EASTERN CAPE — As the province faces a severe infrastructure crisis, approximately 87 Eastern Cape abandoned construction projects in housing, water, and sanitation have been recorded for the 2024/25 financial year. Eastern Cape Public Works and Infrastructure MEC, Siphokazi Lusithi, revealed that these stalled developments are primarily driven by contractor failures, financial incapacity, and a lack of capability to execute government mandates.
Lusithi made these remarks during the launch of the Construction Industry Development Board’s (CIDB) Certificate in Construction Management in KuGompo City. The event highlighted the urgent need to address the unprofessionalism and practical inexperience that continue to plague the local construction sector.
The real-world consequences of these infrastructure delays are starkly visible at Nonyameko Primary School in Ndakana village, outside Stutterheim. A critical sanitation project at the school has been stalled for over three years following the contractor’s financial collapse. As a result, Grade R learners are forced to relieve themselves in open fields, while teachers and older students are left relying on outdated toilet facilities that were originally built in the 1980s.
School officials express deep concern over the safety risks, noting that accidents could easily occur in the open fields, which would place the school in severe jeopardy. Community members and parents at the school have voiced frustration over the lack of basic service delivery, directing their blame at the government for the ongoing failures.
While contractor financial incapacity is a major factor, industry experts point to deeper systemic issues within the construction sector. Researchers and industry leaders note that project advancements are often hindered by a lack of practical experience among contractors. Furthermore, delayed payments from the government can trigger project abandonment. However, officials emphasize that contractors must also take responsibility for understanding their legislative mandates and contractual obligations.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure notes that a significant challenge lies in contractors failing to grasp the responsibilities and obligations they assume immediately upon signing government contracts. The department stresses that specific contractor grading levels are required to ensure they possess the necessary financial “muscle” and operational capability to see a project through to completion, despite the government’s commitment to paying contractors within 30 days.
To combat these ongoing failures, the Construction Industry Development Board has taken decisive action, announcing the blacklisting of 52 constructors to date for abandoning their projects.
However, the fallout from these abandoned sites continues to strain public resources. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure warns that resuscitating stalled projects severely hampers the departmental budget, as the costly and time-consuming process of finding and appointing a new contractor must begin from scratch.