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Mail & Guardian
department of public works and infrastructurelatest news & developments
Dr Vish Govender laments of struggling to attract structural engineers with only four serving the entire province. Photo: Supplied
MINING MANUFACTURING

Only four structural engineers cover entire province as KZN struggles to attract qualified professionals

South Africa is said to have one engineer for every 3 000 people, compared with about one engineer for every 300 people in a developed country

  • Sandile Motha
2 min read
The Blue, Green and No Drop certification programmes are the department’s regulatory mechanisms to improve municipal drinking water quality, wastewater management, water conservation and demand management.
BLUE DROP REPORT

SA’s water crisis deepens: Nearly half of wastewater systems critical

The latest Green, Blue and No Drop reports show widespread deterioration of water and sanitation infrastructure. Nearly half of wastewater systems are critical, drinking water…

  • Sheree Bega
8 min read
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson
CABINET REPORT CARDS 2025

Dean Macpherson: Public Works and Infrastructure

SCORE: B- Macpherson tackled the construction mafia in 2024. Since June 2024, 40 non-performing contractors have been blacklisted from doing business with the department.…

  • MG Reporter
1 min read
Public works and infrastructure minister, Dean Macpherson. (Photo: X)
ADMIRALTY RESERVES

KwaZulu-Natal municipality seething after public works minister strips it of key tourism assets

Dean Macpherson said the Ray Nkonyeni local municipality had failed dismally to manage the leases to the properties, putting the livelihoods of business owners in jeopardy

  • Sandile Motha
2 min read
ARTICLE

The God Edition | Secularism is the bridge to harmony and democracy

Religious organisations, political leaders and citizens all have a role to play in defending the principle of secularism

  • Martin Meyer
4 min read
Weak oversight and non-compliance are causing fatal accidents at construction sites
BUILDING SITES

South Africa clamps down on ‘construction mafia’

More than 700 cases related to criminal gangs disrupting construction sites have been reported over the past five months

  • Lyse Comins
5 min read
The Constitution makes provision for the restitution of land to those who were dispossessed during apartheid rule. The Expropriation Act is not a land reform law
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Deal with South Africa on the basis of facts, not rumour

The country stands firm on the principle that diplomacy is the most viable route for settling differences in a complicated geopolitical world, including the conflict in the…

  • Fidel Hadebe
8 min read
Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean Macpherson and eThekwini Mayor Cyrical Xama at a press briefing to reveal their plans to deal with dodgy buildings. Photo: Supplied
BAD BUILDINGS

Minister Macpherson and mayor Xaba tackle Durban’s bad buildings

The public works and infrastructure minister said the government was not prepared to negotiate with the construction mafia because you don’t negotiate with people who commit…

  • Lyse Comins
5 min read
Rescue teams on site as operations continue at 75 Victoria Street, George (George municipality)
CIBD

Preliminary findings show compliance gap led to George building collapse

The death toll in the George building collapse has reached 33 and 19 people are still missing This content is restricted to registered users and subscribers. Get Your Free…

  • Umamah Bakharia
1 min read
Plumes of smoke: The statue of General Louis Botha seems to watch – either triumphantly or helplessly – as parliament burns behind it. (Carina Bruwer)
CAPE TOWN

Parliament fire: attack or plain negligence?

Rumours abound about the quality of public works upkeep and the person arrested for arson

  • Eunice Masson
8 min read
Parliament building in Cape Town, South Africa on January 02, 2022. (Photo by Xabiso Mkhabela/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Hawks gain access to parliament fire scene

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation will look into the cause and extent of the fire

  • Eunice Masson
1 min read
CAPE TOWN

Parliament fire arson case postponed

Hawks not ruling out the possibility of more suspects being arrested as the investigation continues

  • Eunice Masson
2 min read
Smoke billows from the roof of a building at the South African Parliament precinct in Cape Town on January 2, 2022, during a fire incident. – A major fire broke out in the South African parliament building in Cape Town on January 2, 2022. Firefighters were present at the building as large flames and a huge column of smoke were seen at around 0530 GMT. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP)
AMOS MASONDO

Firefighters battle new parliament fire

Fresh blaze erupts on roof of National Assembly

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
1 Military Hospital. (Gallo)
1 MILITARY HOSPITAL

1 Military Hospital became a ‘milking cow’ during 14 years of refurbishment

The defence force presents a summary of a forensic report on an investigation into upgrades and repairs to the hospital in Pretoria

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
After an inquiry in February 2021 about the report, the M&G finally gained access this week to a 42-page executive summary of the forensic investigation “into the 1 Military Hospital repair and maintenance programme”. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy
1 MILITARY HOSPITAL

Squabbles put army hospital in ICU

1 Military Hospital is in a serious state of disrepair and the report of a forensic investigation into who is to blame for the mess remains under wraps

  • Eunice Masson
  • Erika Gibson
5 min read
ARSON

Cape Town fire burns for a third day, authorities confirm minister’s residence gutted

Fresh firefighting teams are expected to take over from the crews that battled the blaze throughout Monday evening

  • Eunice Masson
3 min read
The memorandum was signed by Infrastructure in South Africa, an entity of the department of public works and infrastructure; the national treasury; and the Development Bank of Southern Africa. (Madelene Cronjé/M&G)
CORONAVIRUS

Government kickstarts the National Infrastructure Fund

Treasury, the department of public works’ Infrastructure in South Africa, and the DBSA have signed a memorandum of agreement that mandates the bank to establish and manage the fund

  • Tshegofatso Mathe
3 min read