4.6. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE THREE: TO INVESTIGATE THE STRATEGIES
4.6.3. Effective management of the Msunduzi EPWP project
In order to devise a better management system for the Msunduzi EPWP project, respondents were asked to give their views on what could be done to ensure that the project is effectively managed.
Table 4. 11. Effective management of the Msunduzi EPWP project
Themes Frequency of
responses
Procurement of resources 6
Training 6
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Align project with policies 5
More budget 3
Prioritisation of areas to be cleared 3
Engagement with stakeholders 3
Decreased number of contractors 2
Faster administration from the Department 2
Monitoring and evaluation to be done on time 1
Based on the respondent‟s feedback, nine themes were identified as being the most effective ways to manage the Msunduzi EPWP project. There are a number of attributes that the respondents identified as being the best and most effective. As illustrated in Table 4.11, the majority of the participants indicated that the procurement of resources would have a significant impact on the Project Management of Msunduzi EPWP project. Some respondents stated that the challenges Msunduzi EPWP project are currently experiencing are due to lack of resources. Respondent 20 stated that:
“Resources are the basic tool for any organisation. The project will stand better chances of reaching targets and producing quality work if they have adequate resources. The Project Manager also needs to be equipped with the necessary resources in order (for them) to execute the(ir) job efficiently”.
The second theme which emerged was training. Six respondents identified training as a fundamental element in ensuring that the Msunduzi EPWP is effectively managed.
Respondent 31 indicated that:
“Project Managers are the ones who need the most training. They need specialised trainings to elevate their skill so that they can manage and supervise at an advanced level”.
According to Respondent 10:
“We need more training, every year we are promised training but never receive it.
Training will assist increase our performance, strengthen our skill and assist all the
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project workers to have the same knowledge”.
Another theme which was identified by five respondents is to align the project with policies.
Respondents 17 noted that:
“Policies are principles applied to (guild0 [guide] outcomes. Therefore a project operating out of policy is doomed for failure. Projects need to align themselves with policies, they are there for a reason, and they endorse the well-being of the project”.
The fourth theme identified was for more budget availability. Respondent 1stated that:
“Budget is important as it determines the specifications of the project operations, such as how many months the project will operate, how many people will be employed etc. We need more budget in the Msunduzi EPWP so we can work more months in the year”.
Prioritisation of areas to be cleared was also a theme which emerged. Three respondents stated that areas in the Msunduzi area need to be prioritised. Respondent 7 indicated that:
“Good quality clearing is not evident because the teams are scattered all over Pietermaritzburg. Msunduzi EPWP project needs to regroup and work in one area till it is completed before moving onto another area”.
The sixth theme which emerged is the engagement with stakeholders. Respondents stated that if engagement with stakeholders were to be stronger, the Msunduzi EPWP project could be better managed. Stakeholder interaction is considered important in this programme as it is community-based. Respondent 19 stated that:
“Stakeholder engagement ensures that everyone is invested into the project, the project relies on these relationships to keep it going. Stakeholder‟s have a huge influence in the progress of the project. If they are against the project it could potentially even close down and not serve its purpose”.
The seventh theme identified by two respondents is to decrease the number of contractors.
Respondent 8 stated that:
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“There are too many contractors. For effective management they need to be decreased so that the Project Manager can cope. Also the more contractors there are, the less money there is for each contractor, therefore the project ends up working for one or two months”.
The eighth theme which emerged was faster administration from the Department. Two respondents stated that in order for the Msunduzi EPWP project to be better managed, the Department needs to ensure that their administration process is quicker. According to Respondent 1:
“…Departmental processes are complex and lengthy…”
Respondents 21 explained that:
“We wait for four months or longer for order numbers to be generated. Then you ask yourself what could possibly take them that long. That‟s the process we are told. Slow administration processes cause the projects to start late, starting late means that work must be rushed to cover the time lost”.
The final theme that emerged was for monitoring and evaluation to be done on time. One respondent stated that monitoring and evaluation is vital in a project for tracking implementation. Respondent 3 indicated that:
“The Msunduzi EPWP project should have timely monitoring and evaluation. M&E should be before operations start and on the last day of operations. This is done to be control the work being done and the effectiveness of the team. M&E done on time will assist [in] track[ing] changes that may need to be implemented”.
The majority of the respondents indicated that training the project team could be one of the ways to manage the Msunduzi EPWP effectively. Respondents indicated that training is essential in any work environment. They stated that they have been promised training every financial year but have not been receiving it. New employees that have joined the programme have only received induction training and no accredited skill enhancing training. According to Taylor & Woelfer (2012), there are many benefits an organisation gains in providing training to employees, such as, better control of resources and improved risk management.
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Taylor & Woelfer (2012) further stated that trained employees have been rated to have higher job satisfaction rates and improved long-term career prospects. Unit (2004) stated that training is the pillar of the EPWP. The sustainability of the programme can be obstructed by the failure to meet the training obligations.
The fewest number of respondents from this study sample, indicated that monitoring and evaluation should be done on time in order for the Msunduzi EPWP projects to be effectively managed. As PSC, (2007) asserted, all government organisations are required to organise, perform, monitor and evaluate the programmes and projects implemented. A project cannot function without being evaluated against what was initially planned. Critics such as Mthembu (2009), Kobokana (2007), Samson (2007) and McCord (2004) have argued that the EPWP Monitoring and Evaluation systems have let the programme down resulting in its poor performance. Based on the findings, the respondents have emphasised this point expressed by the critics.
In relation to the PRINCE2 theoretical framework, planning is one of the PRINCE2 themes.
Good planning is a major element in promoting project success. However, based on the findings, the Msunduzi EPWP project lacks effective planning. Training plans are made every year but training is not provided to the project workers. According to the PRINCE2, the training plans in Msunduzi EPWP have not been applied successfully nor have the monitoring and evaluation plans.
4.7. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE FOUR: TO DEVISE AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT