The vision of IMESA is to make a discernable and positive impact on the challenges in the municipal engineering environment, and to deliver by leveraging its network relationships. Accordingly it has entered into a co-operation agreement with a joint venture of i@Consulting and Aurecon to provide training aimed at improving infrastructure management in municipalities in Southern Africa.

The course complements the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM) which was launched in 2006 in South Africa by IMESA, and has been endorsed by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

The objective of the course is to achieve the following:

• Promote excellence in municipal engineering;
• Encourage longer term and strategic approach to infrastructure management; and
• Facilitate skills development.

Best Practice in Infrastructure Asset Management

Effective management of infrastructure such as roads, storm-water systems, water supply systems, sewerage and sanitation facilities, waste disposal facilities and power-supply systems is central to municipalities providing an acceptable standard of services. It impacts on all of us in the form of our quality of life, and the economic growth of the country. The way we manage our infrastructure today, will also determine how we handover the infrastructure to our children.

Furthermore, the replacement value of infrastructure, assets, even in a small municipality, can amount to several hundred million Rand, and in larger ones, to several billion Rand.
The high value and long life of municipal infrastructure, and the fact that it is central to service delivery, points to a need for this particular group of assets to receive specific and focused management attention.

The course is based on the concepts and techniques proposed in the International Infrastructure Management Manual which is a compendium of international practice — and has been adapted to the South Africa's technical, institutional, and legal environment.

Benefits of Training

• Broad-based awareness of the issues
• Understanding of how the challenges can be addressed
• Alignment of thinking
• Cohesion and team culture
• Commitment
• Interpretation of appropriate IAM techniques for the particular application

The benefits for municipalities are maximized if the courses are attended on a group basis, preferably with representation of staff from technical, financial and planning disciplines.