Victory for the people of Gauteng as Transport Department Terminates Contract with GMK after ActionSA Exposé

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12-02-2024
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Action SA
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The Gauteng Department of Transport has confirmed that it has finally cut ties with GMK Civils a contractor that has failed to deliver despite having been paid.

This comes after ActionSA had pressured the department to account on the delay in completing K31 Beyers Naudé road in Roodepoort.

In November last year, ActionSA raised concerns over the K31 Beyers Naudé road works which had taken more than necessary time to be completed. Following our statement, the department and GMK Civils responded with aggression to us including sending us letters from lawyers threatening legal action and demanding that we withdraw our statements.

In July 2022, the department awarded GMK a tender to the tune of R197 478 000.00 to upgrade road D374. The project was meant to start in May 2023. To date the only thing that GMK ever did was erecting a construction information board and leave materials.

Earlier this week we conducted an oversight and revisited the road, again we found no one on site. When we called GMK on the number written in the information board, it showed that the number does not exist. It was only after our oversight visit that the department confirmed it had terminated the contract with GMK.

It must be noted that despite this contract costing the taxpayer almost R200 million, there is no public record of the MEC of transport conducting an oversight to this project. The provincial government’s failure to conduct oversights is the leading cause for contractors to act as they please as they feel unaccountable.

Unlike the ANC, ActionSA understands the role of executive oversight and regular reporting in ensuring that the work is done, and deadlines are met. When I was MMC for transport, we prioritised oversight to avoid such unexplained delays, and this is what ActionSA will do when we get into government.

We will ensure effective planning and scheduling of projects,

We will insist on adequate financial planning and management of resources.

We will introduce a supply chain policy that unapologetically insist on experienced and competent contractors and,
Maintaining good communication and relationships with all parties including regular reporting on progress.

Understanding the importance of roads infrastructure in driving economic growth in the province, ActionSA through a targeted, long-term plan of investing into key infrastructure projects, will invest in the construction of quality roads and build the foundations required for South Africa’s economy to flourish and provide prosperity to our people.

Further to this, ActionSA will continue to hold the provincial government, the MEC, the premier and GMK Civils accountable, and will ensure that all the taxpayers money paid to GMK is recovered. Upon being elected intogovernment in May we will ensure that road D374 and all other transport projects are delivered in time and on budget.