The City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ’s) implementing agency, the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), is focused on enhancing its project implementation unit and refining its project delivery model, says JDA acting CEO Themba Mathibe.

The updated project delivery model involves a shift from implementing projects brought by client departments to being actively involved in planning and facilitating projects from the outset. This approach ensures that compliance and regulatory requirements, such as those pertaining to land disputes and rights, are addressed early in the process, the JDA says.

To ensure further efficiency, the agency has filled critical senior management roles, which has significantly improved the organisation’s functions, with new leaders and managers now taking responsibility for their departments and driving results.

The JDA enthuses that employing a new audit team leader has been beneficial, noting several positive outcomes such as a fresh perspective, innovative approaches, enhanced team performance and efficient processes.

The introduction of a new audit team leader has contributed to these improvements as the leader oversees the control environment to enhance operational efficiency.

“The benefit of having an internal audit team is that [members] work independently in an organisation and help sharpen delivery,” the JDA says.

The agency highlights the CoJ’s announcing its R83.1-billion budget for the 2024/25 financial year, in May this year, which emphasised prioritising investments in infrastructure renewal and service delivery to revitalise the city.

In line with the 2024/25 budget, the JDA has set strategic objectives to manage its capital effectively, efficiently and economically.

These objectives include delivering sustainable social and economic infrastructure projects, along with supporting the development of strategic economic nodes into high- quality, investor-friendly and sustainable urban environments.

Further, the JDA aims to promote economic empowerment and transformation through structuring and procurement activities in its project developments while strengthening corporate governance and operations to ensure that it remains efficient and well-governed.

Navigating Challenges
Undertaking projects in Johannesburg comes with a unique set of challenges, the JDA notes.

This includes a significant backlog in maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure, which can delay new projects, in addition to the city’s rapid expansion putting pressure on already overloaded infrastructure such as the water, sanitation and electricity systems.

High levels of poverty, unemployment and inequality complicate project planning and execution, potentially resulting in community resistance or a lack of support for certain projects.

The agency has also encountered challenges related to poor contractor performance, which resulted in the termination of a total of eight contracts throughout the 2023/24 financial year. Factors contributing to poor performance included cost overruns, delays, quality issues, safety concerns, poor communication and environmental noncompliance.

The JDA has sanctioned several contractors who have struggled to demonstrate capacity to execute projects as per the agreed schedules.

“In line with the JDA policies, all those companies can’t trade with JDA for the next five years,” Mathibe notes.

To tackle these issues and enhance future performance, the agency has introduced several measures. These include regularly assessing contractor performance using standardised criteria, defining specific performance metrics and penalties for noncompliance and maintaining open communication to address issues promptly.

The agency is also committed to providing the necessary training and resources to improve contractor skills and knowledge; however, it will hold contractors accountable and incentivise higher standards while continuously highlighting regulatory and compliance issues to ensure better adherence.

To prevent the recurrence of such issues, the JDA’s implementation department is closely monitoring projects biweekly. This includes regular oversight of project expenditure and the submission and analysis of monthly progress reports, Mathibe emphasises.

A key achievement of the 2023/24 financial year was the completion of 12 bus rapid transit (BRT) stations as part of the Rea Vaya Phase 1C project along Louis Botha Avenue to Sandton, in Johannesburg. The project is designed to enhance public transport connectivity across key areas.

The stations are key infrastructure to enable the realisation of the Rea Vaya Phase 1C trunk route, which will bring safe, affordable and reliable public transport to the Johannesburg central business district, Hillbrow, Bellevue, Yeoville, Orange Grove, Cheltondale, Highlands North, Balfour Park, Griswold, Bramley, Wynberg, Alexandra, Marlboro, Athol, Sandton, Sandown, Longmeadow and Greenstone, Mathibe explains.

Initially encountering delays, owing to political instability and the Covid-19 pandemic, the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. The anticipated improved public transport accessibility and efficiency will support local economic development and mobility, says the JDA.

The next phase of the Rea Vaya BRT system will be communicated after the review of the feasibility studies around the areas concerned.

The JDA also completed eight other significant projects, including bulk stormwater infrastructure projects for Orange Farm Wards 3 and 4, the Melville public environment upgrade and the Lakeside gravel roads upgrade.