2 minute read
Securing construction material supplies
SECURING CONSTRUCTION
MATERIAL SUPPLIES
Building materials such as sand, aggregates, fly ash and other components of concrete are key to the success of any construction project and should be a prime consideration for all involved in the industry, including professional bodies.
This is according to Nico Pienaar of surface mining industry association ASPASA, which was one of the founding members of the Construction Alliance SA (CASA), an organisation that seeks to unite all aspects of the construction industry in a common goal of sustainability of the industry.
Since its establishment in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns which threatened to destroy the construction sector, the alliance has sought to establish firm lines of communication between role-players, including raw material suppliers.
Most recently, the SA Coal Ash Association (SACAA) has joined the alliance, representing an abundant source of coal ash which is increasingly used as a principal construction material in the formulation of cement, concrete, ground preparation, as a replacement for some grades of aggregates and even as a replacement for cement.
The inclusion of ASPASA and SACAA in the construction industry supply chain is seen as a critical step towards meeting the country’s construction targets. With its overarching reach across all relevant industry bodies in the industry, CASA will provide raw material suppliers under the banner of these associations with a means of communicating with role-players and working towards common goals.
CASA’s main objectives are to: • Formulate effective joint action plans to achieve its mandate and purpose. • Address the accelerated transformation of the construction industry. • Engage in education, training and awareness programmes. • Unblock relief measures for the industry to remain sustainable. • Identify infrastructure project opportunities in both the public and private sectors. • Address the regulatory matters which impede the industry. • Address systemic challenges and fast-track interventions. • Promote ethical and social responsibility. • Promote the use of innovative construction technologies. • Promote research and evidence-based policy-making for the construction industry. • Value collaboration, integrity and leadership as guiding forces.
“These principles are also at the head of our agenda and ASPASA and SACAA will play an active role in the alliance to ensure that raw materials are available for any construction project required anywhere in the country. Collaboration is at the centre of all industry bodies in the construction sector and the establishment of CASA will now knit them together in a cohesive manner, with shared goals,” says Pienaar.
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