Mabey Delta Bridge System and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Sectors briefings

Meeting report

PUBLIC WORKS PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE
26 October 2005
MABEY DELTA BRIDGE SYSTEM AND EXPANDED PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME (EPWP) SECTORS BRIEFINGS

Chairperson: Mr F Bhengu (ANC)

Documents handed out:
Presentation on PWP: Economic Sector Venture Learnerships
Presentation on EPWP: The Social Sector
Temporary Bridges for Emergencies
Mabey: Presentation to Parliament Portfolio Committees
Presentation on EPWP: Environment and Culture Sector
Department of Public Works Annual Report 205 [see www.publicworks.gov.za]

SUMMARY
The Mabey prefabricated galvanized steel bridge system was advocated for providing quick solutions to the current lack of safe and serviceable river crossings in the Eastern and rural parts of the country. Doubts were expressed about the need to import these components from the United Kingdom when they could well be manufactured in South Africa with concomitant job creation. Frustration at the lack of urgency with which the relevant officials and politicians approached the situation was expressed.

The presentation on the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) and Municipal Infrastructure Grant was followed by those on the Economic Sector Venture Learnerships and the Social Sector. Time ran out before the Environment and Culture Sector could be presented. Concern was expressed at the slow rate of progress and the confusion in and poor reaction from municipalities. The Department should drive the EPWP more energetically, but funding was lacking.

MINUTES
Mabey Delta Bridge System briefing
Mr B Konki (Managing Director: Eaglesring Pty Ltd) and Mr C Forsyth (Managing Director: Mabey and Johnson) presented the history, technical excellence, wide application and benefits of the prefabricated Mabey bridge system from the United Kingdom. After 150 years in steel bridge building, Mabey had an annual turnover in excess of one hundred million pounds. Their joint venture with Eaglesring Facilities Management (Pty) Ltd in Johannesburg was aimed at promoting Mabey and Johnson bridges and related products in South Africa. Mabey bridging were manufactured to the highest international standards in England, were typically erected in only weeks to spans of up to 60 meters, were galvanized to be maintenance-free, dimensioned for pedestrian, single lane or double-lane traffic, and were reusable.

Their research had revealed that after the 1999/2000 floods in the Eastern coastal provinces and Mpumalanga there were still 262 missing crossings. Finance was available through Barclays PLC. Four years after negotiations with the South African National Defence Force and two years after negotiations with the Department of Provincial and Local Government had started no progress had been made and the situation on the ground had deteriorated.

Mr L Buys (Executive Manager: Disaster Management: Department of Provincial and Local Government) expressed his genuine frustration at the total lack of urgency in addressing the very real problem of 260 washed out crossings, especially in view of the imminent rainy season. Other countries had erected many of the so-called line of communication (LOC) bridges.

Mr Forsyth said that the economic benefits of the 1500 bridges built by them in the Philippines had paid for themselves in three years. Precise designs and robotic manufacture with military precision produced lighter, cheaper, stronger and maintenance-free bridges. Because they were re-usable, these bridges were working assets in a national inventory, and could be used for military emergency back-up.

Discussion
Mr I Blanche (DA) said that South African companies such as those serving the coal mining industry had been building similar kinds of steel structures for more that 100 years. There was no reason to import them. Robotic manufacturing was nothing new in South Africa but was used for pylons which were also erected in outlying areas. Maintenance in South Africa with its low rainfall and flash floods was different from that in the United Kingdom. Have requests gone out to local companies and tenders requested? Mr Buys replied that money was never allocated and so tenders could not be asked for. He agreed that South Africa could compete in the market.

Mr M Moss (ANC) said that the recent conference on climate change and global warming had stressed the need for adequate disaster management. He would have liked to see these bridges in South African conditions. Why were there so many abandoned old steel bridges around? Mr Buys replied that many old bridges were structurally not sound, in many instances through rust.

Mr K Moonsamy (ANC) proposed that an urgent meeting with the Minister of Provincial and Local Government be arranged to discuss the plight of rural people not being served adequately with river crossings.

Mr Konki said that the possibility of manufacturing in South Africa was being investigated. Constructing the embankment usually accounted for 50% of the cost of a bridge. Local labour would be involved in that.

Mr N Gogotya (ANC) said that cost was important. South African politicians should market the country.

MrL Maduma (ANC) stressed the importance of buying Proudly South African and asked for an assurance that the bridges would be manufactured here, which would create sustainable jobs.

Expanded Public Works Programme Sectors briefings and discussions
Mr M Lieuwkiesong (Chief Director: Labour Intensive Specialist: Department of Public Works) gave particulars of the Expanded Public Works Programme which included an overview, analysis of progress, case studies, key findings, progress with housing, and the capital requirements of Eskom and Transnet.

Mr Maduma said that guidelines were not used by municipalities and asked whether they were assisted in this. There was confusion and uncertainty about the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG).

Mr B Gxilule (Deputy Director-General: Expanded Public Works Programme in the National Department of Public Works) agreed that municipalities were responding slowly. They were working with the Auditor-General to find measures to make them comply. Worker training was done, coordination was improving and the second year would be better.

Mr Gogotya said that a project in which only 30% of the cost was for labour was not labour intensive, and asked why only women were targeted in certain projects. Mr Liewkiesong replied that in some types of construction, e.g. pipelines, the materials component was high, and some projects were specifically aimed at women-breadwinner households.

Mr Blanche suggested that municipalities be assisted to identify their need for footbridges. Mr Gxilule replied that they should look at their infrastructure requirements as a whole.

Ms CJ Abrahams (Director: EPWP Economic Sector: National Department of Public Works) took the Committee through the sector including background, progress to date, a case study, and challenges.

Mr Gogotya enquired why Limpopo Province featured so strongly in the activities. What about the other provinces? Ms Abrahams replied that Limpopo matched EPWP principles, and that the Nelson Mandela Metropole also had created products that worked on the ground.

The Chair wanted to know about the Department’s own programme.

Mr Maduna said that the challenge was for the Department to drive the EPWP, as there was no sense of urgency in the provincial leadership. Mr Gxilule replied that there was no longer a central budget for the Department of Public Works and that they could only coordinate. The largest part of the Department’s funding was for building maintenance.

Ms Abrahams said that learners for the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) had to be selected carefully in a transparent process which required an average 102 days. The training cost per learner was R 200 000, and they had to identify markets for learners at the end of their training. Sector Training and Education Authorities (SETAs) were impressed by the quality of their training material.

Mr Gogotya enquired about the yardsticks for measuring success and the success rate.

Ms J Msiza (Director: EPWP Social Sector: National Department of Public Works) presented the Social Sector activities to the Committee. It included objectives, targets, progress to date, challenges and recommendations. No discussion was possible due to time constraints.

The meeting was adjourned.