THE Council for the Built Environment, launched by Public Works Minister Stella Sigcau last week, is another attempt to close regulatory gaps in the building and related professions.
The launch came just after a Pretoria mall's roof collapsed the second such incident in less than five months. The accident at Brooklyn Mall followed a similar incident at Kolonnade Shopping Centre, also in Pretoria, in December.
These events suggest poor observation of building safety standards. Pretoria's city council has questioned the safety standards of about 15 buildings which have been occupied without council clearance. It is hoped that the Council for the Built Environment will help put a stop to unsafe building practices.
Sigcau says the council will be a communication vehicle between government and the built environment profession, and will co-ordinate the profession to support issues of national importance such as resource utilisation, human resources development, public safety and health, as well as the environment.
The council, a statutory organisation, has representatives from the councils for architects, engineers, landscape architects, quantity surveyors, project and construction managers, and property valuers. It has 20 members, including government and public representatives.
Publisher: Business Day
Source: Sibonelo Radebe
