Parliament, Tuesday, 12 September 2023 – The North West’s permanent delegates to the NCOP strongly voiced out their disappointment on what they described as despicable findings on the dismal failure of many municipalities to build socio-economic infrastructure development projects in the province. The disappointment was expressed by the delegation during a meeting at Ngaka Modiri Molema Council where it was briefed on the progress in building viable provincial and municipal infrastructure for effective delivery of services to communities yesterday.
The delegation is in the province as part of the NCOP’s week-long Provincial Week programme which provides permanent delegates to the NCOP an opportunity to return to their respective provinces to assess progress made in the delivery of services to citizens and also provides them with an opportunity to contribute to addressing challenges facing the communities.
This year’s programme is held under the theme, “Building Viable Provincial and Municipal Infrastructure for Effective Delivery of Services to Communities.” Briefing the delegation, the Acting Premier of the province, Mr Nono Maloyi, informed the delegation that the infrastructure is aging and ailing in the entire province and that the province is experiencing financial challenges.
He told the delegation that the province is encountering endless challenges such as incomplete and unfunded infrastructural projects with no consequence management; a dangerous challenge of construction mafias; the Zama Zamas (Illegal miners); high vacancy rate on critical positions; damaging veldfires, unending disputes amongst the traditional leaders and the challenge of poverty as a result of the fifty three point six percent (53.6%) unemployment rate in the province.
The delegation heard that tenders are awarded and monies have been paid for certain projects that have not started. The delegation also heard that there are service providers that have been blacklisted who are awarded projects to carry out, and the province has a backlog of criminal cases that are with the Special Investigative Unit and other law-enforcement agencies regarding unlawful and incomplete tenders that are fully- paid.
The delegation also received a progress report on the N12 and N14 incomplete housing projects that were implemented by the province as the flagship and catalytic projects. The N12 project was aimed at addressing the housing needs for the community of Jakaranda in the City of Matlosana local municipality. The project was funded through the Human Settlements Development Grant by the National Department of Human settlements through the North West Department of Human Settlements.
The project was a multi-year contract with the objective of addressing approximately 38 500 housing backlogs in Matlosana. However, the delegation was told that the N12 project for housing in the Jakaranda community stalled due to contractual problems. The department has since taken over the implementation of 1667 top structures from the Matlosana Local municipality and currently has four sub-contractors on site working on the project.
The N14 housing development infrastructure project in Touvleg was meant to deliver 360 housing units but is also stalled due to several reasons including the contractor having financial challenges and some of the sites being located on a wetland. The contractor, however, is back on track and continuing with the project.
The delegation expressed its concern over the problem of the incompletion of projects within the required timelines and it wanted clarity on when the final handover of the N14 will take place. The delegation also highlighted its unhappiness about non-blacklisting and consequence management by the department over contractors who do not honour their contractual obligations and deserting projects before completion including the slow progress of law enforcement agencies in initiating criminal prosecution in instances where corrupt activities within the projects was discovered and reported.
The delegation advised the North West Department of Human Settlements to ensure that it has plans in place to ensure that the appointed contractors complete the projects within the timelines contained in the tender and to ensure vetting system of contractors is improved to appoint qualified and competent contractors.
“The Department of Human Settlements must provide a report with an updated timeline of when the N14 and N12 projects will be completed and hand over the houses to the affected communities, and this report should be sent to us by the 30th September 2023, and the N12 and N14 projects must be concluded by the end of January 2024.” said Mr Eric Landsman, the NCOP delegation leader in the North West province.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE WHIP OF THE NORTH WEST’S PERMANENT DELEGATES TO THE NCOP, MR ERIC LANDSMAN.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Whip, please contact the NCOP Delegation’s Media Officer:
Name: Mr Manelisi Ntsodo
Cell: 081 716 2021
Email: mntsodo@parliament.gov.za
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