While Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson pledged to “meet the demands of the ever-building South African built environment”, political parties expressed concerns about the state of criminality in the sector and called for a clear plan to address these issues.
Macpherson addressed the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Tuesday on the key deliverables of the department, which was followed by a debate on his budget vote.
“From our largest metros to our deepest rural areas, we have a clear intention to turn our country into a construction site as roads, bridges, houses, schools, hospitals and clinics are built, also as broadband fibre is laid and new power lines are installed. We intend to add urgency to the pace of infrastructure delivery by innovating and inviting new ideas to achieve what needs to be done,” Macpherson said.
However, he added there was a need to address the challenges that impede the implementation of these goals.
“(These) include disruption and hijacking of construction sites. The department will work closely with law enforcement to bring an end to work stoppages or disruptions at construction sites.
“I want to be very clear on this point: anyone who seeks to hold back infrastructure projects must be treated as an enemy of the state, there is no room for negotiations or delays to our projects. “(We) will meet the demands of the ever-building South African built environment and we will be relentless in rooting out corruption, criminality and sabotage in the construction sector,” he said. Several MPs commented on the state of criminality in the sector across the country.
UDM MPL Matthewis Mandla Peter said he welcomed the promising plans; however, “the department needs to fix certain challenges”.
“Monitor the database, 1 260 hijacked and non-maintained buildings. These buildings lower the value of our towns, drop involvement of business. The department needs to have an effective plan to reclaim the buildings back. The department should ensure maintenance of community halls, public schools, clinics (among others) yearly,” he said.
The EFF rejected the budget vote, citing “no clear deliverable plans” on the exit of EPWP workers, among others.
Touching on issues of crime, EFF MPL Mandisa Makesini said: “(In) Mthatha, Coffee Bay you have buildings but all those buildings are being hijacked by criminals. They are making a lot of money in the Eastern Cape.
“This department is a custodian of all property in the country, but still finds itself wanting and not being able to provide on the basic infrastructure like schools, clinics and hospitals.”
Makesini said the party proposed the creation of a state-owned construction company which would spearhead its own projects and in doing so also create jobs.
Cape Times