COMPONENT A: ROADS AND TRANSPORT
3.9.2 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, ASSET MANAGEMENT AND SYSTEMS
3.9.1.3 Storm Water Infrastructure
The table below shows the total kilometres of storm water infrastructure maintained and upgraded as well as the kilometres of new storm water pipes installed:
Table 3:43: Storm water Infrastructure Financial year Total km storm water
infrastructure Km new storm-water
infrastructure Km storm water
infrastructure upgraded Km storm water infrastructure maintained
2013/14 128.1 6.1 0.01 128.1
2014/15 134.2 0 0 134.2
2015/16 134.2 2 0 136.2
2016/17 136.2 1 0 136.2
2017/18 137.2 0 0 137.2
2018/19 296* 1 0 296
2019/20 297 1 0 297
*km increase following reassessment
3.9.1.4 Total employees – Roads and Storm water
Table 3:44: Total Employees – Roads and Storm water
Job Level* Posts* Employees* Vacancies (full time
equivalents) Vacancies (as a % of total posts)
Number %
18 – 16 1 1 0 0%
15 – 13 9 7 2 0.63%
12 – 10 26 14 12 7.54%
9 – 7 15 12 3 1.88%
6 – 4 108 70 38 23.89%
3 – 0 0 12 0 0%
Total 159 104 55 33.94%
* Employee statistics will be imprecise due to the implementation of the 2017 structure, the TASK gradings of 2015 and the revised TASK gradings currently used by the Human Resources Department which are based on actual evaluations or benchmarking against industry norms. The difference between gradings implemented up to
2015 and the new gradings on the municipality’s payroll system creates some anomalies i.t.o. accurate figures on job and occupation levels. The municipality is busy rectifying these anomalies through the implementation of the new structure and with the implementation of standard industry norms and TASK gradings.
3.9.2 DEVELOPMENT SERVICES AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT
3.9.2.1 Project Management Unit (PMU)
Though the Manager: Infrastructure Asset Management and Systems post is still vacant, the Manager:
PMU was occupied in July 2019 together with four dedicated project managers. Over the 2019/20 financial year, the PMU managed a capital expenditure budget of R30.5M. Their 2020/21 capital expenditure budget is forecast at R29.2M. The PMU is also responsible for the administration of the newly established Integrated Urban Development Grant.
In April 2016 cabinet adopted the Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF) as the official national urban policy of government under the custodianship of the Department of Cooperative Governance (CoGTA). The IUDF marks a new deal for South Africa’s cities and towns. It sets a policy framework to guide the development of inclusive, resilient and liveable urban settlements while addressing the unique conditions and challenges facing South Africa’s cities and towns. The key outcome of the IUDF is spatial transformation and to create a growth model of compact, connected and coordinated cities and towns.
Within the IUDF the Intermediate City Municipality (ICM) programme, targeting 39 municipalities, support is provided for the municipalities in the middle size and density range of the continuum. The purpose of the ICMs support strategy is to help translate IUDF policy into practical programmes of action in the ICMs. Stellenbosch Municipality qualified for the 2019/20 Integrated Urban Development Grant (IUDG) and Intermediate City Municipality (ICM) programme in terms of which the municipality achieved 100%
IUDG expenditure in the first year of the Integrated Development Grant's existence.
3.9.2.2 Asset Management and Systems
Infrastructure impacts the quality of the living environment and opportunities to prosper. The municipality is required to be effective at a strategic, tactical and operational level. The manner in which the municipality discharges its responsibilities as a public entity is also important. It is required to demonstrate sound stewardship over the significant inter-generational investment made in infrastructure and custodianship to care for current users appropriately. The processes adopted must be efficient, sustainable, and effectively communicated to internal and external stakeholders.
Key themes of national legislation relating to municipal infrastructure management include:
Long-term sustainability and risk management;
Service delivery efficiency and improvement;
Performance monitoring and accountability;
Community interaction and transparent processes;
Priority development of minimum basic services for all; and
The provision of financial support from central government in addressing the needs of the poor.
Maximising municipal infrastructure management supports the current Strategic Focus Areas as well. Foremost is in Strategic Focus Area 5: Good Governance and Compliance. As the 13th largest economy nationally, the greater Stellenbosch area and the municipality is a significant seat of power and deliverer of services. Deciding what to do, when, where, and whose benefit it is the difficult task that infrastructure asset management addresses. Enhanced infrastructure capabilities also augment the achievement of the other four Strategic Focus Areas, i.e. 1: Valley of Possibility, 2:
Green and Sustainable Valley, 3: Safe Valley and 4: Dignified Living.
In support of these objectives, the Cape Winelands District Municipality appointed Aurecon to perform Asset Management Maturity Assessments for its seven Local Municipalities. The kick-off meeting for Stellenbosch Municipality was held on 12 November 2019 and 36 Interviews with management (across
all Directorates) were subsequently completed in January and February 2020. The report was delayed by the National Lockdown and a draft Stellenbosch Municipality Asset Management Maturity Assessment report was received in June 2020. The report detailed six improvement projects recommended for implementation over the next three years. The report is due to be tabled at Director’s meeting in the 2020/21 financial year.
Wayleave Management also falls under this section. The collective value of services infrastructure contained within the Public Road Reserve and the road itself amounts to a considerable value. This infrastructure needs to be maintained, periodically rehabilitated and replaced from time to time. Such activities can result in considerable delays, inconvenience, danger and additional costs to the road users and municipality itself if not well planned and coordinated. This activity is coordinated through the wayleave management function. Unfortunately, most of the posts in this function are vacant. This function is performed by staff seconded partially or entirely from within the Department. The monthly and annual applications are summarised in the Wayleave Applications table below.
Table 3:45: Wayleave Applications
Activity 2019/20
Total Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Wayleave Applications -
Received 18 13 37 28 28 4 19 19 21 0 18 11 216
Wayleave Applications -
Commented on 10 12 6 14 10 13 3 5 21 4 0 35 133
% completion to date: 61.6%
3.9.2.3 Development Services
The Manager: Development Services comments on behalf of the Directorate: Infrastructure Services on all land-use applications, submitted to Council in terms of the Stellenbosch Land-Use Planning Bylaw of 2015. Land-use applications include land-use changes such as rezonings, subdivisions, consent uses, increase in bulk and departures and normally leads to further development of a property.
The approval of proposed land-use changes is evaluated in terms of the availability of bulk services.
Should Council be in a position to supply such services, an application is supported. If not, then an application for a land-use change will not be supported by the Directorate: Infrastructure Services. It is essential that any planned development be brought under the attention of Development services to determine if bulk services will be available and if not by when the budget will allow for such bulk infrastructure to be implemented.
To give perspective to the above the figures for the different functions for the 2019/20 financial year are outlined in the table below.
Table 3:46: Land-use Applications
Activity 2019/20
Total Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun
Building Plans- Received 22 124 210 257 394 158 162 111 111 13 0 2 1 564
Building Plans-
Commented on 22 124 199 173 299 151 25 85 83 12 0 0 1 175
Land-use Applications -
Received 11 13 24 12 7 21 6 8 12 15 0 0 211
Land-use Applications -
Commented on 1 6 12 6 1 8 3 4 6 13 0 0 99
DCs received for completed
developments Excluding VAT - R6 396 623. 93
Total of aforementioned requests received 1 775
Total of aforementioned requests commented on 1274
% completion to date: 71.8%
The Development Services Section is responsible to co-ordinate and approve the final handover of newly serviced stands through the approval of engineering services clearance certificates. This section also performs a project management function by ensuring that developer created infrastructure is done according to Engineering standards and guidelines.
Additionally, Development Charges (DCs) are calculated by this Department and set as a development condition for new developments. Social and economic development has a positive impact on the municipality’s finances as it increases revenue from property rates, fees, service charges and tariffs by expanding the base of ratepayers. However, development associated with this economic growth has an impact on the demand for municipal infrastructure services as well as social infrastructure services such as clinics, schools and other public amenities. Therefore, infrastructure is needed to support sustainable social and economic development in Stellenbosch.
Development charges are a more targeted and more equitable way of ensuring that the main beneficiaries of infrastructure make an appropriate and fair contribution to that cost, without unduly burdening the municipality’s ratepayers. Development Charges are thus an important form of capital contribution raised by the municipality to pay for infrastructure upgrades required in support of new developments. A summary of the annual DCs management in 2019/20 is:
DCs Calculated: R238,7M (representing a 227% increase on 2018/19);
DCs paid in: R6,4M;
Assets created in lieu of DCs: R10,5M; and
Total value created for the municipality in 2019/20: R16,9M.