Construction group Murray & Roberts' CEO, Brian Bruce, has referred to collusion in SA as endemic.

Bruce addressed an Association of Black Securities and Investment Professionals (ABSIP) function at Wits University on Monday.

He also referred to the history of some companies, including Eskom and Transnet, as monopolistic - because no, or a very small number of, other businesses work in the sectors in which these companies operate.

Earlier, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said the government was focusing more on small business development as the country had too few companies dominating some sectors.

The Competition Commission had, over most of last year, intensified efforts against collusive conduct among companies. Millions of rand were paid to the commission in fines and settlements.

A concern was raised in the kind of contractors SA was producing. He noted that waiting for government contracts tended to make contractors dependent.

“We've got to be careful that we don't create a new form of dependency,” Bruce said.

Water, sanitation and transport infrastructure were identified as the main areas that needed to have the most funds allocated, Bruce noted.

The government planned to spend more than 800 billion rand over the next three years on infrastructure programmes.

On China's growing role and influence in the global economy, Bruce cautioned that SA should have a mutually beneficial relationship with the country