The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga will write to both the Provincial Departments of Health and Public Works, Roads & Transport asking them to give us a detailed plan on how they are going to complete construction of Phase-3 at the Mmamethlake Hospital in Dr JS Moroko Local Municipality. This comes after we learnt that the provincial government does not have funds to complete Phase-3 of the hospital.
Clear Choice Builders was appointed in 2019 as the main contractor for the ongoing phase three (3) for the total contract value of R526 500 000. A year ago, the project was revised and a solar plant was added at an extra cost of R37 260 000.
According to the Department of Health, the funds for the solar plant was paid over to public works, who then in turn paid over R20 839 000 to the subcontractor. However, it has come to light that the outstanding monies needed to complete phase 3 which is now standing at 98%, cannot be paid as the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works has indicated that no budget allocation was made in the current budget; and the department of Health has also indicated that there are no funds to process the payments.
In the recent audit outcomes for the department of health, the Auditor General (AG) also raised concerns that phase 3 upgrades to the Mmamethlake hospital have been delayed by more than 25 months from the planned completion date of April 2022.
These delays have come from work stoppages regarding non-payment by the department of Health which in return led to further stoppages due to community unrests.
The DA feels with neither department able to pay for the completion of this project, it will stand and cost the taxpayers dearly as government will now be liable for penalties.
It is unacceptable that government departments lack the capacity to see a project through by ensuring that proper budgeting takes place.
The DA also wants health MEC, Sasekani Manzini, and Public Works MEC, Thulasizwe Thomo, to tell us and the residents of Dr JS Moroka local municipality – why their respective departments’ budget for the 2024/2025 financial year does not cater for the completion of this hospital, taking into consideration that they should have completed phase-3 as far back as April 2022.