The Gauteng department of transport has introduced technology aimed at addressing the problem of delivering projects on time, within specifications and within budget.

These technologies, which are already active, are expected to enable the department to have on time data on all the projects that are being implemented daily.

Transport MEC Jacob Mamabolo told reporters in Sandton on Wednesday that the first system introduced is a project management dashboard which will give the department updates from procurement, planning, design, construction maintenance and litigation.

Mamabolo said all contractors implementing projects will be expected to provide information between 4pm and 12 midnight on Friday on the progress of each project. This dashboard will be controlled by the department.

“Currently, I cannot see how many projects we are running….Through the dashboard, we can tell you that this project is William Nicol, which area, who is the project manager, who is the contractor, what is the value of the project, the scope. The status of the project will also be reflected,” Mamabolo said.

Road construction projects have been delayed in the department for years at different stages and in some instances forcing the department to cancel the contracts. This resulted in litigation and also costs as contracts were ended before completion of projects due to poor performance which was not picked up early.

Mamabolo said to address these problems, a second piece of technology called project readiness matrix will be introduced to deal with compliance according to the build environment requirements, water use licences and  environmental requirements.

“In Mamelodi, we started a project…But the road has people who have built houses on the road reserve. This means the land readiness was not correct. The question is, how on earth did we build?” Mamabolo asked.

He said the matrix, which was developed internally, will also ensure that no projects encroach cemeteries, municipal services, building fences and power lines. Contractors will update this  platform weekly.

Mamabolo said the department cancelled R600m worth of contracts in 2019/2020 and this figure increased to R900m in the 2020/2021 financial year. These are tenders that had to be ended even before construction [started] due to non-compliance.

One other digital system to be introduced is the daily reporting tool for all contractors developed by CSIR. Mamabolo said the tool will enable every contractor to update the department on work done, quantify it and send pictures to the department.

This is the only tool which contractors will have direct access to and be able to download, Mamabolo said.

On April 1, all contractors implementing all the projects of the department will have to sign a service level agreement compelling them to utilise these tools used to monitor work done on a daily basis.

Mamabolo also announced that the department has appointed Malatji Attorneys & Co in a three-year contract to serve as the compliance office. This is to enforce compliance in terms of meeting deadlines set and adhering to all legislation in the delivery of projects.