ESEPARC TO REVIEW, DEVELOP CIC ACT, REGULATIONS

MBABANE – The CIC’s outcry over the lack of regulations for their Act will soon be a thing of the past.

The CIC is the construction industry Council. A consultant to conduct the process of amendment, review and development of construction industry legislation has been appointed. This comes after the Eswatini Economic Policy Analysis and Research Centre (ESEPARC) has been appointed as the consultant for this exercise. The construction industry legislation referred to is the National Construction Industry Policy, CIC Act and Regulations.

In a public statement issued yesterday, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Thulani Mkhaliphi, said to ensure independence and transparency of the entire process the Ministry of Public Works and Transport has further appointed a steering committee drawn from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Attorney General’s Office, CIC, architects, engineers, surveyors and allied professionals (AESAP) and secretariat.
Mkhaliphi mentioned that the steering committee would work with the consultant and stakeholders in driving the aforementioned process to ensure that the desired results were achieved.

“The process will commence this month of September 2023,” read the notice. The PS said active participation of the construction industry stakeholders and the general public was required for the success of this exercise. The PS highlighted that the appointment of the consultant was subsequent to tender No.02 (i)/2023 issued by the CIC through the Eswatini Public Procurement Regulatory Agency (ESPPRA) and media in May.

Workshop

It is worth noting that in a workshop held in July, the CIC raised concerns that the lack of the regulations for the Construction Industry Council Act of 2013 was limiting them in executing their mandate to the fullest. Operations Procurement and Compliance Manager at CIC Phumlani Kunene said the lack of regulations formed part of many other challenges faced by the council. He said the regulations were going to assist them to execute their mandate to the fullest.

Dlamini also highlighted that other challenges faced by the council was the resistance from the public to register their projects – residential buildings. He said another challenge was that private organisations continued with awarding contracts to foreign contractors. He also lamented on contractors not declaring their projects.
Constructors who were attending the workshop also concurred with the council, that the lack of regulations was affecting the duty of the CIC. He said the lack of the regulations was also affecting them as constructors in their level.

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