Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport says it is taking steps to ensure companies who have won contracts are able to complete the work within the required period of time without compromising on quality.
One of the measures is a meeting that is held with contractors that is attended by MEC Sipho Hlomuka and Head of Department Siboniso Mbhele.
Appearing before the Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) this week, the department admitted that in some instances, companies had delivered shoddy work when constructing roads and bridges in parts of the province and this had prompted it to take a more proactive approach.
“Some contractors are failing, we have picked up that some project managers are junior,” said Mbhele in explaining why in some instances work had been of poor quality.
He added that they had also discovered that companies who had been appointed because they had quoted a lesser amount than their competitors, lacked experience.
The department head also admitted to Scopa that its projects were also impacted by business forums whose members demanded work despite lacking the skills to carry out the work.
Mbhele confirmed incidents where department projects were halted due to interruptions.
“In King Cetshwayo District, we had an instance where heavily armed men arrived at the project and demanded work,” the HoD told committee members.
He told the committee that the department, through the MEC, had done a lot recently including meeting with traditional leadership and other structures to ensure that when there were work opportunities, the allocations to communities were within the law.
Scopa chairperson Maggie Govender noted that while the government was committed to economic transformation and black economic empowerment, it was important to ensure that everything was done within the law.
“The firmness in stamping authority is welcomed,” said Govender in reference to the efforts to deal with the business forums.
Audit and Risk Committee chairperson Mike Tarr expressed concern about the department’s reliance on consultants, citing this as the reason for the financial drain.
“There are consultants that now see this department as a happy hunting ground without developing much capacity,” said Tarr.
Mbhele admitted that there were vacancies and that the department had been heavily reliant on consultants, but told Scopa members that this was getting attended to.
“We are on a drive to ensure that there is capacity by filling all vacant funded posts,” said the HoD
He indicated that one of the challenges was that the department had been operating on an old organogram which had not been updated, but added that there had been discussions with the provincial treasury and the new organogram had been sent to the Office of the Premier for possible approval.