During the final day of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) 2024 Provincial Week Programme, the Permanent Delegates from the Eastern Cape expressed their dissatisfaction with the increasing number of delayed infrastructure development projects in the province.
This dissatisfaction was reiterated during the delegation’s oversight visit to various infrastructure projects in the Chris Hani District Municipality as part of the NCOP’s Provincial Week Programme. Some of the projects facing delays included Fikile Gwadana Road, Louis Rex Primary School, and the Komani Economic Industrial Park.
One of the projects, the Queenstown Economic Industrial Area, experienced significant delays due to a court action, resulting in an extended timeline for completion and ongoing budgetary constraints.
Additionally, the Louis Rex Primary School project in the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality faced delays attributed to poor performance by the initial contractor, leading to overcrowding and lack of essential facilities at the school.
In the case of the Komani Industrial Park, challenges such as water shortage, inadequate electricity supply, lack of ICT connectivity, security issues, and funding constraints have hindered its progress.
The delegation urged local leaders to ensure these projects are revived and adequately funded to facilitate their completion. Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana, leader of the delegation, emphasized the importance of engaging all stakeholders to address these issues and fulfill the projects’ intended objectives.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.