Page 35 - NHBRC

Ntombifuthi Cibane had high hopes of becoming a journalist, but the only
CITY PRESS, 18 MAY, 2014
job she could get was packing schoolbooks for distribution. Her

frustration turned to joy when her employer moved into construction.

Today her Durban-based company Nongafa Trading Enterprise handles

index
projects worth R5m, she tells Sue Grant-Marshall

Moving on up

In the beginning
Cibane’s earliest memories are of her widowed mother
waking her seven children at 4am and sending them out
to plough her lands and get water from the river before
they went to school.
“We didn’t resent the work as we knew it was either that TIP
or starvation,” says Cibane. The family relied on the mealies,
beans and potatoes they grew to sell and for sustenance. ‘You always need
Cibane matriculated from Zwenephu High School in
Umlazi, Durban, and obtained her BA from the University of to be hands-on in
Zululand.Herluckybreakcamethedayherconstructionfirm construction. Men on
bossaskedhertorepresenthimatameetingwhereshe“knew a building site can tell
nothing about the project”, she says.
An angry Cibane told her employer he had better teach her immediately if you
the basics as she had no plans to look like a fool. don’t know what
is going on.’
Getting started
This he did, and by 2007, Cibane registered her company.
Two years later, she began to tender for projects and won
one for water reticulation in 2010, “which I’d never done
before.IhadtoinstallwaterpipesnearPietRetiefandconnect
them to a reservoir”.
Cibane found an excellent plumber and learnt on the job
by watching him working while he trained local labourers
who she had hired. They finished the project ahead of
schedule. With her new-found confidence, she tendered for
another similar project near Ulundi.
By 2011, she expanded her services and was supplying
labour to the department of transport for road maintenance,
such as clearing verges and cleaning storm water pipes.
opportunity
TheZululandDistrictMunicipalitycalledonCibanetocarry
out emergency repairs at Ethembeni Hospital and the gutsy
young woman was on her way.
Hurdles
“I needed a revolving credit facility to pay my labourers’
wagesin2010andappliedtomybank.Intermsofmycontract,
I had to employ locals and train them – and they want their
weekly wages or they become suspicious.”
Overcoming obstacles
To Cibane’s astonishment, her bank granted her the loan.
“I couldn’t believe it when I got it,” says Cibane, “so I gained
the loan and the trust of my workers, which is paramount.”
Next step
“Since 2010, I have never been without a job,” says Cibane
proudly. She makes a point of always being on site so that
sheunderstands“thelanguage,theterminologyandthework
that is done there”. In addition, she is now busy constructing
VIP toilets (ventilated improved pits) in housing projects. She
has five full-time employees and up to 15 temporary workers Talk to us:
depending on how much work she has.
projects@citypress.co.za
Dreams and goals
“Iamnowable,duetomyexperience,totenderforprojects or tweet @City_Press
worth several million rand and I see myself going places. I #OppIndex
can approach big construction companies and ask to work
with them.”
Cibane is also in the process of buying her own building
excavator machinery. “It means that even when I’m not using
it, I can hire it out. Renting is really expensive. This makes
me independent,” she says.
NHBRC is important …
“Because I hope it will help me gain experience in building
houses – something I’ve always wished for.”
. Next week, City Press, in partnership with the National
House Builders Registration Council (NHBRC), looks at the
drawing that is the road map to building your new house. GO-GETTER Ntombifuthi Cibane started her construction company by learning on the job PHOTO: KHAYA NGWENYA
Readers Q&A:
Brick by brick: the purchase agreement

I have just started a construction business in
Cape Town, but have won no tenders as yet.
You need to be registered with the Construction Industry The purchase agreement establishes the mutual obligations and FINANCIAL TERMS:
Development Board and the National Home Builder a formal set of rules to govern the relationship between you The terms of payment for a new home could include
Registration Council. You can also follow the tender and your builder. Every verbal agreement or understanding with deposits, progress payments, closing amounts and mortgage
bulletins. your builder before the actual contract is amounts.
I am renovating my home and am struggling signed must be included in the written A project in partnership OCCUPATION DATE:
to get an architect to draw up my intended alterations. contract. Occupation date estimates are the norm
The first process is to engage an architect. If there OBLIGATIONS: with the since any number of situations could
are extra rooms to be added, an engineer might be needed You are obligated to pay for and take have an impact on the projected
to design foundations and certify the whole structure. possession of the house you have contracted. NHBRC date.
Make enquiries about a suitable architect The builder is obligated to construct the WORKING DRAWINGS:
with the SA Institute of Architects. house according to your specifications and to These drawings, a site plan and
I am about ready to convert my double complete the transfer on time. written specifications are essential. These
garages into a cottage. What permits or plans PURCHASE PRICE AND ADJUSTMENTS: documents accurately describe your new home’s design,
would I need before building? This is the agreed-upon price of your new home. Adjustments construction and materials.
A double garage is meant for cars. If you are converting to the purchase price are normal costs associated with the THE SITE PLAN:
a garage to living quarters, you will purchase of a new home. Make sure you discuss these The orientation and location of your new home are indicated
need an architect and to get approval from the relevant adjustments with your builder and lawyer. on a scaled-down drawing of the site plan.
municipality.

If they have building ambition,

we will train them

The NHBRC’s strategic focus is to build capacity in the home building environment. This entails assisting
home builders through training and inspections to achieve and maintain satisfactory home building technical
standards, as mandated by the Housing Consumer Protection Measures Act (Act No 95 of 1998).
We’ve established the Eric Molobi Housing Innovation Hub in Soshanguve to provide home building
skills to emerging home builders.

For more about us visit www.nhbrc.org.za

Assuring Quality Homes
Toll Free Number: 0800 200 824 / Fraud Hotline: 0800 203 698 / Tel: +27 11 317 0000

@NHBRC NHBRCSA