Small contractors and developers must desist from selling government housing tenders to big construction companies for quick money and short-term luxuries, Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said on Monday.

Speaking to contractors and developers in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan municipality during a workshop to present a government support package, alongside mayor Danny Jordaan, she highlighted that government aimed to see companies move from being rated in the Construction Industry Development Board's (CIDB’s) lowest contract grading, Grade 1 to Grade 4.

“Selling tenders to advanced contractors does not help us in developing contractors for tomorrow; we want hard workers,” she stated.

The support package aimed to respond to the need for training, developing and mentoring contractors, developing a credible and fair database of suppliers and fast-tracking quality human settlements delivery.

"All spheres of government – national, provincial and metro – are committed to developing small contractors to become big players in the construction industry.

“We have developed a package of support programmes to be implemented by Human Settlements agencies, the National Home Builders Registration Council and the Housing Development Agency to assist companies with finances and skills development,” the Minister pointed out.

Jordaan added that the metro would pay all contractors within the stipulated 30 days. "We will work hard to pay on time. Contractors must ensure that they also do their part. They must meet all our regulations to ensure quality. We are about quality human settlements and fast-tracked delivery.”

More than 400 contractors were registered on the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan municipality’s database.