Pretoria Bio Park project over budget, businesses in limbo

Gauteng businesses in need of manufacturing facilities are being left in limbo as the third phase of the Bio Park at the Innovation Hub in Pretoria East remains incomplete.

The project, which broke ground on February 18, 2019, was originally scheduled for completion on 5 September 2024.

However, due to the contractor not being paid, work has come to a halt.

“The project has also run over budget by R52 653 074,” said Ofentse Madzebatela, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Economic Development.

The delay has far-reaching consequences for job creation, as the Innovation Hub has created nearly 390 jobs so far.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature revealed this information in response to questions from the DA, addressed to MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, regarding incomplete departmental projects across the province.

According to Maile, the professional resource team on the project suspended work on July 4, 2024, after months of unpaid work and the absence of fee adjustment approvals.

Maile said contractor subsequently halted operations on August 8, 2024, saying it was because of slow progress and unresolved issues.

These complications could not be resolved because the professional resource team’s professional budget had already been depleted, highlighting a significant lack of planning and monitoring by the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.

The Innovation Hub is a critical facility for entrepreneurs, offering spaces to produce and process their products.

Madzebatela said if fully operational, it could serve as a platform to combat climate change, support the manufacturing sector, and advance agro-processing initiatives for agriculture.

“Despite… measures being taken against implicated officials, the project remains incomplete, denying businesses and entrepreneurs access to these essential facilities,” Madzebatela said.

“We have conducted oversight visits to the hub and will table follow-up questions to determine when work will resume and what continues to hinder progress.”

The DA emphasised that a provincial government under its leadership would implement strict measures to ensure contractors are capable of completing projects on time and within budget.

The party also plans to ensure that the professional team overseeing the project in future includes officials with the necessary expertise to manage and track infrastructure projects, preventing overruns and delays.

“The DA will continue to pressure MEC Maile to complete this project, so that entrepreneurs can create employment opportunities for our struggling residents,” Madzebatela added.

The Innovation Hub is located near the University of Pretoria, and serves the entire Gauteng province. Managed by The Innovation Hub Management Company, it operates as a science and technology park driving innovation initiatives aligned with the Growing Gauteng Together 2030 (GGT2030) plan.

The BioPark Incubator within the hub supports start-ups in sectors which include health, agriculture, and industrial biotechnology.

– Questions have been forwarded to the Gauteng Growth and Development Company, but no answers had been received at time of publication.

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