The plan to establish the Public Works Academy has been discontinued in light of cost-cutting measures that are being applied within the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and in the public service sector as a whole.

However, Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille confirmed in a Parliamentary reply in September that the Skills Development Programme, aimed at technical capacity building, would “not be negatively impacted” as there would be more focus and dedicated energy towards its roll-out.

The DPWI had a dedicated professional services branch to drive this work, she said.

The State Technical Capacity Building Programme would partner with other public sector academies, including the National School of Government and higher education institutions for immediate access to learning programmes to enhance the programme outcomes, she elaborated. 

Some of the partner institutions include, but are not limited to, the Engineering Council of South Africa, technical vocational education and training colleges, the South African Council for the Architectural Profession, the South African Council for the Project Construction Management Profession, the South African Facilities Management Association and Green Building South Africa.

Additionally, capacitation of the Property Management Trading Entity was of paramount importance to the Capacity Building Programme, the Minister stated in her reply, adding that it would implement its asset management programmes, guided by International Standardisation Organisation standards on asset management.

These standards articulate the role of employees in the asset management value chain and the competencies they need to possess.

To further bolster the State’s capacity in infrastructure delivery and management, the aim of the programme will be to address the lack of competencies throughout the infrastructure value chain.