Gauteng residents will not benefit from incompetent DID

17 March 2022

The ANC-led Gauteng government is continuing to shield its comrades and the failures of their government in delivering infrastructure projects by bluntly refusing to debate the DA’s Motion on the dissolution of the Department of Infrastructure Development and Property Management (DID).

The DA’s motion was meant to stop the continued waste of taxpayer’s money and ensure that Gauteng residents’ benefit from infrastructure projects. This was going to see all DID functions and funds allocated to line departments and its incompetent MEC Tasneem Motora being removed from the executive.

However, the ANC-led Gauteng government has chosen to show its voters the middle finger by opting to protect their comrade at the expense of poor residents who are in dire need of infrastructure to improve their lives and well-being.

It is sad, considering that this department has constantly failed to complete infrastructure projects within the stipulated timelines and within budget.

The infrastructure projects are a crucial component for investment, growth, and socio-economic redress yet this department that they are protecting is not adding any value to the lives of residents of this province.

There are many projects across the province that were initiated years ago by DID that are still incomplete and have costed, and continue to drain, millions from provincial coffers.

The following is a list of some of the incomplete infrastructure projects that have resulted in millions being wasted:

- The AngloGold Ashanti Hospital, donated to the Gauteng Provincial Government, under the custodianship of the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development in response to the COVID-19 pandemic saw costs balloon from a budgeted R50 million to R500 million while only 6 patients received treatment at this facility;
- The Special Investigative Unit was granted a court order to preserve R7.9 million against the two contractors who were awarded the contract for this project;
- Mayibuye Primary School which was handed over to the appointed contractor in 2015 is to date still not complete. Construction took place illegally as building plans had not been approved, the budget of the project has ballooned to over R100 million while the school has been allegedly built on a sewerage line;
- The Nokuthula LSEN School could not receive an occupancy certificate. This school was built on a wetland and the boarding school hostel could not be occupied until remedial work was done. In addition, water damage to the school was extensive.
- Braamfischerville Primary School initiated in 2017
- Kekanastad Clinic initiated in 2018

The above-mentioned projects are just a few of many infrastructure projects across the province that are still incomplete.

Furthermore, the systematic collapse of public infrastructure as evidenced by the Bank of Lisbon and Charlotte Maxeke fires, highlights the dysfunctionality of the DID and its inability to render quality services to residents of Gauteng.

Gauteng will not progress under the leadership of the ANC and its leaders’ attitudes towards crucial issues that affects the residents. The DA will not sit and allow the ANC to do as they please and continue to waste public funds.

We will also be engaging with different stakeholders across the province who are affected by the DID’s incompetency namely, the doctors, teachers and the general public. The information we will receive from different stakeholders will be used to apply pressure on the ANC government to dissolve the DID and give the people the service delivery which they deserve.

Issued by Solly Msimanga, DA Gauteng Leader of the Official Opposition, 17 March 2022