Minister Dean Macpherson outlines his vision for a revitalised South Africa, emphasising infrastructure development and public asset utilisation for the greater good. File Picture: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers
Minister Dean Macpherson has reflected on his 100 days in office since taking office as Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure on July 3.
Over the past 100 days, he has introduced several critical measures aimed at strengthening the department and enhancing infrastructure projects across the nation.
Macpherson has prioritised the reform of Infrastructure South Africa, establishing it as a single point of entry for all priority infrastructure projects.
This initiative is designed to ensure projects are completed on time and within budget, addressing a significant challenge in the sector.
To boost investment in construction, Macpherson has engaged with various financial institutions, technical advisors, and construction specialists.
In tackling corruption, Macpherson has initiated investigations into failed public sector construction projects, including the nearly R1 billion spent on the Telkom Building projects in Tshwane.
He has also requested the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate potentially problematic lease agreements to recover taxpayer money.
Moreover, his collaboration with municipalities, such as Tshwane, eThekwini, and Cape Town, have been a key focus.
Furthermore, technical task teams have been established to address issues related to state-owned buildings and to ensure these assets are used effectively for public benefit.
Additionally, Macpherson has taken decisive steps in Cape Town to reclaim state-owned properties, including the Castle of Good Hope and the Waterloo properties, finalising orders to remove individuals who have illegally occupied these sites.
Addressing the issue of the construction mafia, he organised a summit in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing together law enforcement officials and Public Works Members of the Executive Council (MECs) to develop a comprehensive response.
To enhance oversight within the department, the Minister has moved the Prestige Unit, previously involved in the Nkandla scandal, back to the Director General’s office.
This move is intended to improve accountability by removing the ability of officials to spend up to R20 million without proper approval.
Furthermore, critical vacancies within the department have been advertised to stabilise governance.
Reflecting on the progress made, Macpherson stated, “While a lot of progress has been made to bring stability to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, these efforts need to be accelerated to turn the country into a construction site and use public assets for the public good in order to grow the economy and create jobs. South Africans urgently need to start seeing the fruits of our interventions.”
He expressed gratitude for the collaboration within the department and with external stakeholders: “I applaud the government officials and stakeholders in both the public and private sectors who have worked tirelessly with me over the past three months.
‘’There is truly a new energy within the department to deliver on our mandate.”
Looking ahead, he emphasised the urgency of their efforts: “In the weeks and months ahead, we need to expedite our efforts to ensure that we get shovels into the ground so that communities across the country can see the fruits of our work in practice.
‘’There will continue to be difficult decisions we have to make, but the choices we make today will be to our advantage in the future,’’ he said.
Speaking to IOL about Macpherson’s assessment on his initiatives and their impact, Umkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said: “MacPherson’s so called initiatives are a regurgitation of on ongoing projects before his sudden epiphany of work that’s always there.’’
IOL also reached out to the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the African National Congress (ANC), and ActionSA for comments, however, they did not respond in time for publication.
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