Infrastructure development is a crucial cog in any economy, more so in the context of the sluggish economic growth, housing backlog, inadequate facilities in healthcare and educational institutions that Gauteng is faced with.
ActionSA is appalled, therefore, that despite the R35.3 billion that was allocated for infrastructure between 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 of which 97% was for the Departments of Human Settlements, Education, Roads and Transport as well as Health, no discernible impact has been realised. Instead, infrastructure in these departments seem to have gotten worse.
With the much-hyped Mega Projects having been promised, such as the Montrose Mega Project in the RandWest, Gauteng residents were sold a dream that their wait for
dignified housing would be realised
Despite R11 billion being budgeted for the Montrose Mega Project, only R467 million was spent before the project came to a halt – much to the detriment of beneficiaries, leaving them with no units in which to reside. With a backlog of over 1.3 million housing units in Gauteng, this project would have provided much-needed relief for dignified accommodation to residents.
With no consequence management for officials or defaulting contractors, this provides a stark reminder of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises and be accountable to taxpayers.
Repairs to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, which caught fire in 2021, were initially earmarked for completion by December 2023. To date, the hospital is still not fully operational. With the Tembisa Hospital also having caught fire recently, this puts additional strain on other healthcare tacilities.
It is quite discouraging that a cosmopolitan economic hub, that Gauteng is, still has schools like Eqinisweni High School in Ivory Park where learners are overcrowded in mobile classrooms.
Roads in the province are plagued by massive potholes, with traffic lights resembling stop signs due to being dysfunctional. This not only causes time-delaying traffic congestion but also poses danger to road users. With ActionSA’s motion on the urgent need to fix traffic lights having been recently unanimously passed, we will be following its implementation closely to ensure that this is realised within set timelines.
In almost all cases of delays, reasons such as questionable contractor appointment, unfair labour practices, incompetent project management, vandalism, theft and disruptions have been mentioned as causes for delays in completing or maintaining infrastructure.
Despite all these challenges, all we hear from Premier Panyaza Lesuti, and his Executive are repeated hollow promises, without any timelines, implementation or consequence management.
The administration’s neglect and mismanagement has left a lasting impact on Gauteng’s infrastructure. Projects initiated with great fanfare have been abandoned, leaving residents to suffer the consequences.
The impact on residents is multifaceted. Incomplete projects cause daily inconvenience, disrupting lives and livelihoods. Dilapidated infrastructure poses significant safety risks, putting residents’ lives at risk. Abandoned projects deter investment, stifle economic growth, and undermine the province’s competitiveness.
The challenges of poor infrastructure development and maintenance is exacerbated by staff shortages, particularly in Health and Education institutions which leads to further deterioration of services to residents.
ActionSA demands that the government acknowledges its past failures and take responsibility for rectifying the situation, develops a comprehensive plan to complete abandoned projects and maintain existing infrastructure. Government must ensure transparency and accountability in project management to prevent future mismanagement.
Gauteng needs leaders who are committed to working towards a better future for our province. A leadership collective that will continue advocating for good governance, transparency, and accountability. A government that can build a Gauteng that works for all.
Abandoned and Dilapidated: Gauteng’s Infrastructure Nightmare
Infrastructure development is a crucial cog in any economy, more so in the context of the sluggish economic growth, housing backlog, inadequate facilities in healthcare and educational institutions that Gauteng is faced with.
ActionSA is appalled, therefore, that despite the R35.3 billion that was allocated for infrastructure between 2021/22, 2022/23 and 2023/24 of which 97% was for the Departments of Human Settlements, Education, Roads and Transport as well as Health, no discernible impact has been realised. Instead, infrastructure in these departments seem to have gotten worse.
With the much-hyped Mega Projects having been promised, such as the Montrose Mega Project in the RandWest, Gauteng residents were sold a dream that their wait for
dignified housing would be realised
Despite R11 billion being budgeted for the Montrose Mega Project, only R467 million was spent before the project came to a halt – much to the detriment of beneficiaries, leaving them with no units in which to reside. With a backlog of over 1.3 million housing units in Gauteng, this project would have provided much-needed relief for dignified accommodation to residents.
With no consequence management for officials or defaulting contractors, this provides a stark reminder of the government’s failure to deliver on its promises and be accountable to taxpayers.
Repairs to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, which caught fire in 2021, were initially earmarked for completion by December 2023. To date, the hospital is still not fully operational. With the Tembisa Hospital also having caught fire recently, this puts additional strain on other healthcare tacilities.
It is quite discouraging that a cosmopolitan economic hub, that Gauteng is, still has schools like Eqinisweni High School in Ivory Park where learners are overcrowded in mobile classrooms.
Roads in the province are plagued by massive potholes, with traffic lights resembling stop signs due to being dysfunctional. This not only causes time-delaying traffic congestion but also poses danger to road users. With ActionSA’s motion on the urgent need to fix traffic lights having been recently unanimously passed, we will be following its implementation closely to ensure that this is realised within set timelines.
In almost all cases of delays, reasons such as questionable contractor appointment, unfair labour practices, incompetent project management, vandalism, theft and disruptions have been mentioned as causes for delays in completing or maintaining infrastructure.
Despite all these challenges, all we hear from Premier Panyaza Lesuti, and his Executive are repeated hollow promises, without any timelines, implementation or consequence management.
The administration’s neglect and mismanagement has left a lasting impact on Gauteng’s infrastructure. Projects initiated with great fanfare have been abandoned, leaving residents to suffer the consequences.
The impact on residents is multifaceted. Incomplete projects cause daily inconvenience, disrupting lives and livelihoods. Dilapidated infrastructure poses significant safety risks, putting residents’ lives at risk. Abandoned projects deter investment, stifle economic growth, and undermine the province’s competitiveness.
The challenges of poor infrastructure development and maintenance is exacerbated by staff shortages, particularly in Health and Education institutions which leads to further deterioration of services to residents.
ActionSA demands that the government acknowledges its past failures and take responsibility for rectifying the situation, develops a comprehensive plan to complete abandoned projects and maintain existing infrastructure. Government must ensure transparency and accountability in project management to prevent future mismanagement.
Gauteng needs leaders who are committed to working towards a better future for our province. A leadership collective that will continue advocating for good governance, transparency, and accountability. A government that can build a Gauteng that works for all.