Stadium creates thousands of jobs

The new Green Point Stadium is not only altering the city’s skyline and providing Cape Town with a valuable new asset - it is also creating thousands of new jobs, with a positive spin-off for the city’s economy.

According to a special report prepared for Council, 2,143 on-site jobs have been created to construct the stadium, and 1,179 artisans have received training from the contractors. This will enable them to find jobs easily once construction is complete.

This has had a significant impact on skills creation, reducing unemployment, and boosting the local economy.

The stadium, which will host eight games during the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, including a semi-final, is on track for completion in December 2009.

The contractor, a joint venture between Murray & Roberts and WBHO, currently has 1,271 staff and 872 contractors employed on site.

Of these, 99% are local residents, 88% are black, and 35% are under 35 years of age. Only four percent are women.

There is also significant BEE and SMME involvement - 57% of procurement has been sourced from Black Economic Empowered (BEE) companies, and 65% from Small, Micro & Medium Enterprises. Ninety percent of the procurement is from suppliers within the municipal area.

As part of its overall broad-based BEE programme, the contractor has established an on-site training centre to develop the skills and abilities of all the employees not only to enhance their performance, but also to assist in advancing their careers within the industry.

This includes the training and qualification of tradesmen as steelfixers, shutterhands, scaffold erectors, concrete hands, bricklayers, plasterers, crane operators and health & safety officers. There is also ABET (Adult Basic Education Training); computer skills training; construction supervisor training and management development and training.

Programmes are also in place for the training of undergraduates and graduates in relevant construction related qualifications, such as civils and building.

All the training is accredited to the relevant SETAs, or sector education and training authorities.

For Similo Baba, who works as a supervisor at the construction site, this is a dream job. “When I’m asleep I’m still thinking of the bricks and the concrete,” he jokes.

Although he’s been in the industry for over 30 years, he has received additional training for this project, and says it’s good to see lots of young people being trained. “We are all very glad to have these jobs, it’s good for our families,” he says.

“It’s so exciting to be part of this, I’m really proud of the stadium, and am looking forward to 2010. I want to see Zidane playing here,” he enthuses.

An added incentive for the construction workers is that they will each receive two free World Cup tickets, courtesy of FIFA.

Local charities have also benefited from the construction, with the contractor making monetary donations as a result of the contract. Shawco, Dinaledi Adopt-a-School, Carehaven and the Sports Trust are beneficiaries.
Martin Pollack