Parliament, Tuesday, 18 August 2026 –The National Council of Provinces delegation leader to the Eastern Cape, Hon Nkosi Mwelo Nonkonyana has said it was concerning that procurement is repeatedly identified as a challenge by government and municipalities alike.
Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana said it seemed that procurement is stuck in redtape and affects project implementation.
“We are finding it surprising that everyone who presented to us this morning is identifying procurement as a challenge that contributes to project delays. This is an aspect one do not come to expect with well-conceived projects. We heard this morning that some projects are also held hostage by community fights, poor contractor performance, vandalism, theft and extortion.”
“The projects that are being rolled out in the provinces are multibillion and ought to be a catalyst of change in a rural province like the Eastern Cape. We are however happy with the briefings we have been receiving; there clearly is progress and work being done.”
The NCOP delegation to the Eastern Cape heard that there were 13 multibillion infrastructure projects that are currently on the go in the province. The delegation is undertaking an oversight visit meant to report back to communities on work that is being done at local communities, through its flagship programme called the NCOP Week.
Premier Oscar Mabuyane had earlier told the committee that there needed to be consequence management for poor performance and that speedy intervention to challenges was the way to go.
Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana concurred as said serious education about community benefits should accompany rollout of projects where people take ownership.
“Companies should not be the ones pocketing everything, but people’s lives should be positively impacted. We note the reports and will now move to do inspections of the challenges on these projects. These projects must empower local suppliers and must offer quality training opportunities to rural people if meaningful rural economic development is to be achieved,” concluded Hon Nkosi Nonkonyana.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE LEADER OF DELEGATION, HON NKOSI MWELO NONKONYANA
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