Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke has warned that weak planning, poor procurement processes and a lack of accountability continue to undermine infrastructure delivery across South Africa, contributing to service delivery failures and mounting financial pressure on municipalities.
Her findings are contained in the 2024/25 Consolidated General Report on National and Provincial Audit Outcomes, which found that 109 of the 152 infrastructure projects audited experienced delays. The affected projects have a combined estimated value of R47.39 billion.
Maluleke said the problems begin long before construction starts.
“First of all, they plan badly, second of all, they procure badly, so they end up appointing contractors that are unlikely to deliver what’s required,” she said.
She added that weak oversight during implementation further compounds the problem.
“When that contract has been appointed, they then don’t monitor that contractor properly. And then, fourth, they don’t hold anybody accountable, not the contractor, not the staff in the environment,” Maluleke said.
The Auditor-General also highlighted the state of local government, saying neglected maintenance and weak oversight across 257 municipalities are contributing to financial decline and leaving many communities without reliable basic services. She warned that unless governance, project management and accountability improve, infrastructure backlogs and service delivery challenges are likely to persist.
VOC News
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