Abstract
Project management is a combination of the art and skill of executing projects in order to achieve the
objectives for an organisation. Many organisations claim that they employ project management
principles during execution of projects. This dissertation seeks to explore the level of project
management entrenchment within Transnet. Transnet consist of a number of operating divisions that
have unique functions. These are: Transnet Freight Rail (TFR), Transnet Pipelines (TPL), Transnet
National Port Authority (TNPA), Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) and Transnet Engineering (TE). TFR
focuses on the delivery of freight using the railway Infrastructure and locomotives with wagons. TPL
delivers fuel and gas using pipelines that run from the coast to the Gauteng region. The TNPA division
is the landlord of all the port infrastructure. The TPT division operates the ports as well as all the
container terminals. TE builds and maintains locomotives, coaches and wagons.
To be able to measure the maturity of an organisation such as Transnet requires an establishment of
a measurement framework or model. A framework of maturity that has five levels was chosen, based
on the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) capability model. A study of the following models was
undertaken: the project management process maturity model, the Crawford project management
model, the R&D pharmaceutical maturity model and the Norwegian project management maturity
model. Consensus decision making was applied to select a maturity model that can be used for
Transnet. The model that was chosen was the Project management Process Maturity (PM) 2 Model.
Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used to determine the level of project
management maturity within Transnet. The sampling for survey participants were those who either
execute projects or involved as stakeholders (interested parties). A response rate of 70% was
achieved. By using descriptive statistics the level of project management maturity within Transnet was
determined to be 3.19. This means that project management tools are established and in place for
usage. The current level of maturity will have a positive impact on the rollout of the Market Demand
Strategy (MDS). As highlighted from the research aspects such as cost, quality and human resource
management must be improved further to ensure continued project success.
M.Ing.