Sisters are doing it for Coega

SIX CONSTRUCTION companies headed by women have been awarded contracts of up to R3-million to build housing units for the construction village at the Coega IDZ (industrial development zone) project in the Eastern Cape. This, said Eugene Heeger, technical and planning executive manager of the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), is just one result of the corporation’s procurement policy emphasising empowerment of historically disadvantaged individuals. Of the R305-m awarded in contracts this year, he told FTW, R91-m had gone to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) with at least 51% black ownership, and R25-m to women-owned businesses. The CDC, Heeger added, can also supply “bridging finance” through the East Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), supplier interface, SMME development and mentoring, as well as pre-tender training”. One example of the empowerment policy is African Unity Builders (AUB), a company launched two years ago by 30-year-old Noluthando Luzipo of Port Elizabeth, and registered with the National Housing Building Regulation Council in March. AUB is one of 17 SMMEs awarded contracts to build the village comprising 500 housing units, a business centre, community hall and other facilities. The AUB contract for eight housing units is valued at R1.3-m and due for completion end-March next year. “By that time we will be well positioned to win more contracts,” said Luzipo.