The Mpumalanga public works department has blamed Covid-19, bad weather, and subcontracting disruptions for the massive delays and spiralling costs of the scandal-ridden Mkhondo Boarding School project — now pegged at over R700-million.
The department, under the leadership of MEC Thulasizwe Thomo, confirmed the staggering amount in response to a Sunday World inquiry.
Thomo defended the project and rejected opposition claims that the school has become a financial disaster.
The long-delayed school, located in Mkhondo (formerly Piet Retief), was meant to uplift rural education by housing vulnerable learners in a state-of-the-art campus.
Despite the avalanche of funds, learners remain in overcrowded classrooms across Mkhondo, while the dream of a modern boarding school lies buried under unfinished paving, broken promises, and allegations of mismanagement.
“The project has also experienced cost increases estimated at about R213-million,” said department spokesperson Bongani Dhlamini.
Dhlamini cited geological challenges, subcontracting disputes, pandemic shutdowns, and weather-related damage as key reasons for the cost overruns.
“Covid-19 shutdowns resulted in the non-availability of critical construction materials and a rise in special materials,” he explained.
Weather-related damages
The site was also abandoned during the 2021/22 financial year due to funding shortfalls. Dhlamini said this stoppage led to serious damage.
“This stoppage exposed the works to severe weather-related damages and vandalism, which necessitated that damages be remedied when the works resumed at an extra cost,” he said.
The school, which began construction in 2018, was supposed to alleviate overcrowding in rural farm schools and accommodate over 1 000 learners.
But seven years later, it remains incomplete — despite more than R703-million already spent.
The provincial government has missed multiple self-imposed deadlines to open the school, including commitments that it would be ready by the start of the 2025 academic year and again by April 30.
Still, the classrooms remain empty. Dhlamini, however, insisted that the province has not wasted public funds.
“The department is of the opinion that, despite the increased project cost, which is due to the challenges highlighted above, the construction of the boarding school is not a waste of money,” he said.
“There is still value for money, as the project is a comprehensive modern-day boarding school with the latest boarding, teaching, and learning facilities that will accommodate over 1 000 learners from within and around the environs of Mkhondo.”
No additional budget required
Opposition parties have accused the ANC-led government of mismanagement and warned that the project may eventually cost more than the R1-billion 2010 Mbombela Stadium.
However, Dhlamini said that the current allocation will be enough to finish the job.
“No additional budget will be required for the completion of the project, as the amount indicated above is sufficient to bring the project to its final completion,” he said.
Asked whether the department had initiated any processes to recover possible losses, Dhlamini said it was premature to do so.
“The department has not initiated the process of recovering any money lost during the course of construction, as there has not been a determination yet as to whether the money was lost to the project or the contractor.
“At the final account it will be determined how much needs to be recovered, and after that, the applicable recovery process will be followed.”
