Mayor Herman Mashaba opens International Construction Expo in johannesburg

The African Construction & Totally Concrete Expo is running on 16-17 May at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg.

The opening keynote session focused on transformation initiatives, with MEC Jacob Mamabolo from the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development and Skhumbuzo Macozoma, CEO of SANRAL joining the discussion. 

 The Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Herman Mashaba, announced the official opening of the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo.  With thousands of construction professionals through the doors of the international event, the transformative two-days for Africa’s construction industry is well under way. 

The keynote session shed light on the next steps to create a favorable regulatory climate for transformation, empowering small to medium sized contractors, women in construction and other underprivileged groups.

“It is crucial for these groups to be at the forefront of the rising opportunities and projects that Africa offers as it builds smarter cities,” said Tracy-Lee Behr, Portfolio Director at dmg events, the organisers of the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo.

During the keynote, participants also got a sneak peek into the Rosslyn Hub, an R 3-billion key project within Tshwane Automotive City. Set to be launched officially on May 18, the Rosslyn Hub is the latest example of smart city developments in Africa.

“Smart cities are emerging as a must for all future urbanization strategies across the continent,” commented Behr.

“For this reason, the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo also hosts a dedicated African Smart Cities Summit.”

Co-located with the National African Federation for the Building Industry’s (NAFBI) annual conference, the Summit gathers thought leaders, technology providers and communication integrators with the aim of delivering the smart infrastructure and cities needed to support Africa’s growth.

200 companies are showcasingf the latest and most innovative technologies for the construction industry across eight dedicated product sectors at the African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo.

Industry professionals are attending free learning and networking sessions throughout the two-day event running at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg. The African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo also hosts the first-ever staged live construction auction at its Construction Auction Lounge.

With the aim of bridging the gap between the building design phase of a construction project and the facilities management phase, the exhibition has joined forces with the FM Expo. Running in parallel this year, the two events expect to attract 9,000 visitors.  

Last night, the African Construction Awards Gala Dinner, powered by NAFBI, recognised key players in the construction sector, including awards for Safety, Women in Construction and Enterprise Transformation.

 “All indicators show that South Africa’s government infrastructure project pipeline is growing. With transformation now a driving force in the local industry, the scope of opportunity is widening for emerging professionals,” concluded Behr.

The African Construction and Totally Concrete Expo runs until May 17 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Entry is free.