INSIGHT
FACTORS DRIVING
MARKET CONDITIONS
By Ntsako Khosa
The year 2019 is likely to be an interesting year for South
Africa, both politically and economically. Allen Bodill, executive
director at the Master Builders Association of the Western
Cape (MBAWC), shares his outlook for 2019.
B
odill highlights certain factors
that he believes are likely to
affect the amount of work on
offer in the Cape Peninsula
region and the resultant profitability
of the general building contracting
industry.
Election apprehension
Allen Bodill, MBAWC executive director.
www.plantonline.co.za
Chief among the factors affecting
the industry is likely to be the level
of confidence leading up to the next
general election. “As often displayed
in previous cycles in the run-up to
elections, many businesses and
private individuals adopt a ‘wait and
see’ attitude, leading to a general
slump in demand for construction
services. The rhetoric we may hear
leading up to elections may inspire
confidence, or it may detract from
any residual confidence and, instead,
create further uncertainty in some
businesses, resulting in them holding
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