Posted on Jun 7, 2010 in Media Releases
This afternoon 07 June 2010, the Gautrain’s Independent Certifier (IC), Arup, issued a certificate for operations commencement confirming that Bombela has met all its contractual obligations to operate the Gautrain as from the accelerated completion date of 08 June 2010.
Arup Project Director for the Gautrain Independent Certifier Team, Ric Snowden, says: “It is wonderful to finally see this project come to life and a privilege to have been part of such an historic moment for South Africa. We can look forward to offering both international and local World Cup soccer fans a world-class railway service to and from the airport.”
Snowden attributes the success of this project – which he understands may be the largest Public Private Partnership in the southern hemisphere – to a fully committed project team and a strong working partnership between Bombela and the Gauteng Provincial Government.
Bombela Concession Company’s CEO, Jerome Govender said “Six months ago no one thought this would be possible given the Gauteng Provincial Government’s budgetary constraints and the programme challenge of meeting an accelerated full phase one system in time for the FIFA Soccer World Cup. So, Bombela had to find an innovative alternative for a modified specification. Our teams have been working around the clock for the past three months to achieve this, and we are delighted to receive the IC’s certification.”
Following successful certification of Phase 1, Arup’s IC team will now focus on the Phase 2 milestones and the issuing of the Phase 2 operating commencement date certificate. Finally a completion certificate must be issued by the IC for the whole project.
Notes to the Editor:
About Arup
Appointed jointly by the parties to the Concession Agreement, the Bombela Concession Company and the Gauteng Provincial Government, the role of the IC is to independently certify that Bombela has achieved defined project milestones in accordance with the project specification. Once milestones are certified, the relevant payment is released by the Provincial Government.
About Bombela Concession Company
Bombela is a partnership between Murray & Roberts and Strategic Partners Group from South Africa, Bombardier of Canada and Bouygues of France. Each of the partners has different levels of participation in the various aspects of the project. Minority shareholders in Bombela are J&J Group and ABSA Bank.
Media Contact:
Kelebogile Machaka
Bombela Concession Company
Phone: (011) 997 8201
Cell: 083 725 6547
Email: Kelebogile.machaka@bombela.com
Construction Update
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