The Construction Industry Federation held a demonstration in the capital, pleading for due recognition and support for local contractors from the government.

Demonstrators claim that the government has for years turned a blind eye to Namibian contractors' plight, leaving them without jobs.

They also want the government to create a more conducive environment in the construction sector and want to see joint ventures involving the majority Namibian-owned contractors given preference.

The Chief Executive Officer of CIF, Bärbel Kirchner, says if their concerns are not addressed, they will escalate the matter.

"The Construction Industry Federation, together with Union Mandu, has been running a peaceful protest online since June, and here it is just staff members showing again how important it is to support our online project in support of our local contractors. What we found in our industry is that our own contractors are being displaced by foreign contractors, which means that many of our own contractors are without work, and you find that increasingly, our businesses are closing down because of a lack of work in our sector. You would find that the pre-qualifications are so high that our local contractors cannot even participate."

She says that since 2016, they have been lobbying for effective regulation of the construction sector through the establishment of a construction industry council, but these calls fell on deaf ears.

The Construction Industry Federation held a demonstration in the capital, pleading for due recognition and support for local contractors from the government.

Demonstrators claim that the government has for years turned a blind eye to Namibian contractors' plight, leaving them without jobs.

They also want the government to create a more conducive environment in the construction sector and want to see joint ventures involving the majority Namibian-owned contractors given preference.

The Chief Executive Officer of CIF, Bärbel Kirchner, says if their concerns are not addressed, they will escalate the matter.

"The Construction Industry Federation, together with Union Mandu, has been running a peaceful protest online since June, and here it is just staff members showing again how important it is to support our online project in support of our local contractors. What we found in our industry is that our own contractors are being displaced by foreign contractors, which means that many of our own contractors are without work, and you find that increasingly, our businesses are closing down because of a lack of work in our sector. You would find that the pre-qualifications are so high that our local contractors cannot even participate."

She says that since 2016, they have been lobbying for effective regulation of the construction sector through the establishment of a construction industry council, but these calls fell on deaf ears.