We had the opportunity to interview Prof Gerrit van der Waldt, author of Managing Government Projects 1e. This forthcoming title focuses on a wide range of topics, including the unique nature of government projects, the challenges of public sector project management, project planning, risk management, project governance, project monitoring and evaluation, as well as applications in local government, mega infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships. 

Could you provide an overview of the book and its primary focus? Government projects are critical to the effective delivery of public services and the overall functioning of public institutions. However, the unique nature of these projects requires a focused approach that is different from that of private sector projects. This book is written to provide an in-depth understanding of the uniqueness of government projects and the typical challenges that government project managers face.

The book is designed to provide valuable insights and practical guidance for government project managers, policymakers, and stakeholders. It covers a wide range of topics, including the unique nature of government projects, the challenges of public sector project management, project planning, risk management, project governance, project monitoring and evaluation, as well as applications in local government, mega infrastructure projects and public-private partnerships. The book also provides case studies and examples from actual government projects to illustrate key concepts,  principles, and applications.

In the context of South Africa, what are some unique challenges that exist within the scope of managing public sector projects, and how does the title address these challenges?

Managing government projects is a complex and challenging task that requires a unique set of skills and knowledge. It is an essential aspect of delivering public services, and effective management of government projects is critical to the success of government initiatives. 

Probably the biggest difference between government and private sector projects is the highly political nature of government projects. The political milieu, inclusive of policy directives, party political dynamics, and social interventions, has a significant influence on project prioritisation, the allocation of resources, and the oversight of projects. Against the backdrop of weakening state capacity, failing state entities, state capture, service delivery failures, civil protests, and dwindling government resources, government projects are prone to failure. However, by adopting sound management principles, learning from international best practices, and by dissecting actual cases, lessons can be learned and that will incrementally build the maturity of government institutions to successfully translate national policies into projects. This book makes a significant contribution in this regard.

Can you share specific examples from the book that illustrate how governance structures play a role in effectively managing government projects?

The book commences with a detailed exposition of the unique nature of government projects. Emanating from the peculiar aspects of government projects, government structures play a significant role in the design and execution of projects. These include –

• political and financial oversight structures in the respective spheres of government (eg. Municipal Public Accounts Committees, portfolio committees, National Treasury, the Auditor General, and the Standing Committee of Public Accounts); 

• the appointment of programme managers and project sponsors as well as the composition of project management offices and steering committees for project governance and oversight; 

• the reporting arrangements in government due to the high demand for transparency, openness, accountability and responsiveness of project host institutions; 

• control mechanisms due to the fact that taxpayers’ money is utilised and the intense media scrutiny that accompanies government projects;

• the role of government in large-scale infrastructure development and maintenance through the design and execution of mega projects; and

• collaboration with the private sector in public-private partnerships and the adoption of network forms of governance.

What inspired you to write this book, and what gaps did you aim to fill in the existing literature?

Response: I worked for the Bureau for Information during the time of CODESA and served in Parliament where I became involved in various government projects. I joined the academia in 1995 and became interested in the field of Project Management. Since then, I have written several study guides, textbook chapters and articles on the application of Project Management in government settings. I was also contracted by the National School of Government to develop and present the Module: Programme and Project Management for the Senior Management Service (SMS)’s Executive Development Programme. As a result, I presented numerous short courses to approximately 18,000 SMS members in virtually all national departments over a period of 20 years. This gave me the opportunity to gain significant insight into the application of project management in government and the typical processes and challenges associated with translating national legislation into actionable service delivery projects. I would like to impart the knowledge I gained in this regard to a wider public sector, scholarly and student audience. 

In developing material and presenting a multitude of both formal qualifications and short learning programmes for public officials in local, provincial and national government, it became evident that there is no textbook or any other learning material available that specifically addresses the unique public sector context and peculiar nature of designing and managing projects in government.

What key takeaways and practical insights can readers gain from the book, and how can these insights positively impact their field of work or study?

Response: The primary objective of this book is to provide a comprehensive and practical guide for government project managers to improve service delivery and achieve successful project outcomes. This book will also be useful to academics, students, and researchers interested in the field of government project management.

The book serves as a valuable resource for government project managers and stakeholders in the public sector, with particular reference to the following takeaways and practical insights:

• The application of suitable project management principles, tools and techniques in government settings

• The need to incrementally build the project maturity of public institutions by creating a conducive environment and establishing more flexible organisational arrangements and adaptive planning processes

• The need to shield the project manager from party political and organisational politics

• The unique competency profile of government project managers

• How to translate national legislation into strategic portfolios, programmes and projects

• How to establish suitable governance and reporting arrangements for project oversight

• How to manage projects in municipalities by translating integrated development plans and service delivery and budget implementation plans into service delivery projects

• Adopting and adapting more suitable service delivery modalities

• How to plan and manage projects in PPPs

• How to manage megaprojects, especially large-scale infrastructure development projects

• The nature and dynamics associated with developmental projects

• The peculiarities of team dynamics and project leadership in government

• Practical interventions to deal with typical challenges that government project managers experience as well as the adoption of suitable documentation to support project planning and implementation

The consequences of mismanaged government projects are far-reaching. Why is it especially important for students and project management practitioners to develop in this area?

Globally, governments increasingly utilise projects to execute a range of projects. Established project management principles such as comprehensive planning, stakeholder involvement, risk assessment, budgeting, quality assurance, environmental impact assessments, and time management, make project management a highly suitable management application in government.

Current and prospective project practitioners need to act as change agents to incrementally adjust the structures, systems, organisational arrangements, policy statutory framework, and bureaucratic ethos of government to make it more project-friendly. This will eventually lead to more project-mature praxis that will benefit not only public institutions but also society through the more efficient utilisation of resources and effective delivery of public services. 

Beyond the academic sphere, how do you envision the book being utilised by businesses, industry professionals, and policymakers to drive change?

The scope and complexity of societal challenges as well as the limitations of government institutions make it impossible for governments to address alone. In the resultant network forms of governance, government is but one actor in the design and execution of a wide range of projects. It is imperative that stakeholders such as the private sector, non-governmental organisations, development and donor agencies, and civil society organisations comprehend the complexities associated with the planning and implementation of government projects and to appreciate the constraints and dynamics that project managers must contend with. This will enhance understanding of why and how they should collaborate with government and bring sensitivity to the unique issues that government project managers have to deal with. This includes -

• the (political) prioritisation of projects

• a myriad of financial, procurement and tender processes, policies and regulations

• the bureaucratic ethos of government

• stringent outsourcing, reporting and oversight arrangements. 

Appreciation of the government context of projects will also enable policy-makers to design more project-friendly policies (so-called, end-to-end policy making) and propose more suitable policy responses to societal challenges. This will eventually lead to the more delegated powers and authority to project managers and the establishment of a more conducive environment for project planning and implementation.

Looking ahead, do you have plans for further publications to keep up with an ever-evolving context?

Yes, market research and responses to this publication will guide the foci of future similar publications. These publications will, for example, have more focused content such as municipal projects, infrastructure development, competency profiles of government project managers, and developmental projects aimed at addressing Sustainable Development Goals and National Development Plan: Vision 2030 priorities.

What impact do you hope the book will have in the African context?
The book is written in a generic fashion, but South African application examples and actual cases are frequently used throughout to make it more suitable for the African socio-economic context.