The completion date for phase one of the R25,4-billion Gautrain project, running from the OR Tambo International Airport to Sandton, is October 2010, Bombela Concession Company CEO Jerome Govender confirmed on Friday.

Bombela is responsible for building and eventually operating the Gautrain system.

Govender's comments follow Gauteng premier Nomvula Mokonyane on Thursday saying that the first phase of the project will only be completed in October, and not June, and that accelerating the rapid rail project for completion in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff in early June will cost the taxpayer an additional R1,3-billion, which can rather be spent elsewhere.

However, the original contracted completion of phase one was at the end of June 2010. Why then October?

Govender says that this is "a consequence of the project having experienced delays and disruption due primarily to delayed land procurement and handover by Gauteng province, offset to the extent possible by delay mitigation measures required of Bombela under its contract".

According to the Gautrain contract, government is to supply the land for the rail link.

DISPUTES TO GO TO ARBITRATION

Engineering News last week reported that some disputes had arisen on variations to construction work between the Gauteng government's Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) and the Bombela consortium.

GMA CEO Jack van der Merwe said that there had been around 20 variations on the work Bombela had to do - some of them related to slight route deviations, for example - since the signing of the contract and the start of construction in 2006.

"We have disputes remaining around 10% of these variations, having resolved 90% of the cases," he noted. "The contract dictates the process to resolve these disputes and we follow these procedures.

"It is highly likely that we will turn to arbitration to resolve the remaining claims."

Van der Merwe did not want to divulge the money involved.

"Some are small; some are of higher value."

The Bombela Concession Company consists of South African construction giant Murray & Roberts, empowerment grouping the Strategic Partners Group, Absa and the J&J Group, as well as international partners French construction group Bouygues Travaux Publics and Canadian rail transport expert Bombardier Transportation.

The full project, linking Tshwane, Johannesburg and the OR Tambo International Airport is scheduled for completion in 2011.