Press Statement by Teboho Sekaledi: MPL – DA Spokesperson on Public Works, Roads, and Transport: Mpumalanga Province
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Mpumalanga welcomes the decision taken by the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA), ordering the Provincial Department of Public Works to act against Project Managers responsible for the delays and additional costs on the construction of the Mpumalanga Parliamentary Village.
The Mpumalanga Parliamentary Village, which was envisaged as far back as 2013 with an aim of curbing government expenses, began construction in November 2017, and had an estimated completion date of April 2020; is not yet complete to date. On its inception, it was stated that the Mpumalanga Department of Public Works would be spending R300 million to construct the Parliamentary Village. This figure has now been revised to be nearly R1 billion, and the project is not yet complete.
In a recent report, SCOPA orders the Accounting Officer of the Provincial Department of Public Works, to take action against project managers for inadequate project oversight monitoring, and ineffective enforcement of contractual provisions which led to extensive delays and additional costs at the village.
The DA welcomes this order taken by SCOPA for action against project managers to be taken for failing to do oversight monitoring; but we must also emphasize that the Executive Authority and Accounting Officers from the Provincial Department of Public Works must also take the blame for the project delays and their inability to stick within the agreed upon budget.
In their response, the department committed that they would take action against the project managers for inadequate project oversight, if there is a need.
The department also mentioned that besides inadequate oversight monitoring, cost overruns and delays on this project were a result of several work stoppages on site, under resourced sub-contractors, poor contractor performance, and inclement weather.
It is really concerning that this much-anticipated Mpumalanga Parliamentary Village project has become a burden to taxpayers and another Cash Cow for ANC aligned Comrades; like the following projects in the province:
- The Mkhondo Boarding School. It was supposed to be constructed at R200 million, but they ended up spending R800 million because of delays.
- The High-Altitude Training Centre. The construction of this project was supposed to start in the financial year 2012/2013. Nearly R300 million has been spent so far on the project including purchasing land, feasibility study, environmental impact assessment, and designs, but there is nothing to show for it.
- The Mpumalanga Cultural Hub. Over R200 million of taxpayers’ money has been poured into this non-existent project which was conceptualised in 2011 by the former Mpumalanga Premier, David Mabuza,
- The new Middelburg Hospital. Construction of the hospital started in 2017 with an estimated completion cost of R1.4 billion. The hospital was also due to open in 2020. Fast-forward 2026, the hospital is not 100% complete and R1.8 billion has already been spent.
- And the Mpumalanga International Fresh Produce Market. R2 billion has already been spent, but the project is still a white elephant.
The DA believes that at some point, the ANC-led Mpumalanga Provincial Government must take a decisive decision on whether they complete these projects or stop wasting taxpayers’ money on them.