Section 63 Intervention Supply Chain Management Workshop aimed to empower local suppliers in Sedibeng District Municipality
The Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality, Councillor Sipho Radebe has emphasised that it is important for local businesses to prioritize managing their supply chain knowledge with care and precision. By doing so, they can better secure long-term relationships with Department and Rand Water, as well as maintain a healthy cash flow which can keep their businesses running.
The Executive Mayor was speaking at a Section 63 Supply Chain Management Workshop on Thursday 01 September 2022, at the Lord’s Signature Hotel, Vereeniging.
Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) Gauteng Provincial Head, Mr Justice Maluleke, Rand Water, Sedibeng District Municipality MMC Transport and Infrastructure, Cllr. Nkosinathi Ndwandwe, and Emfuleni Local Municipality MMC for Basic Services, Cllr Vincent Jones attended the workshop.
The purpose of the workshop was to capacitate local businesses and SMME’s within the Sedibeng District Municipality with Supply Chain Management processes and give the local business an opportunity to engage with DWS and Rand Water as an implementing agent of Section 63 Intervention in Emfuleni on supply chain enquiries.
This workshop follows the stakeholder meeting held earlier this month, where Deputy Minister Mahlobo indicated that contractors that are appointed by the Department and Rand Water must indicate how the 30% of the of the contract value will benefit local businesses and the people of Sebokeng.
“Today is an important day for our local businesses and the stakeholders of the Section 63 intervention. When President Ramaphosa visited Sedibeng on the 12 August 2022 to cement the One Plan Programme under the District Development Model, we welcomed the sentiments that were expressed by local suppliers. Therefore, we are looking forward to witness more SMME’s exploiting this golden opportunity to climb the ladder from the lowest grading of 1 to the highest possible grades”, Radebe said.
Radebe also acknowledged that there are countless local enterprises who have raised a concern about the exclusion from projects that are implemented within the Vaal. The supply chain workshop today was meant to provide and share information on the intricacies of how to package a successful bid as local companies.
“We appreciate the presence of the Department and Rand Water to assist the municipality to resolve our challenges, particularly the sewer spillage in people’s homes”, he said.
DWS Gauteng Provincial Head, Mr Justice Maluleke extended his gratitude to all local businesses who attended the workshop. He said that it is important to understand the SCM processes because these processes are an essential part of the project.
“The major problem today is that we have 44 pump stations within Emfuleni Local Municipality that are critical and not working. Moreover, we have 4 wastewater treatment works with different functionalities but face one common challenge of being less capacitated to treat the sewer that they are designed to treat. Therefore, they all need to be upgraded”, Maluleke added.
Maluleke said; “the department is responding to the call, which was made by the local suppliers, where they indicated that they want to be part of the project and partner with the department in resolving the sewer challenge in Emfuleni. Hence, we are having this engagement to inform all business people about the opportunities in the project”.
He pleaded with the local suppliers that the project must continue and avoid stoppages.
Emmanuel Nzilo, from Rand Water Supply Chain Personnel, during his SCM presentation indicated that all suppliers that are awarded work in Rand Water must be registered in the National Treasury Central Supplier Database.
“It is Rand Water’s policy to conduct business in a manner that encourages good supplier relations within an environment that promotes competition and is in compliance with all legal and regulatory provisions”, he said.
One of the local suppliers indicated that it is important for Rand Water and the project to create opportunities for small businesses and the criteria should also accommodate local business, so they benefit from the project.
For more information, contact Sputnik Ratau, Spokesperson for the Department of Water and Sanitation on 082 874 2942
