Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance debated in the National Council of Provinces today, in favour of the Budget tabled by Minister Dean Macpherson, because the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure is successfully delivering a R1 trillion infrastructure build, turning South Africa into a construction site, cutting out corruption, creating job opportunities, reclaiming public property, and delivering land and buildings for use by deserving public services.
The DA is proud that this Department, under the DA’s Dean Macpherson, is cracking down on the construction mafia, with over 240 arrests to date. For real infrastructure-led growth, it cannot be that organised crime is allowed to hold projects to ransom.
We support the Minister in cutting out the corruption he is uncovering. His clean-up of the Independent Development Trust, and appointing skilled professionals replacing cadre-deployment-corruption is a massive leap of progress.
The DA celebrates almost 1-million work opportunities created by this Department last year alone.
Extracts of the DA Debate speeches are as follows:
Dr. Igor Scheurkogel MP
- The department is digitising its systems, improving procurement, streamlining lease management, and holding senior officials accountable.
- The department’s budget commits to R11 billion to refurbish public buildings and R3.9 billion set aside for maintenance.
- A total medium-term infrastructure investment of R54.1 billion means better buildings, safer communities, and improved local service delivery.
- With a three-year budget of R7.2 billion, the EPWP is transitioning from temporary relief to a structured skills and job creation programme.
- More than 1,200 young people will be trained each year in construction, engineering, and the built environment. Over 200 public bodies will receive support to roll out labour-intensive projects that restore dignity and provide income.
Mzamo Billy MP
- We commend the department for bold steps in restoring credibility to the Independent Development Trust (IDT) and appointing skilled professionals rather than recycled cadres to lead strategic entities.
- Over 923,000 work opportunities were created in the last financial year through the EPWP, meeting 92% of the annual target.
- Infrastructure South Africa is unlocking over R200 billion in private investment through catalytic infrastructure projects.
- The skills pipeline programme has already produced graduates in engineering, architecture, and construction, and 67 new bursaries were awarded this year.
- The department is winning the war on the so-called construction mafia, with more than 700 cases reported and over 240 arrests having been made.
Nicholas Gotsell MP
- Under Minister Macpherson, we have seen a long overdue shift from building for the sake of building to maintaining for the sake of impact.
- This budget focuses on infrastructure maintenance, digitisation, asset verification, and precinct development.
- For the first time, state-owned properties are being assessed, categorised by condition and maintained based on data.
- Operation Bring Back, which is a programme aimed at recovering misused state properties and ensuring that public assets serve public needs, not cadres or looters, has added value.
- The budget is about the builders and the future we are building.
Regards
Dominique Jeftha
National Communications Manager