Provincial government takes tough stance against companies pocketing funds and leaving projects unfinished
Welkom – The Free State Provincial Government will blacklist companies that abandon projects without completion, following mounting frustration over water and sanitation challenges plaguing Matjhabeng Local Municipality.
The announcement came during a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, 14 October, in Welkom, bringing together key stakeholders to address the municipality’s persistent infrastructure problems.
Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae led the discussions, joined by Saki Mokoena, MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and Human Settlements; Thanduxolo Khalipha, Executive Mayor of Matjhabeng Local Municipality; and representatives from the Vaal Central Water (VCW) Board.
The VCW Board has already appointed several companies to address sewage treatment plants and network infrastructure, but progress remains a concern.
Zero Tolerance for Project Abandonment
Premier Letsoha-Mathae expressed her frustration with contractors, particularly those from outside the Free State, whose primary motivation appears to be financial gain rather than community development.
“People come to the Free State, use fake addresses, and are appointed to handle substantial contracts. Along the way, they abandon the projects only to reappear elsewhere. This suggests collusion between government officials and these contractors,” she said.
“Ideally, when people fail to complete projects, they should not be appointed to other projects.”
Whilst the Constitution permits companies to operate anywhere in the country, the Premier criticised contractors from other provinces who fail to contribute meaningfully to local community development.
“The question we must ask ourselves is: what are they contributing to our communities? People generate substantial profits in our province and leave us with nothing—this cannot be permitted,” Letsoha-Mathae declared.
“Our economy will not grow if we continue this approach. We will insist on 80 per cent of business people being from the Free State.”
Tougher Oversight Measures
MEC Mokoena endorsed the Premier’s position, highlighting the pattern of contractor misrepresentation.
“They consistently portray themselves as competent professionals, but once appointed, they make excuses when failing to fulfil their duties. This will no longer be tolerated,” Mokoena stated.
The provincial government has committed to conducting regular monitoring meetings to track project progress and ensure accountability.
The initiative represents a significant shift towards stricter contractor oversight in a municipality that has struggled with service delivery challenges for years.
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