Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Sesotho soundbites by Jafta Mokoena MPL
The Democratic Alliance (DA) is concerned that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPW&I) in the Free State continues to demonstrate an inability to manage, safeguard and maintain the assets of the Free State provincial government.
Despite receiving an unqualified audit opinion, the latest Auditor General (AG) Report reveals that the Department’s asset management systems remain fundamentally dysfunctional. The AG has again flagged the Department for failing to maintain proper records and for not safeguarding government property. This collapse of asset management is a failure that exposes the state to litigation risks and significant service delivery delays.
Some of these issues raised are visible in projects such as the Thateletsong Children’s Home and the Thusanong Building. Both projects suffer from failures, including chronic delays, poor workmanship, and inadequate planning.
According to the AG’s Report, the Department has failed to investigate more than R637 million in irregular expenditure; such findings show the lack of consequence management, allowing the cycle of mismanagement to continue being prevalent in the department.
The people of the Free State deserve a Public Works Department that can maintain safe public buildings, complete projects on time and preserve the value of provincial assets. The DA will continue to advocate for improved control measures and stricter consequence management within the department.