The Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure, Tertuis Simmers, and officials of his department continued their roadshow on the new Provincial Roads Delivery Model to roadworkers, officials, councillors and mayors of the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM).
This follows similar sessions on the Garden Route, in the Central Karoo and Cape Winelands districts.
“The decision to rethink the current road-delivery model in the Western Cape through district municipalities is informed by a comprehensive assessment of value for money for residents and performance over the past five years.
According to a statement released after the event, which took place in Moorreesburg on 20 May, it was clear the district municipality had ensured the message of the session had reached all staff, and a full staff complement attended the session.
“Unlike other district municipalities, where staff were not informed,” Simmers pointed out, “this was yet another example of the commitment of the West Coast District Municipality and testimony of its ‘can do’ approach to service delivery.
“The new Roads Delivery Model, which discontinues the road-agency function of district municipalities in the province, is a significant shift in how road infrastructure will be managed from now on.
“While standardisation is important I treat every case on its own merit because it is about cost effectiveness, value for money and service delivery for our residents.”
He compared the West Coast District Municipality with the three other district municipalities he had visited ahead of this session, saying the WCDM delivered good-quality work, delivered on its annual targets and offered good value for money.
“In the case of WCDM I will therefore not absorb the function back into the department. The status quo will remain in place for the municipality, but there will be a contractual re-evaluation and an even more rigid monitoring and evaluation system.”
