THE new Austerville electricity substation has remained dormant for more than four years, with critical infrastructure on hold due to delays that have plagued the project since its inception.
Although construction of the substation is underway despite major setbacks, a report by the auditor-general of South Africa paints a bleak picture of the project.
According to the report, the R23m project hit a snag and faced significant delays due to:
- Project mismanagement
- Planning inefficiencies
- Contractor-related issues and a lack of proactive maintenance.
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A recent report of the auditor general assessed some of eThekwini’s infrastructure projects on planning, implementation and management of key infrastructure projects across electricity, water, sanitation and roads.
The audit included four new projects and three follow-up audits to evaluate progress in addressing prior-year findings.
According to a report, the identified deficiencies stem from systemic governance and operational weaknesses over infrastructure projects and maintenance, including:
- Inadequate strategic planning and prioritisation
- Weak accountability enforcement by leadership.
It also flagged poor project and maintenance management, funding or budget misalignments, and the lack of internal co-ordination of the municipality’s organisational structures.
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Ward 68 councillor Aubrey Snyman confirmed that the project hit a snag after unforeseen challenges emerged during its initial stages.
He said the termination of the contractor in 2023 had a significant impact on the progress of the project.
The auditor general recommended that budgets must be aligned with the funding required, including a proactive strategy to address shortfalls.
In a statement, eThekwini said the auditor general confirmed that there were no material findings on the financial statements, an important milestone in improving financial controls and reporting integrity.
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