An evaluation of labour-intensive construction projects-conclusions for a municipal infrastructure programme

摘要

This paper describes the results of an investigation into the feasibility of labour-intensive municipal infrastructure projects. It focuses on the successes, failures, sustainability and financial and economic feasibility of current approaches with labour-intensive construction. The prevailing socio-economic situation in South Africa requires the development impact of construction processes to be optimized and that these processes become more suited to the use of low-skilled labour. In an urban environment, an analysis of existing labour-intensive projects showed that although the labour content of construction processes had increased, they are at this stage more expensive and not economically feasible and do not succeed Th achieving sustainable developmental objectives. The approaches to labour-intensive construction of municipal services will have to be revised and become more economically efficient, taking due cognisance of the limitations within which employment creation can be enhanced.