Innovative building technologies (IBTs) are set to transform South Africa’s housing sector while opening new opportunities for SMEs.
President Cyril Ramaphosa told the Innovative Building Technologies Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on Tuesday that there is an urgent need to embrace technological solutions that allow housing to be delivered faster, more efficiently, and at scale.
“Traditional methods are no longer enough. To meet the housing demand and build climate-resilient, sustainable settlements, we must harness innovation while supporting local industry and skills development,” Ramaphosa said.
Minister of Human Settlements, Thembi Simelane, pointed to the critical role of SMEs in reshaping local manufacturing capacity and creating new employment categories.
Since 1994, the government has delivered over 5 million housing opportunities, yet 2.5 to 3 million households remain on the waiting list.
Simelane said the country’s urbanisation trends, with an estimated 80% of South Africans expected to live in cities by mid-century, demand new approaches that integrate skills, financing models, and local production.
“Innovation must not remain a slogan,” Simelane said. “It is essential that SMMEs are supported to participate fully, allowing us to localise production, industrialise, and grow the economy while creating jobs and enhancing skills availability.”
The summit brings together government, regulators, financiers, innovators, municipalities, professional bodies, and international partners to accelerate the adoption of IBTs, ensuring housing delivery is resilient, inclusive, and aligned with South Africa’s industrialisation and economic growth priorities.
basetsana@vutivibusiness.co.za
