LIMPOPO – Basikopo Makamu, the MEC for the Limpopo Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs (CoGHSTA), issued a stern warning to project managers and contractors, emphasising that the government cannot tolerate unfinished projects.

Speaking on Tuesday at the Greater Giyani Municipality’s new chamber, where project managers from Mopani and Giyani were present, Makamu stressed his expectation that all projects with designs, finalised since 2019, must be completed.

He said he did not want a situation where people would point to a project and say, “this project was initiated by a previous MEC before Makamu, and now he’s gone, and a fourth MEC is handling it.”

He emphasised that municipalities should be accountable for all projects they undertake, ensuring they are completed on time. “We can’t spend money everywhere without making a tangible impact on the people on the ground. I’m here to see what is actually happening,” he said, referring to the project involving the servicing of 539 residential sites in Giyani, which began in 2021.

“It’s concerning to hear that a project started in 2021 is still incomplete in 2025,” said Makamu, before visiting the demarcated sites to verify whether the information reported to him by officials about the project, was accurate.

Once at the site, Makamu said he was pleased that the project was at 96% complete. He said the completion of the project would bring an end to the long wait for residents who had purchased sites there but were unable to build their houses because the sites had not yet been serviced.

“While the contractor awaits material to finish the remaining work, I hope the municipality will also address issues on their part, so that by the time the contractor is done people can connect water and sewer services when they build their houses.”

The MEC said that to fast-track the work, the municipality would need to engage with Mopani Municipality for assistance, and where the budget was insufficient, CoGHSTA would step in to help. “This will ensure that people do not have to wait for services once they have built their houses,” he said.

Meanwhile, the remaining work is estimated to be complete by the end of March, by which time the sites will be fully serviced by the municipality. The MEC urged the municipality not to allow a situation where people start illegal connections due to delays.

“It is the first time we are seeing a municipality-demarcated site being properly managed, with people building according to specifications. Therefore, it is important for the municipality to act fast and provide guidance on the construction of houses here to ensure everything goes well,” he said.

The MEC further urged the GGM to collaborate with local traditional leaders in order to unlock land for the town’s development, as the town is surrounded by land in their possession and cannot be developed without their cooperation.

“If there are any other ideas that can help develop Giyani, let’s discuss them. This area is landlocked, so we need to work with local traditional leadership to make land available for the town’s growth,” he said.