The Department of Infrastructure Development was born from the splitting of the Gauteng Department of Public Transport, Roads and Works into two distinct departments each with their own core mandate, founded on the principles that all programmes and projects will contribute and have a positive impact on the election manifesto of the African National Congress 'Working Together We Can Do More'.
The core mandate of the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) is:
* To implement all Gauteng Provincial Government's (GPG's), capital expenditure budget allocation and other small medium and large scale infrastructure projects that utilise sole or joint GPG financial investments
* To maximise the social and economic benefits that can be gained from GPG's property portfolio.
With the Expanded Public Works Program an effective skills development program linked to capital expenditure projects and the maintenance projects will yield a positive impact on the development of skills and the reducing of poverty within communities. All projects and programs within the Department of Infrastructure Development will be underpinned by a skill development and job creation component.
In addition to this, the department will implement the policies of Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) and preferential procurement in line with the approved targets, ensuring that the vulnerable groups, woman, youth and disabled are effectively empowered.
The Department of Infrastructure Development is the implementing agent for all Gauteng Provincial Government department infrastructure developments, and will in conjunction with these client departments develop infrastructure that will be of quality, on time and within budget. The monitoring and evaluation of projects will be done on a monthly basis and collectively with the assistance of the client departments we will improve the service delivery to the people of Gauteng.
To ensure effective monitoring and evaluations of the deliverables the Department of Infrastructure developed key performance areas in line with the identified Gauteng priorities.
In June the graduation of 450 National Youth Service beneficiaries was the first group of the original intake of 1 000 beneficiaries who participated on the program introduced in 2008. In the pursuit of the development of on time, quality infrastructure within communities as identified by the clients department, the finalisation of the service level agreements and the compilation of the budget statement three for capital expenditure investment in 2010/11 have been completed.
The importance of this is to ensure effective delivery of planned infrastructure in line with indicative budget allocations and service delivery requirements. The establishment of infrastructure project monitoring and evaluation committee has been completed, with meeting taking place monthly. Stakeholders to these meeting include the client departments, Gauteng Provincial Treasury and the individual DID project teams. Capital expenditure projects and maintenance programmes are reviewed during these meetings.
The deployment in 20 health institutions of onsite centres of excellence maintenance teams has also been implemented. The balance of all other community service delivery institutions will during this financial year also become part of this program. The inclusion of a Skills Development Programme linked to all infrastructure projects at planning stage will result in the development of skills , creation of jobs, but most important the development of human capital for the various industry sectors. The development of a comprehensive skills beneficiary's data base will also be put in place.
The Expanded Public Works Programme is a fundamental Department of Infrastructure Development programme that will address the creation of jobs and the development of skills. The department will ensure that all programs and projects will effectively contribute to the priorities as identified by the national and the Gauteng Provincial Government.
A review of the contractor development and empowerment program has been completed and in line with the promotion of local economic development, to ensure that the development and maintenance of infrastructure has a social and service impact a revised maintenance model is being developed for implementation.
The re packaging of the construction contact centres with additional information and re location will provide access to communities for various types of information. This information will range from basic information such as a job application form to the registration on the Construction Industry Development Board and numerous other services.
The promotion of public user friendly business concepts that will allow for ease of doing business with the Gauteng Provincial Government in relation to infrastructure will further require a review of the payment systems, contract documentation and a review of risk to value of project. This is currently being reviewed and will culminate in an Infrastructure Summit to be held in the third quarter.
The availability of information and accessibility to communities in the promoting of participation in Gauteng government infrastructure business, the department is currently reviewing the establishment of information hubs within communities linked to the local government. On completion of the feasibility in line with the outputs that can be achieved, a final implementation plan will be developed for consideration.
During the third quarter we will finalise the DID structure including the review of the organogram to be in line with the mandate of the department. The relocation of DID to their own building will also be part of the third quarter roll out plan. The development of an implementation plan for the establishment of the Gauteng Property Agency that will incorporate the Emoyeni Entity, the Kopanong Precinct Entity and the Impophoma Entity will be finalised during the third quarter.
The age of renewal has dawned upon us and to achieve the goal of making a better life for all the commitment of the Department of Infrastructure officials must be unquestionable, all resources at their disposal will be utilised effectively and efficiently in the pursuit of service delivery to the communities.
The Batho Pele principles will further require that officials discharge their obligation in a manner that will create sustainable communities at the same time promotes an effective and caring government.
The Department of Infrastructure Development in co operation and in consultation with all of the Gauteng Provincial Government departments will collectively strive to ensure that through effective leadership, commitment and effective use of all resources that it will positively impact on the lives of the community of Gauteng.
Enquiries:
Gilberto Martins
Cell: 082 902 9977
Issued by: Department of Infrastructure Development, Gauteng Provincial Government
14 September 2009
