The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development came under unprecedented criticism for its poor management of the Nokuthula school project from both the Education and Infrastructure portfolio committees during a recent joint committee meeting.
The Nokuthula school for learners with special needs, one of the most expensive schools ever to be built in Gauteng, cost R300 million to build over a 3-year period. It is still not fully operational after being completed in October 2017.
Poor management, a lack of attention to detail and failure to submit required documentation by the Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) has resulted in the City of Joburg withholding a final occupancy certificate for the school.
On the basis of a temporary occupation certificate, only a portion of the buildings have been occupied. The boarding school buildings cannot be used allegedly because they were built within a flood-line. The result of this is that many learners who would have been accommodated in the boarding school are being transported to school on a daily basis.
In addition, the quality of construction is being questioned despite the huge cost. When it rains, parts of the school become flooded, there are numerous leaks, walls are disintegrating because of damp and part of the ceiling in the hall has collapsed. There is also an on-going problem with the plumbing.
The Department of Education did not escape the criticism of the joint committee meeting as the department was accused of being too hands off during the project and not doing a proper handover to the educators and SGB when the school was occupied.
Members of the Education Portfolio suggested that the Infrastructure Department was unprofessional, lacked skills and did not apply consequence management. They even suggested taking away the responsibility for construction from DID.
An urgent follow up meeting has been convened with the MECs and HODs of the two departments and depending on progress made, a committee enquiry may be held to probe the poor performance of the infrastructure department.