Client: Metro Waste Water Management

Project: Savannah Park Sewer Reticulation

Description: tpa in joint venture with MKE Engineers are designing and surveying the construction of a large sewer reticulation network in Savannah Park.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: The Construction of Main Road 68

Description: Tpa Consulting are responsible for the design, supervision and project management of 25km of the 50km of Main Road 68. The approximate value of the project is R93 million. Although much of the work involves regular road construction, the project is unique in that the construction of the road has been programmed to be constructed using only Emerging Contractors registered on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s database. This would see approximately 125 Emerging Contractor opportunities being created.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Road No. P32

Description: Application of SP2000 Rejuvenating seal from Km8 to Km 38 at a cost of R3.5 million.

Contractor: Phambile, Jabulani and SP2000 JV

Project Manager: Steve Bartels

Client: Hibiscus Coast Municipality

Project: Umtamvuma / Port Edward Transitional Local Council Upgrading of Roads and Stormwater Drainage

Description: Approximately 6km of existing asphalt surfaced roads were reconstructed and resurfaced. The work also included the upgrading and new construction of the stormwater drainage in the form of concrete pipe culverts, kerb and channelling, subsoils and mitre drains.

Road Works

• Subbase
  The insitu material was scarified to a depth of150mm, reshaped and compacted to 95% Mod AASHTO density to form the subbase. Section in which poor material was encountered was undercut and replaced with gravel material from the borrowpit.
  
• Base
  The base was constructed using a 150mm thick layer of gravel material stabilized with 3% anionic bituminous emulsion (retread emulsion) compacted to 97% Mod AASHTO density.
  
• Surfacing
  The wearing course consisted of a double seal chip and spray, comprising of a 13.2mm chip bottom layer and a 6.7mm chip top layer.

• Surface run-off from the roads was controlled and channelled by concrete kerb and channelling. Where kerb and channel was not provided, the verges were trimmed back at the existing grade of the road, into existing open drains.
  
• Various concrete, earth and stone-pitched chutes, headwall Is, access pipe crossings and concrete stormwater pipe crossings were constructed where necessary to assist with drainage and protection of the roads.
  
• Subsoil drains were constructed where the subsurface water was high.

Client: Ethekwini Municipality

Project: Upgrading of roads and drainage in the Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu area

Description: Several road upgrading and drainage contracts were implemented and satisfactorily constructed for the Ethekwini Municipality from the year 2000 up and till 2004. The scope of works for the upgrading and drainage contracts primarily included the following activities.

• Cleaning and clearing of roadways, verges, lined and unlined drains and pipe culverts of rubble, refuse and sediment.
• Construction of additional stormwater control systems, including longitudinal drains and pipe culverts.
• Construction of layerworks comprising of a gravel selected layer, a gravel sub-base layer and an emulsion treated base layer.
• The construction of a graded crushed stone surface seal with a modified bitumen binder and the construction of articulated concrete paving incorporating a "hyson-cell" mat filled with concrete.

Approximately 75 000m2 of roads have been upgraded in Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Upgrading of 23.6 Km of Main Road P 732 for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Description: The 23.6km of Main Road P732 is currently being upgraded from a gravel surface to black top at an estimate of R 30 million over a period of approximately five years. Emerging Contractors registered with the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Transport through the VUKUZAKHE PROGRAMME qualify to tender for this contract. Approximately 5km of road is to be upgraded yearly. The first 5km is currently under construction with the bulk earthworks activity being done presently.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Rehabilitation of Main Road 1

Description: The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport appointed tpa to carry out the rehabilitation design of about 10km of the main arterial between Estcourt and Ladysmith. This serves as the alternate route for the Mooi toll road and as such carries large volumes of heavy traffic. The road was showing distress in the upper pavement layers so it was decided to mill and replace the upper asphalt layers.  

Client: Western Cape Department of Works

Project: Bridge Management System Inspections: Client: Western Cape Department of Works

Description: In August 2003 tpa completed the visual assessment of 95 bridge and culvert structures in and around Ladismith in the Karoo area of the Western Cape. All inspections were completed using the CSIR Bridge Management System which utilizes the DER (degree, extent and relevancy of defects) rating system so that they may be prioritised to effectively allocate available funds for rehabilitation works.

The project included for the inspection of the structures and the completion, electronic data capture (into the BMS Struman software programme) and submission of inspection and inventory sheets, electronic inventory and defect images of the structures, as well as reports detailing critical defects identified. Together with inspection sheets submitted, quantities reflecting proposed rehabilitation measures were also submitted.

Client: Eastern Cape Department of Works

Project: Eastern Cape Bridge Inspections

Description: This contract covered the detailed inspection of approximately 80 bridges and 20 culvert structures in the Eastern Cape region by tpa Consulting c.c. These inspections were carried in 2002/2003 for the Department of Public Works (Eastern Cape). The purpose of the bridge inspections were to update the Department's bridge maintenance and bridge inventory database. The existing condition and structural integrity of these structures were rated and assessed and recommendations were made to the Department of Public Works for future maintenance and rehabilitation works.

Client: Ethekwini Municipality

Project: tURMS – tpa’s Unpaved Road Management System

Description: tpa have been involved in the management of roads for more than 10 years. The experience gained in managing both rural and urban unpaved networks has allowed tpa to offer its clients its unpaved roads management system (tURMS).

tURMS follows closely the industry norms and standards regarding unpaved road assessments but adds value by including a project based system which can be implemented on a road by road system.

For the past five years tpa have been responsible for the management of the unpaved roads in the presidential area of Ethekwini Municipality known as INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu). Periodic maintenance contracts provide sustainable long term opportunities for emerging contractors.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Vukuzakhe Programme – KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Description: In 1996 the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport launched its staged entrepreneurial development programme, later known as Vukuzakhe, or “Arise and Build Yourself”. The programme is designed to give previously disadvantaged South Africans an opportunity to acquire business skills, technical skills, access to plant and general life skills in order that they may compete in the construction industry as equals.

tpa are proud to have been involved in this programme as district consultants in the Estcourt District were we have given many emerging contractors support and guidance. tpa has striven to provide a supportive contractual environment where emerging contractors have the greatest chance of success rather than falling back on the old adversarial “Engineer vs Contractor” approach.

tpa have contributed to the formulation of a variety of contract document specifically targeted at emerging contractors. These documents focus on both short term construction contracts to long term maintenance contracts which allow the emerging contractor to achieve a sustainable, dependable income.

tpa wins award for the most outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement in the Category of Community Based Projects (2003)

1. The Award

• The Annual Banquet for the SAICE Durban Branch Awards was held on Thursday, the 5th of June 2003.
• We are pleased to note that our submission was the winner in its category, ahead of two other nominees that were short-listed, namely,
i) The Phakwe Spring Protection Programme
Client - Umzinyathi District Municipality,
Consultant - Stimela Bosch and Associates, and
ii) The Stanger Vukuzakhe Programme,
Client - KZN DoT, Durban Region
Consultant - Goba Mahloli Keeve Steyn.

2. Specific Criteria for Eligibility:

Our submission:
• Exemplified the benefits of civil engineering to the society at large.
• Involved effective and successful co-operation between the civil engineer, and the community served by the project and other interested and affected parties such as, the local authorities, non-governmental organisations and the labour force.
• Was innovative, comprehensive and had been substantially completed in the year under review.
• Addressed both the natural and the social environments successfully.
• Portraed the art and science of civil engineering to the general public and indicate how the profession finds answers to challenging demands.
• Had current public appeal.
• Was functionally efficient
• Was well managed, finishing on time and within budget.

3. Award-Winning Qualities

• The unbundling of work for the creation of a maximum number of opportunities for Emerging Contractors.
• Previous limited Engineering experience of the contractors and the high skill-level required for the new work.
• Placement of a mentorship programme to provide the contractors with the technical skills (setting out of the work, plan interpretations, construction procedures, programming and planning) and business skills (daily costing, allowable calculations revenue earned, plant and material management and labour control) needed to successfully complete a contract.
• The complete and transparent involvement of the community (in the form of a Project Liaison Committee) in all project-level decision making.
• Public Appeal and Functionality in the form of the asphalt paved sidewalks and bus-shelters.
• Careful consideration at all times with regards to environmental Issues.
• High-level employment of local labour and community empowerment through a democratically elected Labour Selection Committee.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Management of Ladysmith Regional Plan: Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Description: Since 1999 tpa have been responsible for the project management and construction administration of over 150 projects detailed in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s Business Plan for the Ladysmith Region. tpa carry out the planning, design and tendering, implementation and construction supervision of these projects. The majority of these projects fall within the KZN-DOT’s Vukuzakhe programme which supports emerging contractors in KwaZulu-Natal.

Tpa have been instrumental in developing various processes and procedures for detailed project management, budget monitoring and cash flow estimation. tpa also , co-ordinate specialist services (environmental and geotechnical investigations, survey, etc) and we undertake the design and detailing of specialist structures.

Client: Ethekwini Municipality

Project: Management of planned maintenance contracts for Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu

Description: tpa Consulting c.c has been appointed on numerous contracts by the Ethekwini Municipality to manage the planned and period maintenance of unpaved roads located throughout the wards of Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu. Maintenance activities on these contracts included the following:

• Blading and patch gravelling
• Light betterment
• Minor culvert installation together with the construction of culvert headwalls
• Gravel processing and dumping
• Drainage maintenance and repairs which included cutting mitre drains, subsoil drain installation, the repairing and construction of concrete drains.
• Emergency repairs to damaged cuts and fills together with the removal of debris and spoil from washways and subsidences.

Approximately 40 000m2 of roads have been maintained successfully during these contracts.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Zibambele Programme

Description: tpa are proud to be associated with the countries leading department in alleviating poverty. Roger Purchase has been intimately involved as a steering committee member with the KZN-DOT’s Zibambele Programme since 2000.

In that period the KZN-DOT have taken the programme from its pilot stages in 1999 to its present 17 000 contractors.

Features of the Zibambele Road Maintenance System

• A household is contracted through its representative to maintain a section of road.
• The contract is for 12 months which can be extended annually.
• This creates sustainable job opportunities at the lowest level.
• These opportunities are also situated close to the contractor’s homes.
• Selections are made by the neighbourhoods themselves.
• The programme targets woman headed households.
• The programme creates a captive audience for technical and organisational skills training.

Poverty Related Issues

• Contractors are issued with basic tools which can be used for agricultural as well building activities.
• The contractors work a maximum of 60 hours a week.
• Monthly payments are made directly to their bank accounts.

Programme Targets Achieved

• 1999/2000 2 700
• 2000/2001 6 000
• 2001/2002 10 000
• 2002/2003 14 500
• present 17 000
  

Client: Ethekwini Municipality

Project: Ethekwini Municipality’s Zibambele Programme

Description: Introduction

The Municipality’s Zibambele Programme which has been running for almost a year is a POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMME focused on empowering households, especially woman headed households. It was adapted from the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport’s programme which focuses on rural areas. The Zibambele contractors carry out LOW INTENSITY ROUTINE MAINTEANANCE OF URBAN ROAD. The contracts are aimed at stabilizing destitute families and are targeted at the poorest of the poor.

Zibambele work is labour intensive. The contractors work only two days a week, allowing them to deploy their labour to other activities. The length of road to be maintained depends on the terrain and Contracts are awarded for a year which can be renewed.

How It Works

Women headed households are targeted because they make up the majority of the poorest households. New sustainable work opportunities are created at the lowest levels of the market place and training includes technical skills on the correct way to maintain roads as well as social development and life skills components.

Support services to the Zibambele households include assisting them to obtain identity documents, open bank accounts, organize themselves collectively into credit unions and assisting people to invest savings in other productive activities.

Tools and Equipment

All tools necessary to carry out the work are provided by the Municipality. Tools are supplied by local suppliers. Their condition is checked every month and replacements are issued when necessary

Measuring The Success Of The Programme

The success of the Zibambele Programme will be measured against the number of savings clubs it has managed to create, the number of people who, through the programme have acquired identity documents and bank accounts for the first time and the rideability and accessibility of the roads maintained through the programme.

The Zibambele Programme Is a Building Block For Other Public Works Programmes, It Targets:

• The Contractor – Breaks the poverty cycle and become functioning members of society.
• The Overseer – Provides supervisory and technical skills for other municipal initiatives.
• The Co-ordinator (trainee technician)- Creates social and moral awareness through community service besides obvious technical training.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Construction of JoJosi River Bridge

Description: The contract covered the construction of a precast post-tensioned beam and slab concrete bridge on spread footing foundations across the JoJosi River, over a contract duration of 8 months. The contract value is 3.8 million. The bridge site is situated approximately 25km north east of Nqutu which provides the only means of access for a large number of school children who attend the local schools in the area. The bridge was successfully completed by an emerging contractor who is part of the Kwa Zulu Natal Department of Transport Vukuzakhe Programme Contract Management Support was provided by tpa Consulting cc. The overall length of the structure is 80.00m (4 x 20m spans) and the single lane deck width, together with a raised sidewalk is 6,08m.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Bluebank River Bridge

Description: This contract covers the detailed design and construction of the Bluebank Bridge for the Department of Transport. The proposed bridge structure is located approximately 30km to the north-west of Ladysmith and is to cross the Sand River. Once constructed, the bridge would provide safe access to a relatively large rural community who have sustained tremendous difficulties in the past due to the lack of an adequate river crossing. The bridge is to consist of five 10,6m spans made up of precast concrete beams and a reinforced concrete deck. Four reinforced concrete piers and two reinforced concrete abutments with associated concrete wingwalls have also been designed and will be constructed in the 2005/2006 financilal year. The construction of the Bluebank Bridge is currently estimated to cost R 3,500,000.00 and is to be constructed by a Stage 4, Vukuzakhe Contractor.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Zibambele Programme Validation

Description: tpa are presently carrying out a complete validation of the KZN-DOT’s Zibambele Programme. This entails spatially locating all 17 000contractors using tpa’s 7 Geoexplorer GPSes and at the same time re-capturing their details.

tpa will also be updating the KZN-DOT’s Zibambele Management System so that all record keeping can be done electronically.

Client: KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport

Project: Road Signs Database

Description: In 2000 tpa assisted the newly amalgamated KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport to identify all its major and minor road intersections and then to provide appropriate directional signage using the latest municipal and road network GIS information. The Department was then provided with a signs management system which was not reliant on outdated hard copy filling systems.

Client: Independent Electoral Commission

Project:

Description:

tpa have 7 state of the art Geoexplorer Global Positioning Systems (GPSes) which are used to accurately locate infrastructure such as roads, reticulation points and structures. Through Geographical Information Systems (GIS) such as ArcView tpa also provide the expertise necessary to manage infrastructure.

tpa have recently completed the identification of access roads to polling stations which required urgent upgrading. These access roads were vital as in most cases they provided the only form of access to the polling stations for the last elections (2004). tpa also undertook the supervision of the contracts for the upgrading. The overall cost for the Estcourt district being over R6,5 million, all completed in less than 2 months.