A further DWA input? FW: NRW-IAM programming

[Nigel Lowe]

Hi Jenny and Tenda,

 

Tomorrow’s discussion refers.  Please note the kind of dialogue that was possible around DBSA – allow me to rather comment when I see you,

 

Another significant one is coming alongside this message.  Your judicious advice will be greatly valued.

 

I trust you will appreciate soon how massively understated IAM actually is, yet the potential if only something integrated and strategic can actually get started…..

 

Regards,

Nigel

 

_____________________________________________
From: Nigel Lowe
Sent: Saturday, September 28, 2013 8:29 AM
To: 'Mamarinyana Ratsaka'
Cc: 'nigel...@saimic.co.za'; 'mar...@telkomsa.net'; 'Albie Kriel'; rtal...@rchc.co.za; 'Man...@dbsa.org'; 'Vu...@dbsa.org'; Cry...@dbsa.org; 'i-am-e...@googlegroups.com'
Subject: RE: DBSA and NRW-IAM programming : Knowledge sharing and process alignment

 

 

Hi Mamarinyana,

 

Thanks so much for the time you still and unexpectedly gave us on Thursday.  What follows serves as a record and to try to position what-ever or if anything that, might follow in future.  Please feel free to spread this within DBSA as appropriate.

 

Firstly, I confirm that it seems very appropriate for us to approach Anglo directly and this is what we will do, independently of yourselves.  Thank you that you accepted this from us and will similarly allow us to do just that.  Above all this material needs far-sighted sponsors and there are many others that might be in similar positions.  It is quite patent that Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM) will continue to struggle without national public oversight and perhaps that is a goal that all infrastructure stakeholders – all suffering the highly visible consequences, like asset and service deterioration - might yet work towards.

 

We look forward to hearing more of your actions w.r.t. to this Anglo mandate and will also engage those as well, just like any other party.

 

We also had a further good time in discussions with Manuel, independent of all current activity and he seems interested to still explore ways to attach our knowledge offering where it can still be applied without any compromises.  This is the kind of dialogue and conversation that is continuing with DWA as what this really needs is selective demonstration to practically illustrate how influencial and enabling IAM actually can be, especially applied innovatively.  It will either test or rather greatly empower real service delivery management. So perhaps this window remains open for DBSA to decide how best to proceed.  We look forward to when Manuel is able and open to contact us again.

 

On the strength of all this, we will continue to look for even international sponsors and partners to bring these kind of solutions closer to the communities, municipalities and their agents.  It is them that potentially stand to benefit in real value terms.  There is a general consensus that Zimbabwe seems particularly ripe for this.

 

It seems obvious that, just the range of activity I can attach NRW-IAM, our activity will continue to circumscribe a lot of DBSA activity, potentially even bringing new business to DBSA.  I trust we find ways therefore to keep channels open for mutual benefit.

 

Regards,

 

Nigel Lowe

Infrastructure Management & Development Services

(Now trading as “SAIMIC” for Service, Support, Integrity)

C:  + 27 82 900 7387

287  31^st Avenue, Villieria, 0186, Pretoria, Gauteng

Member_SAAMA, MIMESA, MWISA

Personal Profile:  za.linkedin.com/pub/nigel-lowe/5/84/92a

Skype Userid:  nigel.lowe

 

 

-----Original Appointment-----
From: Nomagugu Mashinini [mailto:Noma...@dbsa.org] On Behalf Of Mamarinyana Ratsaka
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2013 11:50 AM
To: Mamarinyana Ratsaka; Pieter Bell; Jan Erasmus; nigel...@saimic.co.za
Subject: Anglo programme : Knowledge sharing and process alignement
When: Wednesday, September 25, 2013 8:30 AM-9:30 AM (UTC+02:00) Harare, Pretoria.
Where: TBC

 

 

[Nigel Lowe]

Hi Jenny and Tenda,

 

Thanks for the time invested on Monday.  Thanks for allowing me to make the kind of strategic linkages I could make and our agreement that it really begins in getting to more structured and well supported demonstration of IAM (notably principled and coherent) application within municipalities.  Such an operational agenda is ready to be packaged but such cases also depend on appropriate incorporation and structuring within DWA and within the sector.

 

Thanks you for agreeing that kind of IAM ‘demonstration’ notably within DWA requires;

 

1. Supporting a strategic conversation that requires WIAM’s continuing incorporation and alignment within DWA structures and programmes.  What is envisaged is a multi-year approach that actually needs to ‘be grown’ and developed in time.  Ultimately what is needed here is some kind of DWA leading sponsor to give this oversight and support and the emergence - in time, of a significant enabling IAM agenda
2. Progressive packaging of select NRW-IAM WSA project cases, especially under appropriate coordination, referencing and steering structures.  Specific regionalization and a ‘collaborative PROCESS support’ PLATFORM is needed for practical application within individual WSA’s
3. Commencing with a basic but notably coherent understanding of IAM actually offers to DWA and the water sector.

 

I confirm that I will prepare an input for the 15^th on some kind of simplified basis – especially with regard to point b) especially only acknowledging the that a) and c) actually are still vitally needed but are actually especially c) seem out of reach – at least in the short term.  It is like an octopus but without any kind of coherent head.  My only conclusion is that without more sponsorship NRW-IAM is going to continue to wobble and what does that say about water services delivery.  Eish – now those are some telling statements………

 

So I keep this distribution small and tight, hoping on your continuing insights and judicious action (even to your colleagues) into actually how that might yet BEGIN to cohere…

 

PS – excellent day yesterday in East London but same structural issues remain – Funds, oversight and then all of the above is and remains symptomatic…  Operational intervention cannot be based merely on research funds (like WRC) BUT VERY key and catalytic packaging, mostly seemingly unavoidably apart from Government, who isn’t where it needs to be, for any hope of service delivery improvement, let alone ‘protection’….

 

Regards,

Nigel

_____________________________________________
From: Nigel Lowe
Sent: Sunday, September 29, 2013 12:38 PM
To: 'Jenny Evans_DWA (Eva...@dwa.gov.za)'; Rasik...@dwa.gov.za
Cc: 'SAIMIC_Not-s...@googlegroups.com'
Subject: A further DWA input? FW: NRW-IAM programming