Note to Editors: Please note Riona Gokool, MPL sound bite in English
The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes with concern an admission by KwaZulu-Natal’s (KZN) Department of Transport (DoT) that it had more than R1.8billion in outstanding invoices as at 31 March 2026 – with more than R805million exceeding the legally prescribed 30-day payment period. (view here)
This crisis is not merely an administrative inconvenience, it has devastating consequences for contractors, small businesses, employees and service delivery across our province.
Delayed payments cripple emerging contractors, threaten jobs, undermine confidence in government procurement systems, and contribute directly to the collapse of KZN’s economic growth.
While the DoT attributes the crisis to cash flow constraints and the quarterly allocation of grants, these challenges were foreseeable and should have been proactively managed. Poor financial planning, weak expenditure controls, and the continued accumulation of accruals point to systemic governance failures within the department.
The DA welcomes measures such as the implementation of electronic invoice systems and tighter budget controls, but these interventions alone are insufficient.
As a responsible partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) we call for:
• Immediate monthly publication of all invoices older than 30 days to ensure transparency and accountability;
• A clear repayment plan with strict timelines for all outstanding contractor payments;
• Stronger consequence management for officials who fail to comply with Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) requirements;
• A comprehensive review of procurement and project management practices within the .
The DA will continue to exercise robust oversight to ensure that financial mismanagement does not come at the expense of economic stability and service delivery.