The programme led to the loss of millions for small businesses that were part of the incubation programme. Her report follows an intervention by Mkhwebane in 2018 during which she mediated between the department and aggrieved emerging contractors. The bereaved 64 contractors complained that they lost income worth millions, as well as building material, following the department’s abrupt halting of the programme.

In her first initial report, she ordered the department to resuscitate the programme within 20 working days and she says significant progress has been made following her 2018 report. The PP says in her latest and final report that the administrator of the cash-strapped department must, in consultation with the Minister and the national department, issue a re-appointment letter to all contractors within 15 days. Mkhwebane further says these 64 contractors must then be given projects worth R4 million in accordance with their Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) levels within 15 days of the current completion of the Vuk’uphile programme.

The PP says the administrator must submit an implementation report of her the remedial action within seven working days. “Ensure that the evaluation of the variation payments pending for twelve contractors who successfully completed their projects, is finalised within 15 days of the report and payment affected within 10 days of finalisation of the evaluation,” Mkhwebane concludes.

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