Transnet job-creation scheme on track

Transnet is expected to
deliver its newly developed
Supplier Development Plan
(SDP) to government by
the end of June this year
for comment.
The strategy, which
focuses on opportunities
that lead to increased local
content, skills development
and subsequently quality
job creation, has been on
the cards since it was first
conceptualised in 2007.
According to Fanie
van der Walt of Transnet,
the strategy has been
developed in two phases
with the first culminating
in the hand-over of the
plan to government.
“We are in the process
of finalising the plan after
which we will hand it to
government by the end
of June as it is a public
domain document. After
comments have been
received, it will then be
embedded within the
organisation during the
execution phase which
ends in March 2012.”
According to Van der
Walt, the plan is aimed
at developing supplier
intelligence and looking
beyond just cutting costs
when negotiating best
value contracts. “It looks
at our strategies around
procurement, capability
and capacity-building.”
He said between 2009
and 2011 Transnet had
focused on formulating the
plan by writing processes
and procedures, getting a
control framework in place
and developing a policy
that now has to be signed
off. “It is about localising
supply and skills, while
also standardising
our procedures and
monitoring.”
Van der Walt said
notable successes had
already been achieved
through Transnet’s
Competitive Supplier
Development Programme.
“Our agreement
with GE to build 100
locomotives is a prime
example. Through the
supplier development
programme GE will build
ten of the locomotives in
the USA while the other
90 will be assembled in
South Africa. This will
lead to new jobs being
created in South Africa
while 20 people have
already been trained by
GE in the US.”