Note to Editors: Please note Tammy Colley, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) will call for urgent answers from the province’s Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) over its failure to complete the much-needed Nyokeni Maternity Hospital in Ulundi timeously.
During an oversight inspection in November last year, KZN’s Public Works and Infrastructure portfolio committee were assured by the contractor that the completion date would be March 2025. This despite delays which include community unrest, issues with subcontractors, and weather.
Not only has the DPWI schedule to complete construction not been achieved, the initial budget has also been exceeded. This points to poor planning and controls.
The DA is extremely disappointed that this critical facility – which should benefit expectant mothers – is still not complete. Nkoyeni is a district hospital, serving a rural community, with 16 clinics attached to it. The area also has a high maternal mortality ratio, necessitating a dire need for improved medical access.
As part of the portfolio committee, the DA supports the resolution taken to request that DPWI MEC, Martin Meyer, appear before its members to account for the department’s poor performance.
Oversight remains a critical mandate of the provincial Legislature. As a committed partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA will continue to hold all members of the executive to account, without fear or favour.