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The Democratic Alliance welcomes the proclamation authorising the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) to investigate the R150.4 million contract for the special maintenance of just 28 kilometres of Road P152/1 between Setlagole and Delareyville.

Of particular concern is that the procurement and implementation of this project took place during a period when the North West Department of Public Works and Roads was under Section 100(1)(b) national administration.

This raises questions that go beyond one contract. Section 100 intervention was imposed precisely to rescue the province from administrative collapse, strengthen financial controls and restore proper governance. If contracts concluded during that intervention are now attracting SIU scrutiny over possible maladministration, fraud, corruption and irregular expenditure, then the effectiveness of the intervention itself must also come under examination.

Parliamentary records indicate that the R150.4 million project commenced in March 2022 with an original contract period of 17 months. By September 2024, the project had already spent approximately R98.1 million, but physical progress was only at 44%, resulting in penalties.

The DA therefore expects the SIU investigation to establish not only whether individual officials, contractors or other parties acted unlawfully, but also how procurement controls operated under national administration, who exercised oversight over this contract, and whether warning signs were ignored.

The Department must also confront its persistent internal capacity challenges. It cannot continue relying excessively on external consultants and service providers while lacking sufficient internal technical, engineering, project-management, contract-management and procurement capacity to properly design, monitor and enforce major infrastructure contracts.

Strengthening internal capacity is essential if the province is to break the cycle of delayed projects, escalating costs, poor contractor performance and repeated investigations after public money has already been spent.

The Department must fully cooperate with the SIU and make available every tender document, evaluation record, payment certificate, variation order, progress report and approval connected to this contract. Where wrongdoing is established, there must be consequences, recovery of public funds and criminal referrals where appropriate.

The people of North West were told that Section 100 intervention would rescue the province. They are entitled to know how an R150 million road contract awarded during that period has now ended up under SIU investigation.

Issued by DA Caucus Leader in North West Provincial Legislature Freddy Sonakile