Engineering
The department is headed by the Director of Engineering Services (DES) who is responsible to the Chief Executive (Town Clerk) of the Council. At senior management level, the DES is assisted in the running of the department by the Deputy Director of Engineering Services and two Assistant Director of Engineering Services (one dealing with operations whilst the other deals with development issues of the department.
At middle management level, there are various specialized sections headed by Sectional Heads who are responsible for implementing Council engineering policies. Supportive staff that are full time operatives, artisans or general workers help sectional Heads.
Key Functions of Engineering Department
Provides engineering services to the public living in the City of Lusaka.
Services & Sections
The department is made up of the following sections:
- Administration
- Architectural and Landscaping
- Building Maintenance &Construction
- Design (Service Charges Computation)
- Fire Brigade
- Mechanical Section
- Quantity Surveying Section
- Parks & Gardens
- Roads and Drainage
- Electrical Section
- Swimming Pool
Administration Key Functions
- Provides general administrative and personnel services to Engineering department
- It is concerned with the welfare of all categories of employees of the department
- Its function are such that it permeates in all operational sections of the department
- All operational sections are served by the Administrative Personnel who have been seconded there.
Architecture and Landscaping Key Functions
- Responsible for the design, preparation of drawings and tender documents
- Supervision of building construction works and maintenance of Council public buildings
Specific Functions
- Identifying potential capital projects to be undertaken by Council
- Carrying out feasibility studies on the identified projects
- Preparation of schematic designs for new projects.
- Preparation of working drawings for new projects
- Supervision and management of projects on site.
- Supervision of maintenance of extension of existing Council structures
Building Maintenance
Key function
- General maintenance to Council and public buildings.
- General maintenance to private buildings at a fee
Building Construction
- Construction of new housing projects, wall fences, septic tanks, paving and other construction projects and services.
Other Activities
- Fabrication of doors, door frames
- Molding of concrete blocks
- Coffin making
Key functions
- Responsible for the computation of service charges for the newly allocated plots
- Involved in the preparation of Tender Documents for Road Projects
- Involved in the preparation of Design Drawings for Road Projects
- Involved in the Construction supervision of Road Projects for the Lusaka City council
Service Charges (Development costs)
These fall into three categories, i.e.
- Provisional service charges which are approximations of these development costs of an area.
- Revised provisional service charges these come after the detailed design has been done. This includes;
- Completed soil tests
- Established required material tests,
- Established pavement characteristics,
- Road drainage characteristics
This also includes complete design, i.e., all technical design characteristics needed for Construction. This includes the following;
- Drawings,
- Quantities, and
- Sources of materials.
- Final service charges, these are the actual development costs incurred in the process of project execution. If this final service charge is less than the revised charge the developers are reimbursed the difference and if this is higher than the revised charge the developers are asked to pay the shortfall.
Service Provision
Before 1984, plots were serviced before being allocated to prospective developers. Lusaka City Council used to borrow money from lending institutions for this purpose.
- However, due to the high demand for plots the Council decided to start allocating unserviced plots with a view of servicing them when about 80% of these prospective developers had paid up. However, this has not been happening due delays to payment of these service charges
- Delays in payment of these service charges, such that by the time the required 80% pay Kwacha would have lost value.
- Loss of value by the Kwacha at a fast rate is making the costs of construction materials fluctuate regularly
To remedy the above the following should be done;
- Service plots before allocation so that prospective developers just pay these service charges only once.
Mechanical Section
Primarily, the mechanical workshop is responsible for the maintenance and repair of Lusaka City Council vehicles, plant and machinery.
however, the workshop also repairs vehicles from other Local Authorities that develop faults whilst visiting the city of Lusaka.
The services being offered at the workshop are also available to the general public at affordable prices. These include the following:
- Service and repair of both light and heavy duty vehicles, plant and machinery
- Panel beating and spray painting
- Arch welding
- Tyre mending
- Battery charging
Quantity Surveying Section
- Preparation and evaluation of tender documents (i.e. Bills of Quantities, Schedule of works/materials) for building & civil engineering works for Council infrastructures .
- Preparation of interim and final valuation reports for Council construction
- Preparation of payments certificates to contractors engaged by the Council
- General cost advice, cost estimates, cost checks and preparation of cash flow analysis for proposed Council projects
- Project management and supervision of new and old maintenance works undertaken by the Council.
- Contract administration of construction projects
