‘We want our slice of the cake’

06 Jun, 2021 - 00:06 0 Views
‘We want our slice of the cake’

The Sunday Mail

THE Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association (ZBCA) recently launched a women’s desk to facilitate the inclusion of women in the construction sector. First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa, who is the patron of the women’s desk, graced the launch and pledged to work hand-in-glove with women contractors. Our Senior Reporter TENDAI CHARA sat down with Ms Galdencia Sigauke, the chairperson of the women’s desk, and discussed a variety of issues.

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Q: Can you start by giving us a brief background of the ZBCA?

A: The ZBCA was formed in 1985 with the mandate of representing the interests of black building contractors. In the same vein, the women’s desk was formed to represent the interests of women building contractors, and on its formation, I was appointed the desk’s chairperson.  In a nutshell, I represent women in the construction industry.

Q: What do you want to achieve as the women’s desk?

A: Our target is to have more women in the construction industry competing with our male counterparts.

Q: Are you happy with the number of women that are taking an active part in the construction industry?

A: Not at all! In terms of numbers, women that are active in the construction industry constitute about 3 percent of the total number of players in this industry. To us, this does not augur well. Demographically, women outnumber men in this country. We need to bridge that gap.

Q: What exactly are women contractors yearning for?

A: Apart from increasing the number of women in this sector and bridging the gap, we are also saying women must have access to viable friendly credit lines that enable them to be well-capacitated and, therefore, compete with our male counterparts.  We are also asking for our share of the recently launched $33,6 billion Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).

Q: Are you happy with the way big construction contracts are being handled? Are women contractors getting the big contracts?

A: Again, we are not happy at all. As you are aware, there is a policy which states that a 10 percent stake is reserved for women in any national project. Although the policy is very clear, there is lack of implementation.

Q: As women contractors, what efforts have you made to claim this stake which is rightfully yours?

A: As women, I think we should also blame ourselves for failing to make solid claims.

However, we are going to approach the relevant authorities so that they come up with feasible and practical ways of giving us our 10 percent stake. President Mnangagwa set aside $33,6 billion dollars for the rehabilitation of road networks around the country.

Of that sum, we are entitled $3,6 billion, which is our 10 percent stake. We need this share in the form of projects.

When the Harare-Beitbridge highway was declared a local contractors’ project, I engaged the then minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, the late Joel Biggie Matiza, for him to facilitate the implementation of the 10 percent policy. I even engaged the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructural Development.

During the engagements, I was asking them, gentlemen, where is our 10 percent stake? Unfortunately, nothing came out of these engagements.

Q: It sounds as if you have given up on your 10 percent claim.

A: No! Not at all! We will keep pushing until we get our dues through engagement. I am confident that we will get what belongs to us as women.

Q: How many women head construction companies in Zimbabwe?

A: I am not sure about other organisations but at ZBCA we have 36 women who lead construction companies.

This is out of a 3 000 membership and as you see, this is a drop in the ocean.

Q: As women in particular and building contractors in general, how are you going to contribute to the achievement of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) goals?

A: Maybe I need to start by giving a brief introduction to NDS1. This is a national development programme with 14 milestones in order to achieve Vision 2030.

On the 14 milestones, our area of interest is the rehabilitation of roads and infrastructure and utilities, and the construction of dams and irrigation facilities. We are saying as women in the construction industry, we must work together with our male counterparts in building this, our country. We want to play an important part in the realisation of the NDS1 goals so that we achieve the Vision 2030 goals.

Q: What is your advice to women who might be considering joining the construction industry?

A: I encourage them to join the construction industry. As you are aware, the construction industry is dominated by men.

We want to close that gap by encouraging more women to join us. This industry, like any other, is facing some challenges but if we are focused and determined, we will achieve our goals. The doors are open for all women who might want to join the construction industry.

Q: What sort of support have you been getting from the First Lady?

A: The First Lady is our patron and as we engage the relevant authorities, we will also seek her guidance and counsel. The First Lady has the zeal to push the girl-child to higher levels.

Q: Where do you see the construction industry within the next five years?

A: In our support of Vision 2030, the construction industry is envisaged to deliver 220 000 housing units.

Once the units have been built, it means that the housing shortages will be a thing of the past.

The construction industry will create jobs and this can only be done if local contractors are empowered and capacitated.

Within the next five years, the construction industry is going to bring in a lot of economic growth and job creation.

The Government is going to generate more taxes from our industry, which is one of the biggest employers in the country.

A lot of benefits are going to come out of this industry, especially if Government continues to support local contractors. As contractors, we can only build our capacity through getting jobs.

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