Picture: The Minister of Public Works and Roads, Sihle Zikalala
By OBAKENG MAJE
The chaos erupted at the Women in Construction event in Rustenburg, where the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala was in attendance.
This comes after the protectors allegedly stormed into the building and demanded that, one of the panellists (the Chairperson of the North West Chapter of BBCBE), be removed.
They accused the chairperson of swindling money and alleged that he did not represent them. The Department of Public Works and Infratructure’s Head of Communications and Marketing, Lennox Mabaso said Zikalala attended the event after he was invited by the Black Business Council on the Built Environment, the North West Chapter as part of taking the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to various provinces.
Mabasa said Zikalala condemns the disruption in the strongest possible terms. He said the event was also attended by entities which fall under Zikalala’ Portfolio such as the Construction Industry Development Board, Council for the Build Environment, departmental Branches such as the Construction Project Management, Expanded Public Works Programme, and Human Capital Development.
“The aim was to engage with women entrepreneurs, who requested to be capacitated on programmes to enable them to take advantage of opportunities in the construction and infrastructure sector. The confrontation had nothing to do either with Zikalala or his department, but Black Business Council’s internal issues.
“While we are not going to be drawn into internal ructions of the Black Business Council, it believes that it is inexcusable to deprive many women, who had converged at the event of an opportunity to benefit from information and knowledge that would have assisted their businesses,” he said.
Mabasa further said Zikalala has been leading the programme of economic inclusion within the construction and built environment sectors, especially focusing on women and the youth. He added that, the cry for people to be included in the sectors of the economy is the priority, which Zikalala has elevated and will continue to pursue across the country as part of the Economic Recovery and Reconstruction Programme.
Mabasa said while the event proceeded, Zikalala urged all the aggrieved parties to resolve their internal differences without impacting negatively the community at large, especially the vulnerable sectors that still need to be propelled in sectors such as construction and infrastructure which still exclude the majority and are dominated by males.
He said the police managed to calm down the situation. Mabasa said Zikalala has warned that the government would not be held at ransom by people who have grievances of whatever nature.
The Guardian 