Parliament, Friday, 21 November 2025 – As the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Gauteng Delegation concludes its Provincial Week oversight visit, it has expressed cautious optimism following site visits to Bekkersdal Care of the Aged Centre, New Simunye High School in Westonaria, and the abandoned Khutsong South Clinic project. Throughout the week-long programme, the delegation assessed progress on key community facilities, identified persistent challenges and engaged with stakeholders on measures required to accelerate service delivery.
During the visit to the Bekkersdal Care of the Aged Centre, the delegation noted steady progress on the integrated social facility, which includes an administration block, a day-care centre for older people and a child development centre accommodating up to 120 children. Improved cooperation between project managers, contractors and community stakeholders has helped restore momentum. However, the delegation raised concerns about ongoing security challenges, particularly theft and vandalism, which have affected timelines and resulted in unplanned costs. Members called for continued attention to cleanliness and structural defects, while acknowledging the project’s contribution to local job creation, especially for the youth and people with disabilities.
At New Simunye High School, the delegation welcomed visible progress after raising concerns last year about prolonged delays in the completion of new classroom blocks. The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs confirmed that all remaining structures will be completed by 19 December, enabling learners to occupy the new facilities at the start of the 2026 academic year. The delegation applauded the turnaround and emphasised the need for sustained monitoring to ensure the revised timelines are met and the school is fully operational without further setbacks.
For the first time, the delegation visited the abandoned Khutsong South Clinic project, where it expressed disappointment over the wasteful expenditure and delays that have stalled the development of the health facility. The project, valued at R65,189,559.76, was awarded in November 2015 with an anticipated duration of 11 months. Instead, it experienced persistent disruptions, including community unrest, wage disputes, delayed payments, scope changes and sewer line complications. The contractor eventually abandoned the site on 4 July 2018, leading to the termination of the contract in December 2019 following repeated breaches.
The provincial MEC for Health, Ms Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, assured the delegation that the department will clear the site and appoint a new contractor to resume work in January 2026. The delegation commended the improved working relationship with the Member of Mayoral Committee of Infrastructure Development who attended the site visits.
The delegation welcomed the progress made at New Simunye High School and the Bekkersdal Care of the Aged Centre, while underscoring the urgency of resuming work on the Khutsong South Clinic. They urged implementing departments and contractors to maintain momentum to ensure that the communities of Westonaria, Bekkersdal and Khutsong receive the quality education, social services and healthcare they deserve.
Speaking during the visits, the leader of the delegation, Ms Jane Mananiso, stated: “These oversight visits show us that consistent monitoring, accountability and collaboration between government, contractors and communities make a real difference. While challenges remain, the progress we are seeing at New Simunye High School and the Bekkersdal Care of the Aged Centre demonstrates our commitment to delivering quality education and social services to the people. At the same time, we are concerned about the delays and wasteful expenditure at the Khutsong South Clinic and we will continue to monitor its completion closely.”
As the Provincial Week programme concludes, the NCOP delegation reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that public infrastructure projects are delivered on time, within budget and in a manner that benefits local communities.
Furthermore, the delegation stressed the importance of strong oversight, proper documentation of incidents for accountability, adherence to clear handover timelines and maintaining open communication with communities to support long-term project success.
As part of its resolutions, the delegation commended the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs for opting, in certain instances, to make direct payments to contractors. The full report of the 2025 Provincial Week will be tabled in the NCOP, and the delegation emphasised that the resolutions will be pursued through questions to the Executive, Motions in the House, and referral to the relevant committees for processing.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE NCOP GAUTENG LEADER OF DELEGATION AND GAUTENG PROVINCIAL WHIP, MS JANE MANANISO.
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Email: mmagwagwa@parliament.gov.za
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