The Gauteng administration is backtracking on an agreement to hold an inquiry into the failed project and waste of money that arose when the Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID) built the Mayibuye Primary school on a sewerage line.
After spending R82 million, the project was abandoned and the incomplete buildings are deteriorating while politicians dither.
As a result of unsatisfactory answers from GDID as to why the project failed, the GDID Portfolio Committee sought permission to hold an inquiry into the Mayibuye project. This request was approved by the Speaker.
The Committee was shocked when at a subsequent meeting the Chairperson of the committee indicated that he was experiencing resistance from the administration and doubted whether the inquiry would ever go ahead.
The apparent reason for the concern expressed by the administration is that the contractor involved has threatened legal action. If the Department of Infrastructure has nothing to hide and has acted according to legislation, policies, and regulations, then they should not fear legal action from any quarter.
The hesitancy of the Gauteng Provincial Government to approve the investigation and allow a process to unfold to determine exactly what went wrong is very concerning.
We are concerned that someone is trying to hide the reasons why millions of rands in taxpayers’ money have once again been wasted by GDID on a critical project that will ensure better education facilities for our children.
The DA will continue to apply pressure to ensure the inquiry goes ahead. That is the least that the voters of Gauteng should expect from politicians who are tasked with spending hard-earned taxpayers’ money openly and transparently, and with their best interests at heart.