The original budget for the project was R300 million, but about R1 billion has already been spent.
Image for illustrative purposes. Picture: Michel Bega
The Mpumalanga department of public works is under fire after the long‑awaited parliamentary village handover was postponed yet again – this time following the theft of R2.6 million worth of electrical cables from the site.
The construction of the project started in 2017, and was supposed to be completed in April 2020.
Theft causes another costly delay
The original budget for the project was R300 million, but about R1 billion has already been spent.
According to the project progress report received by the portfolio committee on public works, roads and transport last month, the contractor said the project would no longer be handed over in August, because telemetry accessories and water station electrical cables were stolen and vandalised.
Political parties have called on the government to beef up security and facilitate the handover of the project, as it was essential to the government officials who are currently renting accommodation.
Security and spending questioned
African People’s Convention leader Themba Godi, a former parliamentary standing committee on public accounts chair, said if it was true that electrical cables worth R2.6 million have been stolen, “there could have been minor damages, but there are people who want to steal money in the name of replacing those cables”.
“It is also possible that people with an interest in the matter can sabotage the project for their own benefit,” he said.
Godi said “it was shameful and painful” that, in an environment where the economy was underperforming, there was still a waste of government money.
“Mpumalanga is a rotten province. There is no leadership; no capacity and no integrity within the leadership,” he said.
DA raises concerns over site protection
Mpumalanga DA MPL Teboho Sekaledi said security at the site was questionable.
Sekaledi said, according to the National Key Point Act, places like parliament, legislatures and parliamentary villages were guarded by the South African Police Service, or private security companies in some instances.
“This breach of security at the Mpumalanga parliamentary village must have led to many questions for the authorities, not least about the apparent security failures in buildings that should be protected.
“The DA is concerned that this project has been delayed and has become a burden to taxpayers.”
Wayne Duvenage, CEO of corruption-fighting group Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), said poor leadership and oversight were to blame for burglars being able to steal the cabling.
“If there is resistance for the provincial government to move into the village, one must ask why and do a thorough investigation. There should be no one in government or their family members involved in rental of property to the provincial government. If this is the case, this would be a significant conflict of interest and this would probably be the reason for the reluctance to proceed with the finalisation and move to the government village.”
Department confirms case opened
Department spokesperson Bongani Dhlamini confirmed the incident and said a case was opened.
“The contractor is still responsible for the site until the project is completed. The private security hired by the contractor is on site.”
As soon as the village is handed over, the application to declare the village as a national key point will be made and government security measures will be implemented, he said.
