Note to Editors: Please note Tammy Colley, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) welcomes the bold and historic move by KZN Public Works and Infrastructure MEC – the DA’s Martin Meyer – who recently ensured the successful completion of an audit of all 10 067 departmental assets – the first of its kind since 2014.
The initiative has seen the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) able to reclaim all its hijacked buildings, which will now be put to good use for the benefit of KZN’s residents. This includes the Ulundi Legislature building which has been handed over to KZN’s Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (CoGTA) to be used as the House of Traditional Leaders.
This move alone has saved KZN’s DPWI R72million – money which can be pumped back into proper service delivery. Commendably, the entire process was handled by the DPWI, without the use of private consultants, saving vast amounts of money.
In yet another forward-thinking initiative, by both MEC Meyer and his CoGTA counterpart MEC, Thulasizwe Buthelezi, the DPWI will now offer free of charge professional expertise to KZN’s municipalities. This is a true game changer for service delivery at local government level. It places professional capacity where it is most needed and ensures that public funds are used wisely to benefit all the people of our province.
KZN’s municipalities have long struggled with a lack of internal technical capacity, spending millions of rands annually on private consultants to manage infrastructure projects. This groundbreaking initiative will not only reduce those unnecessary costs but also ensure that infrastructure grants are spent more efficiently and effectively.
The benefits of making DPWI professional services available directly to municipalities will lower the costs of projects by reducing dependence of external consultants, improve turnaround times and projects and services will be delivered to communities sooner.
MEC Meyer and MEC Buthelezi have prioritised innovation, accountability, and value for money in government. This agreement highlights the collaborative partnerships within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) – of which the DA is a proud member – and demonstrates to the people of our province that we are tackling problems head on and working towards long-term solutions.