Civil Engineering November 2022 | Vol 30 No 10

38 November 2022 Civil Engineering T he project is part of the Presidential Economic Stimulus Programme and aims to capacitate stakeholders in order to support the implementation of labour-intensive construction (LIC) in order to create jobs, reduce unemploy- ment and potentially impact poverty. The works entailed: Q Q Formal LIC training to municipal stakeholders Q Q Support for data capturing processes onto the National Expanded Public Works Programme Reporting System Q Q Provision of support and capacitation during the implementation of the LIC projects. PROJECT OVERVIEW Although LIC is a relatively old concept, public bodies have not adequately embraced LIC in order to fully realise the benefits and the jobs that government intends to create through infrastructure spend. Continued failure to create jobs could potentially reduce the allocated budgets to infrastructure projects, thereby reducing work for the industry. This project looked to assemble the efforts of several stakeholders to bring about sustainable changes to job creation within the public sphere. While the client attempted to develop an all-encompassing specification to solve the problem, the col- laborative effort of the consultant and the client in identifying where the municipality was in terms of LIC implementation, and then swiftly responding to these needs, ensured that the municipality took several significant steps in advancing job creation through its projects – steps which mobilised the municipal stakeholders to plan, imple- ment and monitor LIC projects effectively. The project team applied out the box and divergent thinking to engage key resources and further established steering committees whose members represented all spheres of government in order to optimise the learning through a short project in order to maximise job creation. The approach ap- plied by the team was innovative, responsive and dynamic, and merged technical knowl- edge with effective social facilitation skills in order to achieve the client objectives. The project uniquely allowed trainers to provide on-the-job capacitation oppor- tunities through project implementation and exposed challenges and capacitated stakeholders to navigate such challenges. The project team capitalised on this investment and has strategically planned and implemented the project so as to radically and fundamentally change the culture around and way in which LIC is being implemented in South Africa. PROJECT OUTCOMES In 12 months more than 150 people were trained, tender documents were aligned, projects were implemented and monitored, and vital lessons were learnt. The identifi- cation of the correct key stakeholders has supported the communication of the pro- ject outcomes to all levels of government. Through this project municipal staff have been capacitated to undertake LIC works and there has been a shift in thinking when it comes to implementing LIC, with officials having developed a belief that LIC is more achievable than perceived. Stakeholders who support the municipality have also been empowered to provide LIC support to these municipalities as well as those within the province. Proforma tender documents and poli- cies have been aligned and will ensure that every project contains an element of job creation within them. The proforma tender documents have included training require- ments that will ensure that all local people working on such projects will receive some formal training on the project which will lead to a long-term impact on their lives. Overall, the municipalities and the province have made significant strides in inculcating LIC into infrastructure projects.  SANRAL SA I CE 2022 Nat i onal Awards Category: Commun i t y- based Appointment of professional services provider for the design and management of a Labour-Intensive Capacity Building Programme in MISA and selected municipal institutions in the Gauteng province FINALIST Community-based category KEY PLAYERS Client: Municipal Infrastructure Support Agency (MISA) Consultant: Naidu Consulting The project has capacitated stakeholders to support the implementation of labour- intensive construction