CONTRACTORS' failure to deliver costs KZN provincial government R4,6 billion.
This was revealed by Transport and Human Settlements MEC, Siboniso Duma, who has vowed to take decisive action against contractors who have failed to deliver on critical infrastructure projects.
Speaking at the Archie Gumede Conference Centre in Mayville on Tuesday, 6 May, Duma announced that 30 contractors have been identified as defaulting across various construction and rehabilitation projects.
He said some projects have stalled or been abandoned altogether, with delays impacting both road infrastructure and housing delivery.
"We will implement punitive measures to recover taxpayers' money from contractors who have failed to honour their contracts. This is a demonstration of our firm commitment to accountability," said Duma.
The department currently has 83 active projects, including 39 construction and 44 rehabilitation or resealing initiatives.
Duma revealed that some contractors had not even begun site establishment despite receiving tenders, while others lacked the necessary resources or faced cash flow problems.
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He stated that in some cases, contractors were found to be overcommitted, taking on multiple projects they could not complete concurrently.
"We will begin terminating contracts and initiating legal processes to blacklist repeat offenders for up to 10 years," he warned.
Despite recent technical glitches in the National Treasury's accounting system and lingering effects from the Covid-19 pandemic and floods, Duma maintained that many of the current project delays precede these challenges.
While the names of the failing contractors have not yet been released due to legal processes, Duma assured that action is imminent. He also highlighted efforts to address housing concerns.
He stated that over 144 residents from Umlazi's H Section were successfully evacuated following structural collapses, with continued support from national government and the eThekwini Municipality.
He said the department is finalising scholar transport for affected pupils and has appealed to the private sector to help with uniforms and supplies.
Duma also mentioned that his department will present a full report to the legislature, Standing Committee on Public Accounts and the Portfolio Committee on Transport.
