What do you remember about 1995?
The Springboks had just clinched the Webb Ellis Trophy, rugby’s ultimate prize, for the first time ever after overpowering the mercurial All Blacks with the late Jonah Lomu at his swashbuckling best. The image of Captain Francois Pienaar hoisting the trophy to a jubilant crowd, with the late Nelson Mandela in tow, will be etched in people’s memories forever.
And perhaps you didn’t know: 1995 was also the time when GB Builders and Training was established. Evidently, the company has been through eventful phases in the country’s democracy and it still standing robustly. This makes the company a seasoned industry player in its own right under its category.
Desmond Buitendacht, the founder and Chief Executive Officer, describes GB Builders and Training’s services as construction and maintenance. The company was formed in response to the government’s call for competent service providers to assist in building RDP houses as part of the programme to provide decent housing for citizens, he says. “We saw ourselves playing a part and did not hesitate to register a company. We are proud to be part of a critical part of the country’s Post 1994 development.”
Buitendacht’s qualifications, a higher diploma in Education and NQF Level 2 and 4 in Supervision of Construction Processes, have proved valuable in the business’ management, from administrative duties to construction project management.
Buitendacht views entrepreneurship, an area he is committed in, as the economy’s vital growth engine. “Entrepreneurship is vital in the development of the economy of our country. If we do not contribute as individuals how do we expect our country to compete on the same level as well developed countries?”
His biggest concern is the tendency amongst big businesses’ to underestimate the competency of small businesses in projects.
“Big businesses do not want to work with SMME’s which makes it difficult to get projects and another challenge is to get access to markets,” he bewails.
Buitendacht’s view resonates with other small business owners that have complained about big businesses ignoring them on the account of lack of experience yet do not give them an opportunity to gain experience and build their profiles. This is paradoxical.
However, reflecting on the road he has been through in the past two decades, Buitendacht thinks it might have been decreed that he will be an entrepreneur. After teaching economics for years, feeling he had a good grasp of business he inched for a new challenge. “I would sometimes advise my learners to look into starting their own businesses. After sometime, it just came to me that it was high time I practiced what I preached,” he says.
“As they say: ‘Once a teacher, always a teacher”, is there any chance of a return in front of the blackboard, with the education sector in urgent need of old hands like you?” Transform SA Online asks Buitendacht. And his response is: “There is no way I see myself returning. I am contributing more to development through construction as an entrepreneur. Besides, a lot has changed in the industry.”
Construction has become something he can be awakened from a deep slumber at night and do proudly; almost his sixth sense.
Buitendacht does not take anything for granted. In an industry in which new trends are emerging, he is someone who believes that one is as good as their last project. For this reason, GB Builders and Training has been embarking on initiatives to ensure that its services are meet contemporary requirements and is recognised as a first priority service provider.
“We are in the process of registering in the Carnival City database. We are already in the the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan service provider database. We have also approached other companies for projects to build townhouses,” Buitendacht states.
Aggressive marketing is another area that Buitendacht says will be a top priority in 2016. So far, newspaper adverts, business cards and pamphlets have proved effective, but now a website, which is at an advanced stage of development, will be added to the marketing tools.
With 3 employees, GB Builders and Training is based in Geluksdal, Brakpan. The company is sizably resourced with the relevant construction equipment and machinery.
