The Department of Infrastructure Development is revising its five year strategy and plans to be in line with government’s new ten pillar programme of radical transformation, modernisation and re-industrialisation.

“Our vision is to be a leading radical infrastructure provider and facilitator that positions Gauteng as a globally competitive city region with a sustainable, inclusive and growing economy that creates decent employment,” the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development said in a statement.

 

Radical and strategic infrastructure roll-out

To address the past challenges of poor and slow infrastructure delivery, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has developed and started implementing a radical delivery method and approach referred to as the Infrastructure Delivery Management System (IDMS). The system entails three phases, namely portfolio management planning, project management implementation and maintenance.

To contribute to accelerated social transformation, re-industrialisation and strategic infrastructure rollout, in this financial year, the department is rolling out 55 capital health projects, with a total budget of approximately R534 million. In doing this work, the department believes it will contribute to revitalisation and mainstreaming the township economy by supporting the competent SMME’s and township enterprises as local contractors.

Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development has undertake construction of various programmes for the department of education, namely new infrastructure programme, rehabilitation and refurbishment, upgrading and additions, which includes fencing, septic tanks and upgrades of full service schools throughout Gauteng. Ten new schools will be officially opened by end of December 2014 including the Magaliesburg Boarding School. The total budget for education capital projects is over R1.1 billion.

The department is also constructing five capital projects in this financial year for the social development department including drug rehabilitation centres in Ekurhuleni, Tshwane, Johannesburg and Sedibeng. The total budget of social development capital projects including upgrading and renovation is about R77 Million.

In addition, the department will engage research institutions to vigorously promote innovation within the provincial economy and fast track the development of new industries that will usher Gauteng into an innovation driven, knowledge based, smart and green economy.
The Green Agenda

The department is rolling out Green Agenda Initiatives which is part of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies as well as the green and smart economy. The programme entails mainly, the roof-top solar panel roll out project — which will simultaneously address existing constraints of land and power supply — the energy efficiency retrofit project and the hospital affordable clean energy project.