last meeting with the office was on Monday last week when “the office assured us they would send the invites”.

“We even pleaded with them that should they encounter difficulty securing guests by Thursday 12 noon, to please let us know so we can make arrangements. But unfortunately we only found out this morning that all the people requested could not make it.”

The revelation was met with shock. The contractors were unconvinced. Ngcobo struggled to get consensus on whether to abort the event or adopt a new programme for the next two days.

Delegates eventually decided “not to waste the two days”.

The detailed programme was displayed on a projector for the baffled delegates.

Representatives of bodies such as the Construction Industry Development Board, the National Home Builders Registration Council, the Engineering Council of South Africa, Consulting Engineers SA and the Master Builders Association were also “invited” but were not there. When approached for comment, some of them expressed surprise, saying they had not been approached.

Home Builders Registration Council spokeswoman Molebogeng Taunyane said the body had not received an invitation.

Human Settlements spokesman Ndivhuwo Mabaya said Sisulu did not have any engagement in Durban yesterday.

“We are in Cape Town according to our diary”.

Municipal spokeswoman Tozi Mthethwa could only apologise “unreservedly for the inconvenience to delegates”, but failed to elaborate.