The Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has advocated for a human rights-centred approach to infrastructure development, stating that genuine progress cannot result in unsafe, inaccessible, or unequal spaces.
Speaking on Thursday at the Institute of Building Inspectors Youth Sector Business Breakfast at the Brixton Multipurpose Centre, the Deputy Minister argued that the built environment plays a critical role in advancing dignity, equality, and constitutional rights. It was stated that South Africa’s democratic project must be measured by the daily quality and accessibility of citizens’ homes, schools, clinics, and public spaces.
Highlighting the intersection of infrastructure and constitutional rights, the Deputy Minister noted that the right to housing is meaningless if structures are defective, the right to education is weakened by unsafe or inaccessible schools, and the right to health is compromised if clinics are unreachable or unusable by persons with disabilities.
The Deputy Minister framed the work of building inspectors and built environment professionals as human rights work. It was explained that professionals inspecting walls, roofs, foundations, fire safety, drainage, accessibility, and compliance carry a public trust. According to the address, their technical decisions prevent poor workmanship from causing financial ruin and stop weak oversight from leading to tragedy, ultimately protecting workers, homeowners, children, tenants, and entire communities from harm.
Warnings were issued that weak inspection systems result in collapsed buildings, unsafe workplaces, defective housing, wasted public resources, and declining public confidence in government institutions. Emphasis was placed on the fact that the built environment is never neutral, as every structure and designed space communicates who is valued, protected, and belongs in society.
Connecting the issue to South Africa’s constitutional journey, reference was made to the commemoration of 30 years of the Constitution, 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Uprising, and 70 years since the 1956 Women’s March. It was stated these milestones highlight that the struggle for dignity and inclusion continues through modern demands for safe infrastructure and economic opportunity.
Addressing sector transformation, the continued underrepresentation of women, young people, persons with disabilities, and professionals from township and rural communities in the built environment was highlighted. Municipalities, professional bodies, training institutions, and the private sector were urged to collaborate on creating clearer pathways into professional practice, strengthening mentorship programmes, and ensuring professional registration processes remain rigorous yet accessible.
Concluding the address, it was stated that a building inspector refusing to sign off on unsafe work, a municipality strengthening its inspection capacity, and a developer respecting standards while training young professionals are all actively defending the Constitution.
