The public works department ‘is a disaster’, Patricia de Lille tells Parliament

Patricia de Lille, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.

• The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure has said it has drawn up a plan to rectify defects in the Beitbridge border fence project.
• DPWI awaits an evaluation of the remediation work that needs to be done.
• An investigation into the project found that the government paid R17 million more than the market-related cost for an ineffective and porous border fence.

The troubled Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) said it has set out to repair and rectify “vulnerabilities and flaws” at the Beitbridge border fence project, which has been embroiled in controversy.

The department said a “technical condition assessment” is expected to be completed in mid-December, which will determine the nature of the repair work.

He said efforts have also been made to implement various other recommendations made by Parliament’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee.

READ | Nothing will stop me cleaning public works – De Lille

This came when Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille and her officials met with the committee on Wednesday to deliberate on measures taken to rectify flaws in the R40 million border fence project.

Responding to MPs’ questions, De Lille said: “The department is in a mess. It is because more than 12 of the senior managers in this department have been appointed irregularly, without the necessary qualifications. During the last 18 months, we have introduced some systems like consequence management, due diligence … so everything is in progress. “

The deputy director general of real estate investment services, Sasa Subban, said that the DPWI has contracted with the Department of Defense to increase its presence at the border.

Subban said that the acting director general of the DPWI, Imtiaz Fazel, sent a letter to the defense secretary Gladys Sonto Kudjoe requesting the defense department to intensify the patrols and indicated the withdrawal of private security.

Subban said that any other border fence initiative must be placed in the context of the Integrated Border Management program.

An investigation into the Beitbridge border fence project found that the government paid R17 million more than the market-related cost.

In August, investigators detected at least 115 violations that facilitated the illegal entry of immigrants to South Africa from Zimbabwe.

Caledon River Properties CC, marketed as Magwa Construction and Profteam CC, were responsible for the work at Beitbridge, for which 40 million rand was budgeted.

A process is currently underway to prevent companies from doing more business with the government.

READ ALSO | SANDF soldiers allow desperate Zimbabweans to cross the border to buy food and medicine

“It is also recommended that supply chain management use designated service providers to carry out due diligence in the bidding processes. The department has started the review of SCM processes. As a result, the department has recently concluded the memorandum of agreement with the National School of Government to provide the necessary training. The process is ongoing, “said Subban.

Last month, Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) examined a report on the matter and revealed several flaws after submissions from the Presidential Infrastructure Coordination Commission (PICC).

It found that the coils of barbed wire were stretched beyond the recommended effective limit, making it easier to lower the fence.

There was also no confirmation that the quality of the concrete used was tested and urban planning considerations were not taken into account before the contract was awarded, the Scopa report reads.

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