DECLARATION

I declare that this thesis is my own unaided work. It is being submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. It has not been submitted before for any degree or examination to any other University. ………………. day of ……………………… … year …………. iii Poverty and unemployment are extremely high in South Africa, especially in rural areas where there are low levels of infrastructure. The government has begun to address this in the field of civil engineering; however this has not extended into the field of building, which is assumed to be inherently employment-intensive. This thesis challenges the perception that expenditure on building will automatically generate substantial employment. Because labour ratios are not known, targets are merely guesswork. The research question is therefore posed: What are the parameters within which a significant increase in employment can be generated through the design and construction of small public buildings? The focus is on small public buildings because government should serve as exemplar to the private sector; absorb the risk of innovation; is instigator and end user of public buildings; and can adopt a programme approach. Training, small business development and environmental best practice can be integrated. Schools are specifically considered, as they require skills that participants can use in subsequent projects. Employment-intensive principles are derived from civil engineering. Examples of schools that use different methods and materials are analysed to answer the question: ‘How labour-intensive is building? ’ This shows the range of labour-intensity of different activities and defines the components that would lead to a significant increase in employment