Massive Increase in New Schools

Media Statement by Robin Carlisle, Minister of Transport and Public Works

The Western Cape has been entrusted with the very first project in the National Government's massive strategic infrastructure programme.

In addition to the annual budget allocation of approximately R770 million for educational infrastructure, National Education has made available a further R750 million in terms of the "Accelerated Schools Infrastructure Delivery Initiative". Thus the total educational infrastructure expenditure for the three financial years 2012/2013 to 2014/2015 will exceed R3 billion.

This is a massive boost for the Western Cape economy.

Since this administration took office in 2009, Public Works has increased its output by 80%. We are now going to more than double our output.

Western Cape School Building Programme Takes off

In the financial years 2002 to March 2009, 46 schools were built at an average of six per year.

In our first three years in office, we have delivered 37 schools at an average of 12 per year, doubling the previous administration's outputs.

In the next three years we will build 81 schools at an average of 27 a year, thus doubling our output yet again.

Graph representing schools built and closed since 2002/2003.

Benefit to Learners

In the last two years to the end of this financial year, school accommodation will have been provided for 57 000 new learners, and old and inadequate schools will have been replaced providing upgraded accommodation for 36 000 existing learners.

Thus a total of 93 000 learners will have benefited by the school building programme, which is a truly outstanding achievement.

All of the schools have been delivered on time and on budget.

Benefit to the Community and the Economy

Over the next three years, approximately 20 000 jobs will be created in the building of these schools, of which 6 000 will be youth and 3 000 will be women.

HDIs will benefit by at least R100 million.

Public Works is gearing up to double its educational infrastructure outputs.

This would be a massive challenge for even the biggest contractors in South Africa, but it is one I am satisfied that Public Works can meet.

To meet the challenge, Public Works has developed a Construction Procurement Strategy to decide on the appropriate procurement arrangements for the various packages.

The Key Decisions to be Made Include:

• Deciding on a procurement procedure.
• Deciding on a targeted procurement strategy.
• Deciding on a tender evaluation procedure.

Procurement arrangements will comply with the Standard for a Construction Procurement System and the Standard for an Infrastructure Delivery Management System.

I am extremely proud of the incredible productivity increases achieved by our Public Works branch under the driving leadership of Gary Fisher and Thando Mguli known as "Mr Second to None".