Read more this week in HERAUT
Gibela was contracted by PRASA in October 2013 to supply 600 modern commuter trains over the next 10 years, which trains will ultimately replace the ageing rolling stock on the country’s rail network. This was confirmed by Chief Executor Officer (CEO) Marc Granger during a Construction Workshop hosted by Gibela at Alberton Civic Centre on July 28.
Over 400 aspiring construction contractors, suppliers and members of the media attended the workshop to learn more on the procurement process and construction timelines.
The aim of the workshop was to allow Gibela an opportunity to explain the scope and magnitude of the construction works, and explained they did:
* Skills development
According to Mr Granger the plant will be a critical hub, providing on-site maintenance services, a training facility for railway specific artisan skills and an engineering centre of excellence. This means Gibela will roughly employ thousands of people over the next decade.
* Turning of soil
In reply to the question of when exactly soil turning at the site in Dunnottar is expected, Mr Granger said Gibela could receive the environmental record of decision that will allow the company to begin construction at any day.
* Job creation:
Elaborating on the sensitive topic of preferential procurement, Dr Buyiswa Mncono-Liwani Economic Development director of Gibela said it is not only important, but mandatory for aspiring contractors and suppliers to register without delay. The first step of the registration process is to visit www.gibela-rail.com Contractors and sub-contractors are divided into different categories such as electrical, building and construction.
* Requirements
Gibela places high emphasis on demographic representation in the employment equity during its recruitment process, which means preferential procurement will be awarded to contractors that comply with all levels of B-BBEE.
In Gibela’s bulk recruitment plan, individuals will also in the near future be able to submit their CVs to the Department of Labour in Nigel and Springs or the Gibela Labour Centre at Nigel Municipality.
What HERAUT has taken from the workshop, is a sound understanding that the train manufacturing plant in Dunnottar will ultimately address this community’s growing concern – unemployment.
