The impact of COVID-19

2021-09-07 - by System Administrator (IT Support)

The impact of COVID-19

The pandemic resulted in the Metro-Link being closed down for months due to non-compliance to COVID safety regulations. The Johannesburg Property Agency has been briefed on the requirements and have yet to be implemented. In the meantime, Thuso House was recognised as an alternative to serve the public.

The Metro Building resulted in shutdowns during the various levels of lockdown and due to staff been infected. COVID-19 disrupted operations is a major way. Staff were put onto a rotation basis to cater for social distancing. Later on, Management asked staff to take plans home to assess them so that work can continue. It has been no easy task as the fear took a toll on the staff.

Management took the opportunity to train staff on the SANS10400 building standards. More than 100 plans examiners and building inspectors have been formally trained by the SABS. This training will assist in quality examinations of building plans and also quality building inspections. It also ensures that all staff have the same understanding of the regulations and will improve the turnaround times for assessments and inspections.

The turnaround times were definitely affected when the severe levels of lockdown were implemented but there was an improvement thereafter. Shifting physical plans were certainly not conducive to plans assessment and even an email box was setup to assist. The management of the email box was inconsistent.

The only option was to focus hard on the Construction Permit Management System and put all the necessary optimised procedures and controls in place. To make it truly digital, COJ had to obtain Advanced Electronic Signatures, but this took a long-winded approach with only two service providers in the marketplace. The Post Office who was the existing service provider just didn’t respond for months even after escalations to the CEO and the Office of the Presidency. COJ eventually procured them from Law Trust.

Staff and the public have both taken serious strain on the effects of the pandemic. The Building Development Management are taking decisions to make continuous improvements as the changes in the lockdown prevails.