Delays at Mamelodi court project leave community without essential facilities

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08-09-2025
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Pretoria Rekord
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From a half-built magistrate's court to the abandoned HM Pitje stadium, Mamelodi residents decry years of incomplete projects draining resources, while they wait for promised services.

Following the termination in October 2023 of the construction of a second building at the Mamelodi Magistrate’s Court, those using the court are finding themselves without basic facilities, including working toilets.

This project, originally budgeted at R94-million, started in 2014. It was cancelled by the National Department of Public Works (DPW), which gave its reasons as poor performance by the original contractor, Fikile Construction, and community unrest.

No new contractor has yet been appointed.

A resident of Mamelodi East, Zakes Moimane, commented that Mamelodi hosts some very important court cases and that the current building is far too small to handle the current cases.

According to him, in serious cases, some people are forced to sit outside the actual courtroom, waiting for people inside to communicate what is taking place.

“The new court would make things better for everyone and avoid overcrowding. The department should have appointed a new contractor by now. The announcement was made more than a year ago,” complained Moimane.

He pleaded with the DPW to finish this project and all other critical projects that are stalled in Mamelodi and other places.

Another Mamelodi resident, Celia Kekana, said that the small size does not necessarily mean the courts are always overcrowded, and that it depends on the case. For high-profile cases, a courtroom could get overcrowded.

“The project for the new court must proceed no matter what. The project was supposed to be completed by now,” demanded Kekana.

In a statement, DPW spokesperson Thami Mchunu said, “The court was built to provide effective judiciary services in Mamelodi and the surrounding areas based on the need analysis outcome done by the Department of Justice.”

Mchunu said in October last year that the DPW had not yet appointed a new contractor, but that the process would begin soon.

Regarding the long break in the building project, and the possibility that it may have become unstable, he said, “The department does not have any technical evidence that proves that the structure may collapse. Any structural damage will be identified by the professional team.”

He added that any remedial work that may be required will be included in the scope of work of the new contractor that will be appointed to complete the project.

According to him, the budgeted cost of the project was under R180-million, and that just over R164-million had been spent, leaving enough to complete the project.

Another unfinished project in Mamelodi is the iconic HM Pitje stadium, which has not been used for almost two decades.

The stadium was set to be upgraded as a 2010 FIFA World Cup SA legacy project for the city, but the project was cancelled by the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture.

A third project, Greenview Train Station, originally priced at R102-million, kicked off in 2015 and was halted by Prasa in October 2018.

Yet another unfinished project in the capital is the Lusaka Clinic, which had a price tag of R49-million. Its construction began in 2019 and was due for completion in 2024. The Tshwane metro stopped construction due to ‘poor performance’ by an unnamed contractor.

The Tshwane metro, Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, and Prasa were contacted by Rekord for comment. None had been received by the time of publication.