By Speaking to The Business Weekly, the Leader of the Free State delegation of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) Ms Mapule Dhlamini said public infrastructure projects in the province are delayed mainly due to mismanagement.
The NCOP delegation spent a week in the Free State conducting project oversight visits, assessing progress and challenges confronting the timely delivery of viable public infrastructure to communities.
The NCOP visited Ondendaalsrus Police Station, Construction of a hostel at the Leboneng Special School in Welkom, Thaba Nchu piggery, the road between Tweespruit and Excelsior, the unfinished water project in Botshabelo, Mangaung Dark/Silver City and the Bloemfontein Taxi rank amongst others.
Dhlamini said in her overall observation from the site visits, the projects are delayed due to mismanagement, non-compliance, and failure to hold person responsible accountable. She said though projects are not completed on time, none of them have been abandoned and the Free State government and the relevant departments are implementing corrective measures to right the situation.
Mapule Dhlamini pointed that some of the project belong to national and they will engage national on the delayed projects.
Public infrastructure plays a significant role to the well-functioning of society and its economy, the delay in completing road infrastructure is a delay of economic activity. Some projects are meant to create the much needed jobs in the province; they delays defeat that purposed to improve the lives of locals.
“These delays have a negative impact on society and at some point the impact is huge, that is why we conduct these oversight visits and we will report back to Parliament. People need the services of these infrastructures, like clinics, schools and police stations,” said the NCOP Leader Mapule Dhlamini.
Dhlamini said the NCOP has met with Provincial Legislature and Provincial government, received a briefing from the respective departments to ensure that project timelines are done and met. She said the situation is not that bad on the ground as most project are 90% completed and just need a push to reach their total completion.
The NCOP Leader said they will monitor time frames of projects to ensure that they are completed on the set date or time.
Mapule Dhlamini said the NCOP will conduct a follow-up visit as it is their duty to monitor provincial government continuously. There will be other visits to specific portfolios.
