VUT appoints a new ED: Operations and Logistics
VUT appoints a new ED: Operations and Logistics
Newly appointed ED: Operations and Logistics- Mr Leonard Swana
Mr Leonard Sandile Swana is a mentor, pastor, husband and father to four children. He is now also the new Executive Director of Operations and Logistics at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT).
Mr Swana has been in his field of work for 25 years (he worked in the consulting environment for 9 years, 4 years in local government, 12 years in the Industrial Development Zone (SEZ) environment). During his consulting years he was also running a distance learning centre in East London for Full Gospel Church College. He has been providing Project Management Training to the Nelson Mandela University for corporate clients such as MBSA, RAF, EC Provincial Treasury, ECDC, etc for a period of 3 years though the NMU Leadership Development Programme offered in their East London satellite.
He resumed his duties at VUT in November 2019 and says that there’s a lot to be done in his portfolio, especially with regards to projects and maintenance.
He has been given an opportunity to read through and understand the Procurement Policy and has realised that an infrastructure procurement policy is required as the current one leans more towards goods and services and very little on Infrastructure Delivery. The Operations and Logistics department in collaboration with SCM has now organised a workshop that will be directed by the Department of Higher Education to get the Infrastructure Procurement Policy developed and implemented. This was held on the 03 December 2019 and was a great success.
He has been introduced to the projects of the institution and their challenges and has started meeting all the consulting teams (Professional Service Providers) in order to clear bottlenecks and get projects moving. He intends to start with urgent matters, such as the refurbishment of residences which need to be completed before students are placed. He has also set a goal to finalise the infrastructure master plan and the maintenance plan.
He is building on performance contracts and looking at systems to put in place to ease the administration: “One of the key things is an ICT platform or Facilities Management Programme where all completed works and drawings are stored and can be easily retrieved,” he said.
He says he is motivated by three things: the power of “I WILL” (having the will power to do something), competency and integrity.
He shared a piece of advice to those who would like to do better in their workplace by saying: “You need to prepare for your work; ask questions in your work space; investigate options in your work and present those options rather than bringing problems only … be curious, be a researcher and never turn away an opportunity for growth.” These will build a foundation for your next level in life.