Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Mega projects have fascinated human beings for as long as history can remember. The urge to build something bigger and better than has ever been done before has always been a driving force behind the human race’s relentless pursuit of technological advancement. It is in this vein that mega projects have evolved over time, as methods of construction improved, so did the scale on which people could attempt new projects. The Channel Tunnel between England and France, the Hoover Dam in America and the Millau Viaduct in the French countryside are some of the biggest examples of infrastructure projects in the world and these are all unequivocally, mega projects. Costing at least $ 250 million and incorporating major technological challenges, mega projects continue to inspire and motivate artists and engineers alike. This thesis seeks to expand people’s understanding of the analysis of these mega projects. Mega project analysis is a field that has struggled to differentiate itself ordinary project analysis. The Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) and the associated e-tolling mega project will be analysed in this thesis. The framework for analysis will be provided by the work of Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius and Rothengatter (2003), who seek to analyse mega project success or failure based on three key indicators of economic sustainability, environmental concerns and the effect of public support. This thesis will use the indicators of economic sustainability and the effect of public support to determine whether the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) can be viewed as a failed mega project or not. After an in-depth study of the data and material available, this descriptive and explanatory study shows that the GFIP and associated e-tolling mega project is indeed a failed mega project. This is because it has failed the analysis in both categories of economic sustainability and the effect of public support. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Megaprojekte het al eeue lank die mens gefasineer. Die neiging van die mens om iets groter en beter te maak as wat al ooit gemaak was het nog altyd baie dryfkrag verskaf vir die mens se strewe na tegnologiese verbetering. Dit is met hierdie idee in gedagte dat megaprojekte met tyd verander het, soos wat boumetodes verbeter het, so ook het die grootte van projekte verander wat mense kon aanpak. Die Channel Tonnel tussen Engeland en Frankryk, die Hoover Dam in Amerika en die Millau Brug in die Franse platteland is voorbeelde van die grootste infrastruktuur projekte ter wêreld en hierdie is al drie, sonder enige twyfel, megaprojekte. Teen ‘n koste van ten minste $ 250 miljoen en met grootskaalse tegnologiese uitdaging, hou megaprojekte aan om vir beide kunstenaars en ingenieurs te motiveer en uit te daag. Hierdie tesis poog om mense se kennis van die analise van megaprojekte te verbreed. Megaprojek analise is ‘n veld wat al jare lank sukkel om verskille te bewerkstellig tussen homself en gewone projek analise. Die “Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project” (GFIP) en die verwante e-toll megaprojek sal geanaliseer word in hierdie tesis. Die raamwerk vir analise sal deur Flyvbjerg, Bruzelius en Rothengatter (2003) verskaf word, waar die outeurs poog om megaprojekte se sukses of mislukking te bepaal gebaseer op die sleutel aanwysers van ekonomiese volhoubaarheid, omgewingskwessies en die effek van openbare ondersteuning. Hierdie tesis sal gebruik maak van die ekonomiese volhoubaarheid en openbare ondersteuning aanwysers om te bepaal of die GFIP beskou kan word as a mislukte megaprojek of nie. Na ‘n in-diepte study van die data en materiaal beskikbaar, sal hierdie beskrywende en verduidelikende studie wys dat die GFIP en verwante e-toll megaprojek inderdaad ‘n mislukte megaprojek is, as gevolg daarvan dat die GFIP megaprojek analise aandui dat die megaprojek misluk het in beide die ekonomiese volhoubaarheid en publieke ondersteunings aanwysers.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / The aim of this research report is to analyse the feasibility of Open Road Tolling (ORT) and its development in South Africa through the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP). ORT represents the next generation of Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) and this research report will assess to what extent the GFIP scheme is in line with other comparable tolling schemes; and is the institutional environment amenable to ORT. This will allow one to gauge the feasibility of the scheme and its potential for acceptability and success. The research report outlines the number of risks that come with an ORT scheme and these include amongst others collection risk, enforcement, technology, privacy and public acceptance. The success of the GFIP will largely be determined by how well these risks are mitigated and how the benefits can be marketed to the users. The literature review illustrates that whether road pricing schemes have failed to move forward, have been implemented, are currently under development, or still in the planning stage as a concept there are several consistent lessons and critical success factors one should apply when structuring a scheme. In the discussions with stakeholders, the following conclusions with regards to the feasibility of ORT and its development in South Africa were as follows: The factors which need to be addressed include political risk, effective marketing of the scheme to the public, obtaining political will and support, building trust between the scheme developer and the user, managing perceptions and acknowledgement of the fact that the scheme will need to prove itself over time. Inadequate demonstration of equity for the user along with poor communication would compromise public acceptance and the success of the scheme. Incorporating interoperability yields benefits in terms in terms of network externalities, the ability to use a single transponder for multiple tolling plazas and points, along with the potential for alternative uses for the transponder. ORT as a viable solution for the GFIP is feasible from a technical point in that it's the only way in which one can collect tolls from a high volume network and not cause disruptions in the flow of traffic. However, there are a number of persistent residual risks that SANRAL cannot entirely mitigate and some fall under the realm of political risk. While SANRAL has applied best practice principles in structuring the GFIP with the aim of providing value for money for the user and as far as possible tackling the issue of affordability, there are certain realities, such as the recent global financial crisis, the infrastructure backlog of the country, users paying for roads which were free and challenges with overall service delivery which place a strain on the legitimacy of the GFIP ORT scheme.

M.Phil. (Engineering Management) / The daunting peak-hour traffic periods have affected Gauteng road users and the economy due to traffic congestion in the recent years. A total of 157 000 vehicles used the Gauteng freeway network each day in 2006, which went up to approximately 200 000 in 2011. This means that the average growth in traffic volumes had grown on average by 7% between 2006 and 2011. As a management strategy, The South African National Road Agency (SANRAL) launched the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project (GFIP) in 2007 to improve the infrastructural network. The introduction of the GFIP road-user charging scheme in Gauteng has been followed by a renewed interest in the subject of urban road tolling both by practitioners and academics ...

Submitted in fulfillment for the degree of Magister Technologiae: Engineering: Civil, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2013. / An increase in road traffic, poor road conditions and high numbers of road accidents are major challenges at the Port of Durban. Roads are considered as the most important transport mode at the Port of Durban. Road transport has taken almost 80% of the import and export cargo while railway transport is left with approximately 20%. It is estimated that 75 million lives in the world will be lost and 750 million people injured in road accidents in the first half of the 21th century. The Port of Durban is an important vehicle for facilitating economic growth of local, regional and national industries. For the Port to maintain global competitiveness with the current trend of globalization, it has to ensure that roads are well maintained, safe and have a smooth traffic flow with no delays. This study provides an overview of the road infrastructure within the Port of Durban in relation to road condition, safety, law enforcement and traffic. Existing and ongoing studies conducted in South Africa and abroad form part of the literature review. This study identifies factors that are affecting the condition of road infrastructure such as growth of container cargo, an increase in the dimension and weight of trucks, transport deregulation, port layout and handling equipments. Deregulation of road transport over the past years has resulted in an 80:20 split between road and rail transport putting more pressure on roads. Cost and time are the major deciding factors in the freight industry. Most customers prefer to use road transport due to the lower cost and reduced time compared to rail transport. There are eight major roads within the Port that connect the South, West and North of eThekwini Municipality namely Bayhead, Quayside, Maydon, Rick Turner, Wisely, South Coast, Bluff and Iran Roads. Asset verification and assessment of the condition of the existing eight major roads found that Quayside Road is in a better condition compared to the other roads. Maydon and South Coast Roads are low rated roads which are in a poor condition. Identification and assessment of the condition of 210 000m² of asphalt paved areas which included minor roads within the Port of Durban was also conducted. Most paved areas and roads fall under D (fair) category which is reasonable but maintenance work may be required within six months. Comparison between the condition of the eight major roads within the Port and outside the Port was investigated. The findings indicate that sections of roads outside the Port are in a better condition than sections within the Port. Traffic counts were conducted in order to determine the utilization of the existing eight major roads. Bayhead and South Coast Road are highly utilized roads. Road accident reports and death reports were analyzed on these roads. Most of the road accidents take place on South Coast Road. A questionnaire survey was conducted, targeting road users who travel on these roads within the Port. Feedback was obtained on the status of road conditions, safety and traffic within the Port of Durban. Findings of this survey revealed that most of the respondents don’t know where to report road defect/s within the Port. Approximately 37.5% of the road users felt not safe to drive on roads within the Port especially on South Coast Road. A high percentage of people (93%) witnessed accidents on these roads. Traffic signals within the Port are maintained by eThekwini Municipality and are very often non-functional. When road signs need to be repaired or replaced, it takes longer than expected. Also, there are limited parking areas around the Port resulting in trucks parking closer to the premises while waiting to collect or deliver cargo. This causes major traffic congestion, for example, on Maydon Road where most trucks park on the side of the road. Recommendations include assessment guidelines that could improve road condition, safety and traffic flow. Areas to be improved with regard to road infrastructure are also highlighted. / M

The South African government is obliged to render basic services for the people through local government municipalities. These basic services include among others the development of adequate roads, clean water and electricity. The responsibility of the delivery of these services was given to the municipality after the 1994 general elections, with the belief that it is the government that is closer to the people on the ground than the national and provincial governments. The issue of the provision of quality roads in rural areas of South African still remains a critical challenge. The issue addressed in this study is the provision of quality roads provided in Polokwane Municipality. The study focused on the implementation of roads infrastructure development project in rural areas of South Africa and the provision of roads in the rural areas of Polokwane Municipality in Capricorn District, with a special focus on the provision of roads in the rural villages of Thabakgone, Komaneng, Segopje and Ga-Molepo. The study used data collection instruments such as interviews, questionnaires and supporting documents, such as Polokwane Integrated Development Plan and relevant scientific articles to collect data in the four selected villages. The findings of the study revealed that the provision of roads infrastructure in the municipality is of substandard quality, and that the provision of quality roads in the areas is required.

Harvesting and transport accounts for up to 70% of the total production cost of roundwood in South Africa. This invokes an interest to improve harvesting systems through the introduction of improved equipment, road networks and more refined operating techniques. A literature review was conducted which investigated the various harvesting systems and equipment with a focus on ground based extraction, as it accounts for 96% of the timber being extracted annually in South Africa. A review of forest roads in South Africa was also conducted and it was concluded that at present there has been little focus on the upgrading and maintenance of forest road networks. It was concluded that the most significant reduction in transport costs would be achieved by reducing the distances travelled by expensive extended pnmary transport (R5.83 t-1.km-1) and by allowing less expensive secondary terminal transport (R0.4 t-1.km-1) to move further into the plantations. This could only be achieved by investing large amounts of capital into the upgrading of forest roads to a standard suitable to service secondary transport vehicles. A model was developed which was able to determine the tonnage of timber needed to flow over a particular road that will warrant the upgrading cost. The model was applied to two study areas, the first study yielded no results due to the already dense network of B- class roads, possibly excessive. The second study area identified three possible road upgrades to improve the existing transport system. A full costing of the existing and modified transport system was completed and a significant cost saving was shown, not accounting for the road upgrading cost. Capital budgets were used to account for more complex parameters, such as tax and discount rates, previously excluded from the simple model. These were used to determine the economic viability of the upgrades and to evaluate the suitability of the model. The model proved to be successful and confirmed that forest roads can be optimised accompanied by significant cost savings. The model is generic and simple allowing for easy application to a variety of situations and is also flexible to modifications. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2005.

Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Ackerman PA. 2001. An Investigation into the Shorthaul Transport of Pulpwood in South Africa. M.Sc. in Forestry thesis. University of Stellenbosch. 178 pp Shorthaul transport also known as secondary intermediate transport (SIT), a unique feature of pulpwood transport in South Africa, is an additional transport phase within traditional secondary transport. SIT originates at a roadside landing or depot and terminates at another depot, rail siding or merchandising area (not the final destination). The reason for the addition of SIT into the transport chain is identified as the steady decline of forest road conditions to the extent that highway vehicles are unable to reach roadside landings, necessitating the use of intermediate storage sites, from where the timber is once again loaded and transported to final destination. An industry survey established that the decline of forest road conditions are related to excessively high road densities, insufficient funding for road maintenance/upgrading and the lack of understanding by landowners of the importance of maintaining forest road infrastructure. Total funding, by pulpwood companies on roads have shown an increase of R18.55 million from 1997 to 2000, however, subsequent surveys have indicated, that despite this increase in funding, the forest road conditions continue deteriorating. Of the total annual pulpwood intake of 9.39 million tonnes for 1998, 3.7 million tonnes are subject to SIT. Of this 3.7 million tonnes, 2.5 million tonnes are transported from stump to depot and 1.2 million tonnes are transported from landing to depot. The survey identified the agricultural tractor and semi-trailer as the most favoured transport system between stump or landing and depot, responsible for transporting 2.22 million tonnes annually. For 1998, manual loading and three wheel log loaders accounted for the loading of 0.6 and 2.1 million tonnes respectively of the 3.7 million tonnes subject to SIT. This survey information, assisted by newly developed terminology, was used to develop transport scenarios for the economic analysis of total cost of the different transport phases. A network analysis model and pixel-based geographic information system (GIS) were combined to analyse the various transport scenarios within three study areas in the KwaZulu/Natal Midlands, employing SIT on poor, high-density road networks. The simple pixel-based GIS contained information on the forest road network, surface cover and slopes. The results of the economic analysis highlighted the need for the reduction of road network density and for the improvement of the remaining network. This would eliminate the need for extended primary transport and allow the use of highway vehicles transporting from the compartment roadside to and past plantation exits. Results show an average annual cost penalty to the industry, by maintaining SIT, to be R43.25 million or R8.24/m3 . By not employing SIT the industry will potentially save R4.60 for every tonne of the 9.4 million tonnes consumed by the pulpwood processing plants during 1998. Key words: Network analysis. Pixel-based GIS. Timber transport. Secondary transport. Secondary intermediate transport. Secondary terminal transport. Extended primary transport. Primary transport. Dirichlet tessellations. Shorthaul. Note: Throughout this document a full stop (.) is used as a decimal separator. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ackerman PA. 2001.'n Ondersoek na die kortafstand vervoer van pulphout in Suid- Afrika. MSc in Bosbou tesis. Universiteit van Stellenbosch. 178 pp. sekondere intermediere vervoer (SIV), 'n addisionele vervoer-fase binne tradisionele sekondere houtvervoer, is 'n unieke kenmerk van pulphout vervoer in Suid-Afrika. SIV begin op pad, by 'n spesifieke vak of depot en eindig by 'n ander depot, syspoor of verwerkingsgebied (nie die finale bestemming nie). Aangesien die toestand van bospaaie toenemend verswak en omdat swaarpadvervoer nie langer vakke kan bereik nie, word vervoerkontrakteurs al hoe meer gedwing om van depots gebruik te maak waarheen hout deur middel van SIV vervoer moet word. Die hout word dan weer daar gelaai en na 'n verwerkingsfabriek vervoer deur middel van swaarpadvervoer. 'n Landwye opname het getoon dat die swak toestand van bospaaie toegeskryf kan word aan oormatige paddigthede, onvoldoende befondsing vir die instandhouding/ opgradering van paaie en 'n gebrek aan begrip vir die belangrikheid van die onderhoud van pad infrastruktuu r. Die totale kostes aan padverbeterings en opgraderings in die pulphout bedryf, het van 1997 tot 2000 met R18.55 miljoen toegeneem. Verdere opnames toon egter dat ten spyte van hierdie verhoging in befondsing, die toestand van bospaaie steeds onbevredigend is. Van die totale jaarlikse pulphout inname van 9.39 miljoen ton gedurende 1998, word 3.7 miljoen ton aan SIV blootgestel. Van die volume word 2.5 en 1.2 miljoen ton onderskeidelik vanaf die stomp en pad na depots vervoer. Die opname het ook landboutrekkers met leunwaens ge·identifiseer as die gewildste houtvervoer middel tussen die stomp/pad en depots. Hande-arbeid en driewielbloklaaiers is op hulle beurt verantwoordelik vir die laai van onderskeidelik 0.6 en 2.1 miljoen ton pulphout wat deur middel van SIV vervoer word. Inligting uit die opname ondersteun deur nuutgeskepte vakterminologie, is gebruik om verskillende vervoersisteme vir die ekonomiese analise van totale koste van die verskillende vervoerfases te bereken. 'n Netwerk analise model en pixel gebaseerde GIS is in kombinasie gebruik om verskillende vervoer scenarios in drie areas in Kwa-Zulu Natal te ontleed, wat gebruik maak van SIV op swak bospaaie met hoenetwerkdigthede. Die eenvoudige pixel-gebaseerde GIS het inligting weergegee oor bospadnetwerke, oppervlakbedekking en hellings. Die behoefte aan die vermindering van paddigtheid en die verbetering van bospaaie as sulks, is deur die resultate van die ekonomiese ontleding na vore gebring. Dit sal die behoefte vir uitgebreide primers vervoer uitskakel en die gebruik van tradisionele swaar padvoertuie moontlik maak. Die resultate van hierdie opname toon dat die bedryf addisioneel gemiddeld R43.25 miljoen/jaar of R8.24/m3 betaal vir die 3.7 miljoen ton wat onderhewig is aan SIV. Vir die totale 9.4 miljoen m3 het SIV die maatskappye gedurende 1998 R4.60 meer gekos vir elke m3 wat vervoer was. Sleutelwoorde: Netwerkanalise. Houtvervoer. Sekondere vervoer. sekondere intermediere verveer. Sekondere terminale vervoer. VerJengde prirnere vervoer. Kortafstand vervoer. Pixel-gebaseerde GIS Nota: In hierdie document word deurgans 'n punt (.) gebruik om desimale van heelgetalle te skei.

The aim of this study is to determine whether the introduction of a transport economic regulatory authority would serve as a valid intervention mechanism in the Public-Private Partnership of the transport infrastructure in South Africa. In order to achieve this objective, the study focused on the analysis of the concept of Public-Private Partnership, and how it has unfolded in a number of industrialised countries. Much attention was devoted in examining how the Public-Private Partnership arrangements followed by the studied countries influenced the current transport infrastructure management process in South Africa. To deal with the above, a host of macro-environmental variables were analysed in respect of their potential impact on the South African Department of Transport. The establishment of various agencies by the Department of Transport was seen as a consequence of the influence of the prevailing environmental forces. The outcome of the analysis revealed that a sustainable transport infrastructural development is a product of genuine partnership between the public and private sectors. Competition for the market and the significance of such competition in the transport infrastructure were outlined. The main goal of competition within the context of this study is to diffuse the economic power of the toll road industry and the protection of the individual's fundamental rights. The study also unearthed a need to deepen the talent and skills of both public and private sector officials as this would enable them to protect the citizens' right to make well-considered choices in the toll road industry. The study identified a need to establish a transport economic regulatory authority that would control the market dynamics of power relationships in the transport industry. Such a body should be creative and need to have regulatory oversight over transport infrastructure. / Transport Logistics & Tourism / D. Comm.

The study investigates the extent of distributional impacts of labour-intensive road projects using a geographical approach. The aim is to evaluate infrastructural effectiveness. The central premise is that the interface between road investment and economic development has broad implications that are beyond transportation’s basic purpose of providing access and mobility. Communities are motivated by the outcomes and impacts of road infrastructure development in improving the productiveness of the economy, in line with socio-economic development and other multiplying effects. The objective was to describe the nature and delivery mechanisms of labourintensive road projects, evaluate the impact thereof on the project participants and their communities and explore the constraints and challenges experienced by these initiatives. The impact of the Gundo Lashu programme was measured, based on an assessment of programme outputs, outcomes and impacts, to determine whether the project had the desired effects on individual participants and their households. A matched control case study design, using a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was adopted. The study found that the Gundo Lashu programme had achieved the expected outputs in terms of the total number of jobs created, total road length constructed and maintained. However, the communities’ socioeconomic outcomes and the impacts of the programme on poverty and sustainable livelihoods were mixed. These conclusions re-affirm the notion that the development of rural road infrastructure alone by labour-intensive construction methods, is not sufficient in tackling poverty. While government is focusing on addressing unemployment and skills development through labourintensive road construction programmes, there is a need to ensure proper integration of government services to make a significant impact. Huge deficiencies exist in the inter-linkages between the programme planning process and the municipal planning system and that there are a number of management and planning, structural and functional, human resources and funding barriers to proper planning, implementation and monitoring of projects within the Gundo Lashu programme. Various challenges and barriers emanates from lack of coordination, political interferences and lack of strategic direction. Key recommendations include comprehensive road planning, better project targeting mechanisms, development of guidelines for future maintenance, skills training and capacity development, and resultsbased monitoring. / Geography / D. Phil. (Geography)

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this research was to understand how value for money (‘VfM’), an important decision pillar in public procurement, is applied in South Africa, and compare the VfM regulated framework with other global practices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. VfM is applied when deciding the most appropriate procurement method that utilises public funds in the most cost effective, equitable and transparent manner. Although VfM is vital in the public sector, it is one of the most misunderstood and controversial procurement aspects. The various actors in public procurement processes tend to complicate this key aspect due to their conflicting objectives in relation to a given project. Chief among these are the political influences on the public managers, which tend to manipulate the procurement choice. Consequently over the years, the VfM assessments performed before selecting a procurement method have not been publicly available, thereby increasing concern on whether VfM is achieved, particularly when involving the private sector through public-private partnership (‘PPP’) arrangements. The study explores the various components of VfM, which are the public sector comparator, risk allocation mechanisms, particularly for the road sector projects, discount rates and post project implementation monitoring systems. More importantly, the research analysed how these various aspects were assessed on procuring the N4 toll road. South African National Road Agency SOC Limited (‘SANRAL’), although it did not have the benefit of a PPP guideline as is the case now, it performed extensive feasibility studies and held a transparent procurement process before selecting the private sector party to the PPP. Interestingly, project that was pre-identified as a PPP procurement model and had political support from both the Mozambique and South African governments from inception in order to make it work. The comparative analysis of the South African PPP framework and the selected global PPP markets revealed that the local VfM guidelines were comparable in most aspects such as the PSC construction and risk management methodologies. However, the South African practices could be further improved with increased transparency incorporated in the procurement process such as the publication of the PPP contract once finalised – a practice common in the developed markets analysed. This will go a long way to increasing acceptance of the PPP procurement model in a market that is tainted with mistrust of same. There is need for the civil servants to be trained on the VfM assessment processes so that such analyses are not limited to PPP-type projects, but to conventionally-procured infrastructure projects for increased accountability and effective use of public funds.