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Together Building A Better District. TOPIC. SHARING THE UGU EXPERIENCE IN FIXING POTHOLES. TABLE OF CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION – Ugu at a glance THE PROBLEM OF POTHOLES THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC PRESSURES THE TECHNOLOGY CHOICE UGU APPROACH RESULTS
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TOPIC SHARING THE UGU EXPERIENCE IN FIXING POTHOLES
TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION – Ugu at a glance THE PROBLEM OF POTHOLES THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC PRESSURES THE TECHNOLOGY CHOICE UGU APPROACH RESULTS BENEFITS OF THE UGU MODEL/APPROACH RECOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION • One of 10 districts within the Province of KwaZulu-Natal • Extends over 5400 square km in size with an estimated 120 km of beach stretch • Main economic hub is a town of Port Shepstone- 130km south of Durban • Ugu District – made up 6 local municipalities • Population of 704 000 people • 84% RURAL
1. UGU AT A GLANCE • IN 2001, UGU WAS DECLARED A PRESIDENTIAL POVERTY NODAL POINT • Low Skills Base & Education levels • Poor coordination of social and economic activities • High Unemployment Rate • High HIV/AIDS prevalence • ECONOMIC GROWTH RATE OF <2% IN THE LAST 5 YEARS • LACK OF INVESTMENT INTO OUR MAIN ECONOMIC SECTORS • UGU HAS NOW DEVELOPED A LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN THAT ADDRESSES THE FOLLOWING & SUB-SECTORS: Tourism, Agriculture, Manufacturing, ICT, Trade & Commerce, Transport & Logistics, Construction, Financial & Business Services, Investment Attraction and Retention, as well as Poverty Reduction & Eradication
2. THE PROBLEM OF POTHOLES • Potholes are a world-wide phenomenon and the Ugu region is no exception. • In recent years, government has battled with the maintenance of road infrastructure which is very costly and all solutions employed thus far provide relief that is too short. • In our district, the Hibiscus Coast Municipality has been lambasted by the community, rate-payers, business community, newspapers alike, for not provided a more permanent solution to the problem of potholes. • The issue of potholes has become a permanent feature in one of our local media publications. • The chip and spray method is cheap but does not last, resulting in loss of public confidence • Current methods rely heavily on machinery • Hot asphalt is dangerous and cumbersome to handle
3. THE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM • Too much focus on budgeting for the expansion of infrastructure at the expense of maintenance. • Insufficient funding – MIG focuses on basic infrastructure • Absence of a community based approach that also addresses socio-economic needs • Inappropriate use of some roads that were designed for low traffic and light motor vehicles • Lack of storm water channeling in road design – curbing, etc • Poor coordination between government spheres, province and local government in the case of KZN • Lack of training for municipal workers dealing with potholes • Lack of supervision of contractors resulting in high repeat jobs • Poor preparation of potholes during repair • Hot asphalt limited where distances are bigger • Difficulty of budgeting as hot asphalt has no shelf-life and stock-piling is • difficult
4. THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC PRESSURES • High Unemployment • Increase in crime targeting the affluent suburbs • Low level of skills and experience (for employment or business establishment) • Pothole inflicted vehicle accidents resulting in litigation cases for the municipality • Decrease in public confidence due to constant negative media reports • Poor rotation of service providers resulting in public dissatisfaction • Powers and functions between district and local municipalities • Barriers of entry for cooperatives into the construction industry ( policies, business start-up, business management)
5. THE TECHNOLOGY • Ugu, as far back as 2007, started searching for a approach towards assisting our local municipalities with the problem of Potholes. First pothole repair demonstration was done in August 2007, on busy road frequented by heavy duty vehicles. • In May 2008, Ugu District Municipality and its family of municipalities were then formally introduced to a technology and method of fixing potholes that has the following key advantageous features: • It is based on a cold mix, making it possible to stock-pile the material and budget appropriately in advance • Lasts longer (+/- 4-5 years) before a fixed pothole has to be re-visited again • Labour intensive with the rehabilitation of a pothole done manually, with minimum machinery. • Economic generation potential in the form of a factory and youth entrepreneurial opportunity • June 2008 floods confirmed the strength of the technology, Ugu then started • to formalize the approach with which the technology was going to be applied.
Team 7:After just two weeks of site establishment and safety training (always a top priority) and then onto one week of product training and application methods, this was team 7’s very first pothole done independently by the team. This can be inspected now at the very top of Old St Faith’s Road. It just shows, give people a chance and set people up to succeed with the right tools and training and they will deliver.
Team 1: Poetry in motion, perfect pothole preparation, attention to quality and detail, a genuine sense of ownership has been achieved, something I truly hope can become a permanent feature with each team in every community throughout our country.
7. THE RESULTS • Over R 300 000.00 was spent on training. • Over 5 285 potholes / patches repaired in the region • Nearly 5 000 m² of severely damaged roads repaired • Nearly 650 tons of material was used in 3 months by our teams along with over 100 tons being used as marketing and promotions by other local municipal teams in the region along with a major trial with training involving Department of Transport • Over 200 roads were attended to in the region • 5 Teams (37 people) now averaging 20 to 30 m² productivity per day. Usage of material in excess of 2.5 to 3.5 tons per day. • Local bagging team also established to increase employment and productivity (12 people hired). • End result: Out of 7 teams created, 5 teams became well qualified, highly effective and productive pothole repair units that successfully delivered on local infrastructure to the benefit of themselves and the community as a whole.
8. BENEFITS OF UGU MODEL/APPROACH • Critical Skills Development – Road Construction and maintenance • Local Job creation • Cooperative Business Development • Investor Confidence – e.g. Tourism and Logistics • Nation building • Integration of various government policy provisions • Local Job Creation • Local Economic Development • Poverty Reduction • Co-operative development • Inter-governmental Relations • Expanded Public Works Programme
9. RECOMMENDATIONS That a community based approach to the fixing of potholes be considered as a model that will be used in South Africa to develop skills, create jobs and eradicate potholes. That National Government and municipalities be encouraged to budget for road maintenance in order to reduce the emergence of potholes. That where possible, District Municipalities be authorized to share Powers and Functions if it will improve service delivery The Roads Maintenance Fund should encourage technical collaboration between Provinces and Municipalities to assist low capacity municipalities beyond the Asset register prescriptions. That the training interventions be linked to proper unit standards That the Ugu Model be integrated throughout the country. That the entire approach not only be viewed as a technical intervention but also a social intervention
