Ahead of the start of construction of the Gibela Rail Transport Consortium’s R1-billion modern manufacturing facility and ancillary supplier business park, in Dunnottar, on the East Rand, the company gathered in excess of 450 aspiring contractors at a sector-specific workshop on Tuesday.
The supplier workshop aimed to spark the exchange of information on the scope of the construction programme and processes that Gibela would follow to select its contractors.
The move formed part of Gibela’s local content commitment of 70% within its contract to supply the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa with 600 modern commuter trains, of which, all but 20 were to be built at the specially designed factory complex in Dunnottar.
“This workshop provides our company with an opportunity to interact with local contractors to explain the scope and magnitude of the construction works, processes and requirements in terms of both the technical aspects, as well as transformational imperative that relate to preferential procurement and employment creation,” said Gibela CEO Marc Granger.
The workshop aimed to leave prospective contractors with a full understanding of what would be required from the contractors and the type of infrastructure that Gibela was required to develop ahead of the start of the local manufacturing programme for the new trains.