There can be no doubt that the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, is one of the most important government departments, as the custodian of the state’s immovable assets, responsible for the building and maintenance of these public assets, from which all government services are rendered. The immovable asset portfolio under the custodianship of this Department, comprises of approximately 30 000 land parcels on which some 90 000 facilities are located.
It is with this in mind, that in the previous administration, I called for an accelerated public/private partnership to unlock the potential of property portfolio worth hundreds of billions of rands. Minister, the ACDP is happy to hear that you are moving in this direction. This Department, as the largest property portfolio holder in the country, has been unable to leverage the competitive and comparative advantage it has in the property sector. Billions of rands could have been added to government coffers, if due consideration was given to this public/private partnership, to eliminate inefficiencies, corruption, graft and contraventions of the PFMA, all too prevalent in DPWI.
To underscore this point of the ACDP, one only has to look at the debacle at Telkom Towers, purchased for R695 million in 2016, as SAPS headquarters, but has virtually empty for over 8 years. While we welcome the independent report by the Minister on the Telkom Towers, it comes with a R215 million wasteful renovation, too late.
Honourable House Chairperson, the ACDP was the only party to call for an external investigation into the R85 million jersey barrier wall project, along the South African and Mozambique border, which makes the Beitbridge border fence fiasco, look like a Sunday picnic. The recommendations of the SIU Kosi Bay border investigation must be followed and consequence management applied.
The ACDP has continuously raised the important issue of the State’s Immovable Asset Register, necessary to contribute towards economic and social development and transformation of the built environment. This mandate will never be accomplished, without a complete Immovable Asset Register. The State cannot unlock land or property for social and economic development if it has no accurate record of what it owns.
Minister, as you address the construction mafia and the issues I have raised, the ACDP wishes you well in your endeavour to turn this Department around.
I thank you.
