Civil Engineering July 2022 | Vol 30 No 6

T he cancellation of the Mtentu Bridge and the rehabilitation of the R56 tenders in the Eastern Cape Province was necessary to ensure compliance with SANRAL procurement processes, SANRAL Board Chairperson Themba Mhambi told the district leadership of the OR Tambo District Municipality in Mthatha, Eastern Cape. At the beginning of 2020, the SANRAL Board adopted a resolution that the consultants involved in the design and the development of technical specifications of tenders should not be involved in the evalu- ation of technical submissions by bidders. “We felt that this is an appropriate control measure that is used to prevent collusion, fraud, conflict of interest, misuse of information and corrup- tion. Previously, design consultants were part of the Technical Evaluation Panel that made a recommendation on the technical part of the tender to the Bid Evaluation Committee,” said Mhambi. With regards to the Mtentu Bridge project, the SANRAL Board became aware that the same design consultants were involved in the design and the development of technical specifications as well as in the evaluation of technical submissions of the bidders without prior approval from the Board to deviate from its resolution. “A bid that should have been consid- ered as non-responsive because it was not submitted in the prescribed and required format in terms of the specifications was accepted. The specifications included an increase in the scope of works by virtue of additional roads that were originally planned for community development projects in order to accommodate the 30% sub-contracting requirement,” Mhambi added. “This resulted in a deviation from the 30% subcontracting and there was no 30% subcontracting on the actual project. The deviation was done without the requisite Board approval, and we found this to be irregular.” The same irregularities were dis- covered in the rehabilitation of the R56 Matatiele project. Mhambi stressed that SANRAL has not cancelled projects in the Eastern Cape, with current projects in the province still ongoing. “As an organisation we recognise the important relationship that we have with the province in unlocking and unleashing major developments to local communities, particularly on towns that straddle the major N2 Wild Coast Road project.”  40 July 2022 Civil Engineering I n br i ef SANRAL Board Chairperson Themba Mhambi New certification for the next generation of construction leaders T he Project Management Institute (PMI) has introduced a series of seven courses to improve project management skills in the construction industry. Leading to a Construction Professional in Built Environment Projects (CPBEP) certification, the courses are designed to help project managers improve margins in an in- dustry often plagued by cost overruns and project delays. The CPBEP is PMI’s first industry-specific solution designed for construction professionals. PMI created the certification in collabora- tion with construction industry leaders and consultations with project managers who face the twin challenges of balancing technology and talent. Both the Lean Construction Institute and Construction Industry Institute were integral to devel- oping the certification along with Saudi Aramco, the United States Department of Energy, DPR Construction and BHP, among others. The construction industry, like many others, is seeing a rise in new tech- nologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, mobile apps, cloud com- munication, and data management. Their adoption demands different skillsets to complete projects successfully. Add a diverse workforce, and a new skills landscape begins to emerge. Companies today need professionals with technical as well as power skills to navigate the changing workplace. George Asamani, Business Development Lead, Africa, PMI, says, “We see im- provement in technology adoption, but technology is just an enabler. It’s still people and their skills that are critical to improving project performance.” To be eligible for the certification, individuals need three or more years of experience as a project manager, leader or contributor in the construction/built environment. The courses can be taken in any order and present an opportunity for professionals to focus on topics they are most driven to explore. Learners can either complete individual courses and earn specific micro-credentials or complete all courses in preparation for the capstone exam. The courses are: 1. Built Environment Project Communication Pro 2. Scope and Change Order Management in the Built Environment 3. Interface Management in the Built Environment 4. Built Environment Performance and Materials Management Pro 5. Contract and Risk Management in the Built Environment 6. Built Environment Technology and Innovation Pro 7. Execution Planning in the Built Environment  SANRAL explains rationale for cancellation of EC tenders