Stapleton Road contract terminated over failure to deliver

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31-07-2025
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Highway Mail
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The MEC says the contractor is expected to continue working until the termination process is finalised and is expected to ensure that the road is safe before moving off site.

THE KZN MEC for Transport and Human Settlements, Siboniso Duma, has instructed the head of the department to accelerate the termination of the road construction contract on Stapleton Road due to the contractor’s failure to deliver.

In a statement responding to the Highway Mail’s enquiry that the ongoing delays on the construction project included financial issues, the MEC said the contractor had “failed to deliver” despite the extensions which had been granted.

Duma also said over the past 400 days in office, he had “unfortunately” received complaints from the public about prolonged construction on the road.

The MEC said this termination comes after the construction was inspected, weekly progress meetings were held, and support was given to the contractor.

“The Head of the Department, Siboniso Mbele, has been mandated to accelerate the termination process. The intention and notice to terminate was issued on the 04 July 2025. The contractor was given 14 days to substantially increase progress, failing which the termination process would begin. Sadly, there has been no improvement; hence, we are proceeding with termination. The department is currently re-measuring incomplete works and will start drafting a tender document for appointing a new contractor to complete the project,” said Duma.

The MEC said the contractor is expected to continue working until the termination process is finalised and is expected to ensure that the road is safe before moving off site.

“As an elected public representative, I must be accountable to the people of this province and take the people of the province into confidence in some of the challenges the department faces. A lot of blame, at times rightly so, has been placed at the feet of the department as the custodian of public transportation. However, the reality is that we have contractors who are failing to honor their contracts. It is for these reasons we are acting firmly as the department.

“Critically, we wish to announce that as of today onwards, we will be implementing punitive measures to ensure that we recover monies from those contractors who have abandoned road construction projects and those who will fail to complete projects on time. This is a demonstration of our firm commitment to ensure that taxpayers’ money is not misused,” said Duma.

The road – P577-02 which runs along the M5 between Cowie’s Hill and New Germany, linking the M13 to the M19 – was handed over to the contractor on June 9, 2023.

About R87.8m was set aside for the rehabilitation of the road where construction began on August 2, 2023, with the initial completion date set for May 24, 2024.