Only 20% of dept targets met

PUBLIC WORKS: 'UNACCEPTABLE' - PARLY

- Matthew Hirsch

» Hundreds of millions spent to house Saps in Telkom Towers which is incomplete - ACDP.

Members of parliament's portfolio committee on public works and infrastructure have raised concerns that the department failed to meet about 80% of its projects planned in the 2022-23 financial year.

The DA's Edwin Bath asked if the department had an action plan to fast-track delayed projects. He said it was "not acceptable" that the department failed to achieve 80% of its targets.

In March, GroundUp reported on the auditor-general's report on material irregularities to the portfolio committee. It found that the Telkom Towers complex in Pretoria was purchased by public works in April 2016 for nearly R700 million.

But eight years later, the complex had been underutilised and police staff were recently evacuated from the premises due to safety concerns.