The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) has officially opened its electronic infrastructure projects management centre, giving the GDID the ability to monitor, in real-time, the R30-billion in infrastructure projects under its management in Gauteng.
Speaking at the opening in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Gauteng Infrastructure Development MEC Jacob Mamabolo explained that the centre, which would be known as the Lutsinga (meaning “nerve” in Venda) Infrastructure House, would be a game-changer, ensuring the timeous delivery of projects and an end to inefficient monitoring and oversight, cost overruns, delays, corruption and waste.
The Lutsinga Infrastructure House comprises five operating systems, including an immovable property monitoring system, a project management system, an e-maintenance system, an expanded public works monitoring system and an infrastructure monitoring system.
Mamabolo explained that the infrastructure monitoring system was particularly important as it would provide the GDID with a concrete figure in terms of the impact projects were having on macroeconomic variables, such as its contributions to economic growth, employment and the socioeconomic impact of these projects on Gauteng residents.
“The infrastructure monitoring system is going to be the source of information to monitor the full impact of GDID projects on the people of Gauteng,” he stated.
Mamabolo further noted that the statistics generated by the infrastructure monitoring system would be released publicly on a quarterly basis, with the first report expected to be released by the end of June or the beginning of July.
He added that the centre would ensure that projects were run transparently, which would also ensure improved efficiencies.