KwaZulu-Natal MEC for public works and infrastructure Martin Meyer. (@KZNPublicWorks/X)
The late payment of service providers in KwaZulu-Natal, especially emerging contractors, is a travesty of justice, and has led to many of them collapsing, said MEC for public works and infrastructure Martin Meyer.
In an interview with the Mail & Guardian, Meyer said his department had also taken a hard stance against officials accused of demanding bribes before releasing payments.
“If a contractor is not paid, another worker goes hungry and a house or vehicle is repossessed. Some contractors are forced to close permanently if they are not paid,” Meyer said.
While acknowledging that his department was notorious for this in the province, Meyer said it was trying to turn things around. Part of the reason payments due to contractors were delayed was his department was owed money by other provincial departments, he added.
“We took hard decisions, as the new government, against those departments. Together with the provincial treasury we ring fenced all the funds meant for infrastructure,” Meyer said.
“We also restructured and improved our payment systems. Our goal is simple, really, and it is that of paying service providers timeously.”
The department has also pursued disciplinary measures against officials found to have solicited bribes before releasing funds.
“We have made progress on that front. Some officials found to have done wrong have been dismissed and some are undergoing disciplinary processes. Some cases were referred to the law enforcement agencies for investigations,” Meyer said.
He said the department had settled about R1 billion in outstanding payments to service providers since March.
“We have cleared all our debts and, moving forward, we have committed ourselves that all contractors will be paid within a turn around time of 30 days,” Meyer said.