Outside firm for oversight and drones and project management tools for spending on Gauteng roads

Tight controls to monitor funds — that’s the promise by the Gauteng roads and transport department as it prepares to spend its R8.75bn budget.

Of the allocated funds, the department will spend R2.5bn on infrastructure projects which include planning, design, construction and maintenance; R2.9bn on transport operations and R2.45bn for the Gautrain's operational expenses and subsidies.

“As part of safeguarding these funds and ensuring that the people of our province get value for money, we have appointed an independent reputable legal firm with extensive experience in contract law to help us manage time, cost, and quality as the critical components of transport infrastructure delivery,” said MEC for public transport and roads infrastructure Jacob Mamabolo.

A compliance office is located within the department’s transport infrastructure house (TIH), a platform that was created to solve, troubleshoot, and unblock the project delivery pipeline. Through the TIH, the department said it has a bird’s-eye view of all processes that take place in the roads and transport branches, and also a view of other units that play a critical role in supporting the mandate of the department.

Using smart tools such as drones, project management dashboards and service level agreements, the compliance office forms an integral part of contract management and will enhance performance management of all our service providers throughout the delivery pipeline, said the MEC.

“This office is already helping us fast-track delivery through accountability and real-time monitoring.”

In a bid to unlock investments in the property development sector, he said the department is also partnering with the private sector to build roads that will help improve mobility and support developers.

In this financial year, the department will enter into a partnership to redesign the Grayston Drive/M1 interchange to improve traffic flow.

It will also design and construct the Cradlestone interchange, the K14 Rainbow Junction bridge over the Apies River and the Vaal River Interchange, Mamabolo said.

Road construction projects that started during the last financial year and will continue this year are:

1. Vaal River City : Construction of new interchange and access roads on the R42 (Barrage Road) in Vereeniging.

2. K101 Phase 1: Upgrading (Doubling) road P1/2 (K101) old Pretoria /Johannesburg Road from N1 Rooihuskraal interchange to road D795.

3. K14: Single carriageway of K14 from P2-5 (R513) Cullinan Road to Rayton road D483 (R516) to bypass Cullinan.

4. K46 Phase 2 -William Nicol between PWV5 (Juskei River) and Diepsloot.

5. 15 Phase 3: Upgrading of K15 Adcock Road between K102 Main St Dobsonville to Wild Chestnut St Protea Glen.

6. K56 Upgrade between K46 (William Nicol Drive) and P79/1 (Main RD) as well as the extension of Erling Rd.

7. K73: Upgrading of road K73 between Woodmead Drive and Allandale Road (D58).

8. P39/1 Heavy Rehabilitation from km30 Diepsloot to km43 Muldersdrift approx 14.35km.

9. P175/1: Rehabilitation of Road P175/1 from Vanderbijlpark to Potchefstroom Phase 2.

Violence and E-tolls

Touching on hot potato issues within his portfolio, the MEC said as part of improving security and stability in the public transport system, the department is at an advanced stage in establishing the Public Transport Arbitration Office.

“The Gauteng Provincial Legislature has already passed regulations to support the establishment of the office which will deal with public transport related disputes and conflicts,” said Mamabolo.

On the scrapping of E-tolls, he said: “We await a decision from national government and that decision should be that of scrapping this ill-fated system.” 

Since 2019, Gauteng premier David Makhura has been promising an imminent announcement on the way forward with E-tolls, but it has not happened as yet.

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula told MPs a week ago they were working closely with finance minister Enoch Godongwana to finalise outstanding matters relating to E-tolls.

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