R8.75bn for transport infrastructure projects in Gauteng

• Published date: 23 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has committed to using its R8.75 billion to catalyse its contribution to the province's economic recovery post the COVID-19 pandemic.

Of the allocated funds, the department will spend R2.5 billion towards transport Infrastructure projects, which include Planning, Design, Construction and Maintenance; R2.9 billion towards transport operations, while R2.45 billion will be allocated to the Gautrain for 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,' MEC for Public Transport and Roads Infrastructure, Jacob Mamabolo, said on Monday.

The 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 has a bird's eye view of all processes that take place in the Roads and Transport branches, but also has 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.

'This office is already helping us fast-track delivery through accountability and real-time monitoring,' the MEC said.

As part of unlocking investments in the property development sector, the department is 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 Graystone Drive /M1 interchange to improve traffic flow. The department will also design and construct the Craddlestone...