Durban - Key turnaround plans for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Public Works (DPW) are to fill senior vacant posts, finalise cases of irregular expenditure, pay service providers on time, and continue providing mentorship to students in the form of bursaries.
Department MEC Ntuthuko Jomo Sibiya outlined the challenges and milestones in the department during the announcement of his R1.94 billion, 2022/23 budget at the KZN provincial legislature recently.
He said the department was ready to take a lead in the reconstruction of socio-economic infrastructure needed after last month’s flood disaster. He said a team of professionals in the built environment assessed, reviewed and estimated costs for the repair of 75 facilities damaged in the departments of transport, health and social development.
Further assessments of 30 facilities for the Department of Arts and Culture were being finalised.
“We remain focused on building internal capacity and artisan skills development through our own workshops in eThekwini Metro and in the outer areas in uMzinyathi and uMgungundlovu districts. We are spending approximately more than R24.7 million on bursaries and stipends for interns. To date more than 57 young people have registered as fully-fledged professionals,” Sibiya said.
The department, as of April 30 this year, has filled 11 vacant posts. The human resource provisioning plan reflects 42 vacant posts still to be filled, including the head of department, chief financial officer, and the head of infrastructure.
The department has 12 forensic cases which are in progress and four cases which have been finalised. In addition, the department has 12 cases of irregular expenditure. Of these cases, six cases have been finalised, three are under investigation, and three are awaiting investigation.
Sibiya said the department continued to face pressure relating to the payment of service providers within 30 days. He said the main challenge with regards to cash flow was attributable to delays in settlement of claims.
“While the department has seen some improvements, service providers have also indicated discontent with the department’s failure to timeously settle invoices, and have indicated that projects will be abandoned and legal action taken against the department,” he said.
The maintenance of state-owned facilities still remains a challenge, with 150 conditional assessments planned to be undertaken this financial year.
MPL Sboniso Duma said the budget had brought hope to millions of indigenous people of the province who remained excluded from accessing economic opportunities.
Duma welcomed plans to unlock the value of government properties and land for use by ordinary members of society to drive their own development.
IFP MPL, Mbongeleni Joshua Mazibuko, said billions of rand had been wasted on renting properties while government buildings were dilapidated. “One primary cause of this is that this government decided to abandon many government-owned offices in areas like eThekwini,” Mazibuko said.
DA KZN spokesperson on Public Works, MPL Zwakele Mncwango, said the department’s portfolio committee was active in overseeing all projects assigned to the department. He said it made sense that all departments used the Department of Public Works if they were serious about accountability and transparency.
“Departments who prefer to use other agencies (must) explain the reasons. They might have valid reasons but until they openly share them, we will not know.”
Mncwango said the Expanded Public Works Programme was undoubtedly one of the most important programmes that existed and needed to be supported as unemployment increased in South Africa and in KZN.
Daily News