Deputy Minister Jomo Sibiya addresses seminar on construction regulations

Employment and Labour Deputy Minister, Jomo Sibiya has called on the construction industry to construct buildings of structural integrity that can last centuries.

Sibiya said the country cannot afford to build beautiful buildings, yet some cannot even last 20 years.

“We must not be designing for today but should design for the future. We should be about safety and sustainability. What we are constructing is it about beautifying the country for now? he asked.

Sibiya was addressing the construction seminar held at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park under the theme: “Prioritizing Construction Health and Safety". The seminar was about discussing the new Construction Regulations released in March 2025 to replace the 2014 Regulations.

The Deputy Minister supported the call to professionalise and build an industry with integrity saying companies must be registered. He said the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act was a very important piece of legislation and he challenged the industry to rise to the occasion and comply. He said inspections were not conducted for fun but to ensure the safety of workers.

He said the proposed changes to labour laws were also designed to keep up with the changing world of work. He said the construction industry needs to rid itself of corruption, “just like we are getting rid of construction mafias". Sibiya challenged industry players jealously to protect their space and professionalise it.

“Without this sector, the economy of this country is doomed. We cannot afford a sector falling in the hands of thugs," he said. He said the future of the sector looks bright as capital spending on infrastructure continues to rise.

Department of Employment and Labour Director: Construction, Explosives and Major Hazard Installation (MHI), Phumi Maphaha said the seminar was a public engagement with industry players to source their inputs on matters of health and safety affecting the construction industry.

“When we published regulations in 2014 there were a lot of ambiguities. Fast forward to 2025, we now have published new regulations for public comment. We are here to engage – how to craft the regulations to fit what is a builder in the multi-billion-rand industry".

He said the Construction Regulations 2025 were intended to cover everyone in the industry.

The construction seminar brought together various stakeholders, including clients, contractors, architects, subcontractors, project employees, suppliers, government authorities, and regulatory bodies to map strategic cooperation to promote decent work and achieve vision zero in occupational injuries and diseases.

International Labour Organization (ILO) Project Manager, Naomy Lintini reflecting on the decent work in the construction sector said the organisation was an advocate of a human-centered approach to work in the sector. Lintini said the industry should shift its way of doing things and shift incentives to a human-centered model.

“We need to develop an agenda that regards reporting and accounting that is human-centered. An investment in health and safety in construction is an investment in people. If we invest in workers' safety this leads to economic benefits for all," she said.

Lintini said today's seminar was a forum of strategic conversation and building on the ongoing partnership established with the Department of Employment and Labour on policy issues. She encouraged the industry to work towards driving pathways to safe and healthy labour conditions and improved productivity.

She said safe working environments deliver not only productive outputs but also employment and win-win for all societal stakeholders.

The closing date for public comment for Draft Construction Regulations 2025 is on 11 June. Some of the key changes to the current construction regulations include: the revision of existing definitions; redefining the scope of construction work; introduction of construction health and safety manager appointment; acceptance of electronic health and safety files.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Teboho Thejane
Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 082 697 0694
E-mail: teboho.thejane@labour.gov.za

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