Councillors from Govan Mbeki Municipality demand probe into incomplete road projects
“When service providers invoice the municipality, they need to give a certain percentage to the politicians before they can be paid their money,” said Khoza.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality councillors demand an investigation report on why three roads have not been completed. These roads are Allan Makhunga, Chief Albert Luthuli and Mphafa roads.
This came when the MMC for Civil Engineering, Thandi Ngxonono reported on a motion brought forward by the DA PR Clr Thomas Mazibuko about Allan Makhunga Road in eMbalenhle.
Ngxonono said in her presentation they terminated the appointed contractor’s contract because of non-performance, and the municipality will budget for it in the next financial year.
EFF Clr Daniel Khoza said to Ngxonono that contracts were terminated for poor performance without a report stating that the municipality has opened a case against the contractor for millions of rands lost.
Khoza said the municipality has engineers, inspectors and a project management unit to oversee if projects are done correctly and completed, but it seems they get paid for doing nothing.
“You cannot award a contract or a tender and then fail to monitor the work. Why do you not also dismiss those officials, with immediate effect, because they have failed us?
“Other things that delay the completion of projects are the late payment of service providers and corrupt politicians who demand money from the service providers.
“When service providers invoice the municipality, they need to give a certain percentage to the politicians before they can pay their money,” said Khoza.
Khoza said those service providers fail to do their work because of the corrupt politicians who are always hungry for money.
Contractors blamed the municipal politicians and officials for the delays when they met with the executive mayor, Nhlakanipho Zuma, last November.
ALSO CHECK: AfriForum skenk spinasie vanuit hul groentetuin op Bethal
They claimed consultants not even bother to visit the sites. They apparently only used Google Maps to draw up a work plan.
These contractors or service providers also claimed the municipality’s lack of expertise, as well as greedy politicians and municipal officials, are the main reasons for incomplete projects in the Govan Mbeki municipal area.
The contractors told Zuma they also had a problem with the municipal officials in the procurement section because some of them have their own contracting companies that benefit from municipal projects and the municipality is not using its own engineers.
They also claimed the municipality projects management unit (PMU) hires consultants to draw up plans for all municipality projects, from road works to sewerage system upgrades.
Zuma said Alan Makunga is not the only road where the contractor was terminated for poor performance.
It was part of the other roads funded through the Municipal Infrastructure Grant (MIG). This national grant was taken away because of service providers failing the municipality.
Zuma said they will fix all those roads now with their internal funding through phases.
“The first phase will be the Albert Luthuli Road, budgeted for by this council in this financial year. We will budget for Alan Makhunga Road in the next financial year because we have already budgeted for one road. The next road to be fixed is Umphafa Road, also in eMbalenhle,” said Zuma.
