Infrastructure
- What is the process that (a) local, (b) provincial and (c) national departments follow to ensure that infrastructure projects can be fast-tracked or reprioritised where necessary;
- whether there are any municipalities that are currently not following this due process; if not, what measures are in place to ensure that local authorities adhere to the due process so that the budget is allocated and distributed fairly across all areas?
- The Department of Infrastructure cannot respond to this question on behalf of local government and national government structures.
With regard to the work of the Department of Infrastructure the extent to which fast-tracking or reprioritisation can be implemented depends on a number of variables, such as:
- The purpose for which the projects are required and the context within which the project has to function.
- The condition of existing facilities.
- The precise needs of the service departments involved including the urgency of the need, such as the isolation of communities.
- The availability of budget, human resources and time.
- The nature of the circumstances creating the reprioritisation e.g. extreme weather event.
- The need to meet safety requirements and standards.
How the reprioritisation will be implemented depends of the type of infrastructure project involved i.e. the fast-tracking of a road damaged by flooding will not be the same as replacing a key school facility damaged by fire.
Prioritisation on the road network will usually involve the deferring of a capital project in order to effect essential maintenance. The following Department of Infrastructure processes and capabilities support rapid reprioritisation:
- A formal, updated Road Asset Management Plan.
- A mature project pipeline with projects at different stages of readiness.
- Strong internal engineering capacity to assess damage and to scope emergency works.
In other infrastructure areas use is made of strategic core framewotk contracts as these allow for accelerated appointment processes while upholding key principles of value for money, transparency and fair, competitive procurement. Where the need for fast-tracking occurs on projects already under construction, contractual mechanisms exist to expedire delivery.
- This question should be redirected to the local government structures involved.
