The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure and Development's incompetence has resulted in contractors abandoning four half-built healthcare clinics on the West Rand after five years.
The FF Plus accompanied the relevant Portfolio Committee of the Gauteng Legislature on a visit to the unfinished clinics this past week.
The Department's apparent inability to perform proper project management and conduct frequent oversight visits to the sites is the direct cause of the unfinished construction work.
Another contributing factor is the Department's policy of Black Economic Empowerment (BEE), which prioritises military veterans, who have absolutely no experience, when awarding tenders.
Construction on the Mayibuye clinic in Munsieville in the Mogale City Local Municipality began in 2017. The tender was awarded for an amount of R59,8 million, of which R7,8 million has been spent. The building was left unfinished after 1 150 days. Only 20% has been completed.
The construction of the Kutsong South clinic in the Merafong Local Municipality commenced in 2016 with a tender contract awarded for R78,1 million. The contract was cancelled after 986 days due to the contractor's slow progress. R54,3 million has already been spent.
Construction on the Randfontein clinic, also in the Merafong Municipality, started in 2018 for a contracted amount of R270 million. Once again, the contract was cancelled after 661 days due to a lack of progress. The project is 70% complete.
In 2021, the construction of the Leratong clinic in Mogale City commenced for a projected amount of R244 million. The contractor abandoned the project after just 267 days.
Taxpayers' money was used for all these unfinished projects – basically all the money has been squandered.
If the projects had been properly managed, it would have had a positive impact in the province's healthcare.
This once again goes to show that the ANC will keep clinging to its failed policy of BEE and Affirmative Action at the expense of the people of Gauteng.
Gauteng deserves better than the ANC.
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