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R346 million wasted on empty Gauteng Provincial Archives

The DA has conducted an oversight visit to the Gauteng Provincial Archives in Kagiso Ext 6.

Images can be accessed here, here, and here .

Construction of the Provincial Archives commenced in early 2014 and was set to open its doors in February 2016, at a predicted cost of R312 million.

Costs have now escalated to an approximate R346 million. This is excluding the costs for 24 skilled staff, servers, ICT/Broadband, equipment for archive preservation and furniture.

According to a Gauteng Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) report on the archives, the contractors have downed tools without having completed the project.

Our visit to the archives and engagements with members of the Kagiso community revealed that many residents were not aware of what exactly the monumental building was.

It has stood empty for almost three years and according to the department it will open its doors at the end of June this year. The DA will hold the MEC accountable on this promise.

Contractual disputes, poor workmanship and architectural design issues were blamed for the delays.

Gauteng Sport, Arts, Culture, Recreation and Heritage MEC, Faith Mazibuko launched a scathing attack last year on MEC for Infrastructure Development, Jacob Mamabolo, claiming that her department’s failures rest squarely at his feet.

The lack of project management and coordination between the Provincial Department of SRAC and Infrastructure Development has resulted in yet another empty shell.

This building plays a key role in heritage preservation and record management and is legislated by the Constitution and various National and Provincial legislation.

Gauteng residents cannot afford any more wasteful expenditure from the ANC provincial administration.

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Five Classrooms Uninhabitable At Sizwe Secondary School

Sizwe Secondary School

The DA visited Sizwe Secondary School in Elandsfontein, Ekurhuleni, to assess infrastructure conditions following flash floods last week in the region.

The DA has written to Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, to urgently intervene at the school as classes have been disrupted.

Five classrooms are now uninhabitable and have been closed off to teachers and learners.Sizwe Secondary School

It is very unfortunate that the department has failed to help the school since last week despite their plea for assistance.

Disaster Management Team

The damage of the flooding is widespread and since the water has not been drained it has become a major health risk and the water is starting to smell badly.

The department should not sit on their hands in waiting for the water to soak up naturally but should take active measures in draining out the water as soon as possible.

The MEC should appoint a consulting engineer to assess the damage to the school building and have laboratory tests taken on the stagnant water.

The department should engage with the Disaster Management team appointed by the Premier to ensure that all schools in affected areas are included in the plan to mitigate major risks.

The DA will monitor the progress or lack thereof by the department in urgently assisting Sizwe Secondary School.

 

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

DA Gauteng Education Shadow MEC

082 398 7375

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It’s Time For A DA government In Emfuleni

Chronic Corruption and Maladministration

Emfuleni Local Municipality has been plagued with chronic corruption and maladministration that is crippling the municipality and has adversely affected the delivery of quality services to the residents of the municipality.

On many occasions, official communication from the municipality have denied their involvement in bungled tenders, poor service delivery and officials doing business with the municipality.

The DA will outline the scandals, service delivery issues, counts of corruption and money wasted in the municipality.

(Click here to access the press conference document).

Oversight Visits

It is high time that the residents of Emfuleni are made aware of how the ANC under the leadership of Mayor Simon Mofokeng, has brought this municipality to its knees.

During the past few months, the DA have asked many questions and conducted oversight visits to projects costing millions of rands, yet only empty sites remain.

I have travelled throughout Emfuleni and surrounding areas talking to residents and hearing their daily plight. Every single petition and community protest have fallen on deaf ears.

The residents of Emfuleni, especially the elderly and frail, have told me how difficult it is for them to take a bath or to prepare food for their loved ones.

Young people have told me of their plight in searching for a job as many of the facilities have no internet access. They cannot even visit the Boipatong Memorial and Youth Centre as it has been closed since inception.

No Action Against Corrupt Officials

The past few months, I, together with my colleagues in Emfuleni dug up what we deem to cost more than R400 million worth of corruption, inflated pricing and bungled tenders.

Poor administration have made matters worse, as very little to no action has been taken against corrupt officials.

Here is a list of headlines, which the DA has exposed to the public:

  1.  Billing scandal: DA uncovers massive organised crime syndicate in Emfuleni;
  2.  R14m roads & storm water project failure;
  3. Nguna and U-street: R14m later, still no tarred road;
  4. Dickinson Park – R52 million park – no equipment, no child’s-play;
  5. Residents of Sebokeng fed up with ANC jobs-for-pals schemes;
  6. Sharpeville ECD – still not open to service the community;
  7. Evaton Traffic Precinct R18 million later – still not precinct;
  8. Emfuleni Fire Brigade on a go-slow due to wage dispute;
  9. Emfuleni appoints Sedtrade with a contract value of over R150 million with no experience;
  10. The Mayor acknowledged a sum of R30 million lost to fraud. There has been no further attempt to recover the lost funds;

Public Funds Lost to Fraud and Corruption

All of our attempts have fallen on deaf ears from the Provincial Government to the Local Council and we have no other choice but to approach the Public Protector to investigate each and every transaction, interaction and pending investigations that might have been shelved by the municipality.

We will, in support of the Public Protectors investigation provide every piece of evidence, photos, transaction details, names of officials and responses from the MECs and we will work tirelessly to bring about change and once and for all expose the Emfuleni Local Municipality for fraud, corruption, maladministration and poor service delivery.

I will therefore be making this submission to the Public Protector to investigate public funds lost to fraud and corruption the tune of over R400 million.

Residents of Emfuleni now have a choice. They can either choose the status quo of corruption, empty and broken promises, poor service delivery and high unemployment, or they can choose the change that a DA-run local government can bring.

 

Media enquiries:

Kingsol Chabalala MPL

DA Mayoral Candidate for Emfuleni

060 558 8299

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DA To Visit Willowcresent Secondary School

Today, 25 April 2016, DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education, Khume Ramulifho MPL, and Ward Councillor Peter Rafferty will conduct an oversight visit at Willow Cresent Secondary School.

The school was burnt in 2011 and the purpose of the visit is to check whether the Gauteng Department of Education has renovated classrooms and maintained the facilities since the incident took place.

Date: Monday, 25 April 2016
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Willow Cresent Secondary School, Ext 3. Eldorado Park

There will be opportunities for interviews and photographs. Members of the media are welcome to attend.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education

082 398 7375

[Image source]

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Eldridge Primary: Fix School To Normalise Teaching And Learning

Diminishing Quality of Teaching and Learning

Poor project management and an unclear mandate between the departments of Education and Infrastructure Development has led to misuse of R18 million at Eldridge Primary School in Eldorado Park.

During an oversight visit conducted by the DA, it was found that refurbishment to the school was abandoned by the contractor and the work remains incomplete.

This has caused school management to have to divide the school hall into eight classes, diminishing the quality of teaching and learning.

Danger to Learners

The incomplete work also poses a danger to learners who are exposed to substandard structures and demolished building with uncovered trenches.

Both the department of Education and Infrastructure Development must be held accountable for employing a sub-standard contractor to carry out work at Eldridge Primary.

The DA has submitted questions to both departments to establish the new scope of this project and to confirm the R12 million budget set aside for the school.

The DA will continue to monitor this project until it is completed.
Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho, MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Education

082 398 7375

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DA To Visit Eldridge Primary School

Today, 3 March 2016, DA Gauteng Shadow Education MEC, Khume Ramulifho MPL, will conduct an oversight visit at Eldridge Primary School to assess progress of the school infrastructure building project which started in 2013.

Date: Thursday, 3 March 2016
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Eldridge Primary School, 38 Bokkefeld Crescent, Eldorado Park

There will be opportunities for interviews and photographs. Members of the media are welcome to attend.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

082 398 7375

[Image source]

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DA To Visit Eldridge Primary School

Tomorrow, 3 March 2016, DA Gauteng Shadow Education MEC, Khume Ramulifho MPL, will conduct an oversight visit at Eldridge Primary School to assess progress of the school infrastructure building project which started in 2013.

Date: Thursday, 3 March 2016
Time: 10:00 am
Venue: Eldridge Primary School, 38 Bokkefeld Crescent, Eldorado Park

There will be opportunities for interviews and photographs. Members of the media are welcome to attend.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho MPL

082 398 7375

[Image source]

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Leratong Hospital: Gauteng Infrastructure Department Undermining Citizens

Portfolio Committee Oversight Visit

Service delivery at the Leratong Hospital in Mogale City is in decline as a result of overcrowding due to a lack of infrastructure.

This was revealed during a follow up Infrastructure portfolio committee oversight visit to the hospital.

Staff, who are afraid to speak out due to victimization by management, indicated that both the casualty and medical wards need to be doubled in size to meet demand and the standard of services required.

Overcrowding of Patients

No progress has been made to the upgrading of the dilapidated nurses home. In addition the hospital still has too few technical staff to preform maintenance and there are insufficient IT support resources to effectively implement the e-maintenance system

It was also revealed that the installation of lifts took two years to complete and that the project to install a new boiler had come to an abrupt standstill after being only 75% complete.

In addition, five mini theatres are standing idle.

The use of these facilities would contribute towards reducing the overcrowding as patients could have minor procedures performed there as opposed to being admitted to the wards.

Hospital staff indicated concern over the number of legal cases that arose from allegations of negligence during child birth, as well as the poor attitude of nursing staff towards patients.

Upgrading and Maintaining Critical Infrastructure

The private sector has stepped in to the void and offered to refurbish infrastructure that should have been refurbished by DID. The CEO of Leratong Hospital indicated that the private sector had carried out work to the tune of R15 million.

DID has once again failed residents of Gauteng by not upgrading and maintaining critical infrastructure placed in its care.

The DA will continue to provide robust oversight in order to ensure that our people receive the services they rightfully deserve.

 

Media enquiries:
Alan Fuchs MPL
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Infrastructure Development
060 558 8313

[Image source]

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Gauteng Education MEC Must Explain Missing R17.8 million For Noordgesig Primary

Noordgesig Primary School

Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi must explain where R 17.8 million allocated for renovations at the Noordegesig Primary school was spent?

During an oversight visit to the school, the DA was shocked to find that renovations and rehabilitation at the School have not yet started.

In its first quarter report for 2015/16 the Gauteng Education Department reported that R 17.8 million was spent on renovations at the school, and that the project was completed.

This is clearly not the case.

Proper Infrastructure Conditions

Noordgesig Primary is amongst 56 schools prioritized by the Education Department for rehabilitation and renovation.

Allocating funds to a project and reporting its completion without any results reeks of corruption – similar to the sanitation project piloted by MEC Lesufi where funds were squandered and nothing was done.

Education is pivotal to realizing a better future for Gauteng’s learners. Unless proper infrastructure is put in place and the department delivers on its mandate, children in our province will be denied a better life.

Poor infrastructure conditions equates to poor learning.

The DA will visit more of the 56 schools identified for renovations and ensure that the department makes good on its promise.

Gauteng’s children deserve better education, and the DA will be at the forefront to ensure that this ideal is realised.

 

Media enquiries:

Khume Ramulifho, MPL

DA Gauteng Education Shadow MEC

082 398 7375

[Image source]

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Tragic Effects of Bara Casualty Closure

Relocated Medical Casualty

Alternative arrangements following the temporary closure of the medical casualty unit at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital have been poorly planned and implemented.

This is my conclusion after my visit yesterday to both Bara Hospital and the Bheki Mlangeni Hospital in Jabulani where the medical casualty has been relocated.

Oversight Visit

I visited after receiving complaints by both staff and patients that Bheki Mlangeni hospital was not coping well with the influx of emergency medical patients.

It is important to note that the trauma casualty at Bara is still operating, but the medical casualty has been closed because it is undergoing renovations that are expected to be completed early next year. Typical medical cases are suspected heart attacks or illness, as opposed to victims of violence or car accidents.

I was told that Priority 1 emergency medical cases would still be treated at Bara, but other cases are taken by ambulance to Bheki Mlangeni for treatment.

But Mr Cecil Morgan of Lenasia blames the Bara casualty for the death of his son as he was redirected to Bheki Mlangeni on 31 May, where he later died after a long delay before he was seen by a doctor.

Bheki Mlangeni Hospital Not Coping

I was unable up get a full assessment of the situation at Bheki Mlangeni as the hospital CEO refused to talk to me without permission from Gauteng Health MEC Qedani Mahlangu.

But it seems to me that they are not coping well with medical casualty even though Bara staff have been moved there.

Staff said to me that they couldn’t understand why a medical casualty had not been set up at Bara in an unused ward, as happened before when there were renovations.

Bongani Mazibuko

It complicates matters for patients to be transported in high numbers to Bheki Mlangeni, which is not geared up to cope with them, especially after hours.

Last month, Ms Thabisile Matsitse of Pimville said her 62-year-old mother waited 14 hours before bring seen by a doctor at Bheki Mbangeni, and then died four days later.

There are other horror stories, including the claim by Mr Bongani Mazibuko that treatment was delayed to his father because he did not have R20 admission fee.

Minimum Disruption – Maximum Care

The Gauteng Health Department needs to urgently review the arrangements for medical casualty in Soweto so as to ensure minimum disruption and maximum care for patients.

 

Media enquiries:

Jack Bloom MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Health

082 333 4222

[Image source]