Incorporating the R20bn Gautrain system into existing infrastructure is a huge project that will transform Gauteng into a construction site for years.
Murray & Roberts CE Brian Bruce says work on the project will start once the financial contract is signed.
Says Bruce: "One of the challenges, which still has to be addressed and fully understood, is that of the existing services that crisscross the Gautrain route.
"The fact that these services have to be relocated is a problem. And that is an extensive, major, major, major and complex project in its own right.
"That is still an issue that needs to be resolved because many of these services are unknown or not adequately met and all of them are the property of other agencies and companies."
It is believed that companies that have services along this route include petrochemicals giant Sasol, electricity utility Eskom, Telkom and Rand Water.
One problem is who will actually do the work and whether it will be paid as part of the Gautrain project or separately.
Says Aveng CE Carl Grim: "In cases like these the client should ask the contractor to do the relocation work and pay it separately from the Gautrain project. Or the client can hire another contractor to do it."
Aveng was part of the Gauliwe Consortium, which lost to the Bombela Consortium, in which M&R is a partner, in the Gautrain bid.
It is not clear what government plans to do to address this matter. As things stand, it looks like it will be a while before construction on the 80 km rail link starts. This vindicates those who say the project will not be complete before the start of the 2010 World Cup, as envisaged.
But Bruce is positive that the project will take off soon. Once that happens, he says, Gauteng will become a construction site.
"The project will have some impact on the province's road network. This is reality. We should prepare ourselves for this. Unfortunately this is one of the short-term consequences of the need to put significant infrastructure in place," says Bruce.
Gautrain was initially a provincial initiative but required financial intervention from national government when cost forecasts escalated from R7bn in 2002 to R12bn. Then government's total exposure over the five-year period was said to be more than R20bn.
The project was put back on track after government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe said cabinet supported it. This came shortly after MPs had suggested the project be shelved because they could not understand the huge cost escalation and it could turn out to be a "white elephant".
On suggestions that there are not enough engineers in SA to carry out the project, Bruce says: "That is absolutely untrue. I have 700 applications in M&R relating to engineering opportunities in this country.
"These applications come from SA and the rest of the world. A project like Gautrain is a major global project and it attracts interest from around the world.
"We are not concerned that the investment profile SA is facing will be derailed as a consequence of a lack of engineers," says Bruce.
"We need to pay much more attention to the development and establishment of construction skills. We do not believe this is an impediment. We just believe it requires leadership and investment from the industry."
