Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) has appointed IMQS Software to provide its Asset Management Reporting System.

Asset management is seen as being central to the provision of fundamental services to the community in a cost effective and transparent manner. In this 26 month appointment consisting of three phases, IMQS together with EMM representatives will deliver a fully populated system whose outputs include asset registers that are compliant with the Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) and Generally Recognised Accounting Practices (GRAP), as well as asset management plans and policies for future management and maintenance of infrastructure across EMM. The IMQS Asset Management Solution will assist EMM to make informed decisions on the condition of its fixed assets as well as to plan, budget and execute the necessary maintenance over the entire life cycle of each asset.

Internally, EMM’s strategic priority is one of good governance leading to unqualified audit reports by the Auditor-General on their asset register which in turn fundamentally supports EMM strategic priority of excellence in service delivery to the community.

EMM’s Infrastructure Services Department is already using IMQS as a GIS based management system for four of their main infrastructure fields in the engineering environment namely water, sanitation, roads and storm water. Further, EMM is purchasing the remaining software modules from IMQS, giving them complete system coverage of all asset sectors including electricity, public buildings and more, and thereby putting the control of their asset infrastructure in their own hands.

Phumla Silinda, the EMM Financial Control Director whose portfolios include EMM Asset Management says,

“EMM has steadily been improving its management of assets. Together with IMQS we will take full control of our destiny, and provide the EMM with the first truly integrated asset management system of this magnitude in Africa. This is indeed a first and significant step toward the full and compliant life cycle management of assets, and a huge step change in delivery of services to the EMM community. EMM is looking forward to achieve its integrated asset management goal through collaborative committed team effort of all EMM stakeholder departments and the enthusiastic commitment demonstrated by the IMQS MD and his team.”

Rob Knight, MD of IMQS Software says:

“IMQS is really very excited and proud of this appointment. IMQS has enjoyed a long and fruitful relationship with Ekurhuleni who have always been proactive in finding solutions to the challenges they face. This appointment is therefore the result of excellent collaboration over many years, working toward the building of an improved infrastructure in EMM.”

About Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality

The Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality is situated in South Africa's manufacturing heartland. It is a vibrant, cosmopolitan and culturally diverse region with over 2.5 million residents.

The area has around 8 000 industries and is responsible for about 23 percent of the gross geographical product of Gauteng province, which is sub- Saharan Africa's most economically powerful and active region.

The municipality is comprised of nine towns of the former East Rand, namely Greater Alberton, Benoni, Germiston, Springs, Kempton Park , Edenvale, Nigel, Brakpan and Boksburg. Ekurhuleni is a Tsonga word and can loosely be translated as the place of peace. It denotes a place where working together to create a peaceful and prosperous environment is encouraged and undertaken by the residents who are bound together by their love for peace.

From the world's largest producer of gold a century ago, the geographical area known as the East Rand has become an entity of note in a globally competitive business and industry. The mining boom that led to the emergence of the East Rand, also prompted the growth of a substantial manufacturing support base in the area.