This is according to a Democratic Alliance (DA) member of the Provincial Legislature, Tutu Faleni.

Faleni told OFM News that this backlog is caused by the incurring budget deficit of the department, which he says has been the situation the past ten years.

Meanwhile, the Health Department has confirmed to OFM News that there is indeed a backlog in major construction projects.

The departmental spokesperson, Tebogo Lekgethwane, gave reasons as to why there are backlogs in this regard, saying it is partly due to community interruptions and service providers’ financial troubles.

Lekgethwane further says in some instances service providers would tell the department that they have underquoted and do not have enough budget to carry on with work, forcing the project to a halt. The department would then have to re-prioritise the project.

According to Lekgethwane, a project was disrupted by community members after they demanded that locals be hired by the contractor.

“There are a number of reasons and that is why it is important to not only say that the department has delayed [the completion of projects] but to understand the reasons. For example, one of the projects the DA mentioned is that of the psychiatric Bophelong [Hospital] in Mahikeng. That project has been contracted in phases and the first phase was completed, hence the hospital was opened. There are, however, other phases that are still under construction while the project is in operation,” says Lekgethwane.

OFM News/Lucky Mkuyane