The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has given an update to parliament regarding its capital expenditure projects that are still under construction.
The department gave an update on the repairs and renovations underway. Repairs at the Potchefstroom magistrate’s court’s office. Also repairs and refurbishments at the department’s regional office housed in East London in the old South African Revenue Services (Sars) building. And repairs and renovations to office buildings at Vulamehlo magistrate’s court.
The department’s delegation to parliament was led by Deputy Minister Andries Nel. Also the department’s Director-General Advocate Doctor Mashabane.
Briefing by Auditor-General
On Wednesday, parliament’s select committee on security and justice received a briefing by the Auditor-General. The audit is on the 2023-2024 audit outcomes of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
The committee also received a briefing by the NPA and the Special Investigating Unit. The briefing on the Annual Performance Plan of the 2024-2025 financial year. Also on budget and performance information for 2023-2024 annual report.
Mashabane said repairs and renovations at the Potchefstroom magistrate’s court’s office are still under construction. The project progress is 79% completed, with the delay caused by giving access and relocating of server rooms. He said the project progress has decreased to 60% with the inclusion of roof scope.
Mashabane said the anticipated completion date of the repairs and renovations is in November (this month).
He said the department’s offices housed in the East London old Sars building is undergoing repairs and refurbishment. This is including tenant installations.
Update of projects’ progress to date
Mashabane said the project is currently on 97% construction progress.
He said the site handover was done in August 2022, and the contract period was for 11 months. The completion date of the project will be announced at a later stage.
He said the Vulamehlo magistrate’s court in KwaZulu-Natal is also undergoing repairs and renovations to its buildings.
“The construction progress on site is 92% complete. And the contractor is currently not on site. He was placed on terms by DPWI for non-performance with the intention for cancellation,” said Mashabane. The DPWI refers to Department of Public Works and Infrastructure.
He said the construction of the project started in March 2015 and the revision of scope was in September last year.
Mashabane said the anticipated tender advertisement for the project will be announced at a later stage. And the anticipated site handover will also be announced at a later stage.
Mashabane said the department has 536 capital projects currently registered in the DPWI work control system database.
Number of projects per department/sector
Of the 536 capital projects, he said 169 are in site clearance process. 248 projects are in planning, 38 projects at tender stage and 34 projects in construction stage. 22 projects are in first delivery stage, 16 projects in final delivery stage, and six projects are completed.
Meanwhile, the Auditor-General said the department achieved an unqualified audit outcome in 2023-2024 financial year. This despite significant adjustments to financial statements.
“The department has not produced a credible annual performance report since 2019-2020. And it still faces challenges with non-compliance with key legislation. There have been improvements in indicators. With material findings in the audit report attributed to auditor interventions. Also to the implementation of recommendations,” said the Auditor-General.
