Joseph the concrete specialist

Starting from humble beginnings as an unemployed resident of Mamelodi, Joseph got into the construction industry in 1997 when a friend of his got him a job as a casual labourer on a construction site. Instead of turning to crime like many others in his area did, Joseph started a career in construction.

He started as an unskilled labourer clearing rubble, digging trenches and moving materials. After doing this for a while he got the opportunity to help some of his co-workers who were building a staircase. This was the turning point in his career, he discovered that he was good at working with concrete and that he enjoyed the work.

He kicked off his career at a company called Slab-and-All. They specialised in concrete work, mainly floor slabs and staircases. He now works for LT Construction doing the same work as before. His everyday tasks include putting up shuttering, assembling steel reinforcing structures as well as pouring and finishing of concrete surfaces.

One of the most common challenges that he faces is the weather. If there is a lot of rain then he must stop his work which delays the entire construction process. Delays can be very costly when doing concrete work as the concrete must be ordered in advance to be delivered on a certain day. Concrete must be poured as soon as it arrives on site so that it does not dry out and become unusable. Concrete producers charge the contractor extra fees if the project is delayed. If any mistakes are made, Joseph and his team are required to fix it without being paid overtime.

Joseph is currently saving up money so that he can obtain a certificate in staircase construction. This will allow him to become a part of the tender process and to supervise staircase projects. He already has the knowledge but having a certificate will allow him to give his input on the design of the staircase. Having a certificate will also enable him to get a better salary.

To those aspiring to work in the construction industry he says, "stay focused, have passion for your work and learn from other people on site".

This man is an inspiration and we respect him as a builder of our city Tshwane.