Parliament, Tuesday, 18 August 2026 – Mpumalanga permanent delegates to the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) have expressed serious concern about the lack of consequences for contractors who delay completing projects in Mpumalanga Province.
During oversight visits to a waste water treatment plant and a sewer line in Thaba Chweu Local Municipality yesterday, as part of the follow-up Provincial Week to assess progress made since 2024, the delegation heard that contractors contributed to delays in the completion of projects by missing deadlines or simply disappearing from site.
The Mashishing Waste Water Treatment Plant, which was at around 40 per cent completion in 2024, is now complete after the first contractor had to be terminated. However, at the sewer line, it was evident that nothing has happened since 2024 when the NCOP first visited the project.
While NCOP delegates welcomed the provincial government’s decision to terminate contractors who failed to deliver, members believe that these contractors must also be blacklisted from the Construction Industry Development Board (CIBD), to avoid a continuation of their rogue behaviour.
“We welcome the fact that there has been progress at the waste water treatment plant and it is now in operation. However, at the sewer line we all witnessed with the contractor and the department that nothing has happened since 2024. The department must come up with a plan to make sure this work is completed by the end of the year,” saith Ms Sylvia Nxumalo, the leader of the Mpumalanga delegation in the NCOP.
The contractor working on the sewer line was accused of disappearing and reappearing on site without any explanation, but he told the NCOP that the reason for noncompletion of the work was due to geotechnical challenges after workers found hard rock and underground water.
The delegation encouraged the department to follow rules and legislation that guide what should happen when a contractor does not complete the work and has to be chased either due to mismanagement of funds or poor workmanship, and blacklist them through the CIBD, so that they don’t become a problem to other projects in the province.
The NCOP also welcomed a report from the provincial Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs that a process of termination has been initiated and will be finalised before the end of this month.
Today, the delegation will conduct follow-up oversight visits to the R36 Lydenburg Bambi Road and R37 Lydenburg–Burgersfort Road (both SANRAL projects) and to Lydenburg Hospital and engage with the Department of Health on the refurbishment of the facility.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE MPUMALANGA PROVINCIAL WHIP IN THE NCOP, MS SYLVIA NXUMALO.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Mpumalanga Provincial Whip, please contact:
Name: Sakhile Mokoena
Cell: 081 705 2130
E-mail: smokoena@parliament.gov.za
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